Should You Wash Your Hair Everyday If You Have Dandruff?

Do you have dandruff on your hair? Dandruff isn’t dangerous, but it makes us feel uncomfortable. It affects our appearance. No one wants to see dandruff on their hair. It’s like a nightmare. So, how do you fight against dandruff? What are the treatments?  Should you wash your hair everyday if you have dandruff? 

Factors Affecting Your Hair-washing

Dandruff isn’t dangerous but it bothers you in life. Many people have dandruff on their hair, but they don’t figure out the cause and solutions. Let’s bust all the myths about what causes dandruff, what it is, and how to soothe your itchy, flaky scalp.

You have dandruff when your scalp starts itching and flaking. You will see white bits in your hair and an inflamed scalp. 

1. Oil

Oil makes your hair look greasy and clumpy. It makes your hair look dirty. Each person has a different amount of oil in the hair. The amount depends on gender, age, living environment, weather, and genetics. Kids and old people don’t produce oil as much as teenagers or adults at the age of 20 or 30 years old. Some people have a lot of oil when they’re young, but when they get old, they produce less.

People with weak hair should wash their hair once a week. There are several frequency levels to wash hair. Some produce too much oil that they have to wash hair everyday. Most people produce enough oil to wash their hair once every couple of days.  

2. Type of Hair

Curly and wavy hair needs to be washed less frequently than thin and straight hair. Straight hair easily becomes greasy because it is covered by sebum faster. With wavy, curly, and thick hair, oil doesn’t cover the strands easily, so it tends to be dry. Wavy and curly hair isn’t affected immediately by sebum because it needs sebum to stay soft and prevent frizzing. Sebum brings moisture to wavy and curly hair.

African-American people’s hair needs to be washed the least. Washing too many times a week, especially with harsh shampoos, can ruin the hair and cause hair loss. If you wash your hair, combine with chemical treatments, or have hairstyles like tight braids, your hair can be damaged. People having textured hair or tight curls shouldn’t wash their hair more than once a week or every other week.

3. Sweat

Sweat affects the frequency of washing hair. It spreads sebum and makes your hair look filthy. After sweaty workouts, you should wash your hair. If you wear a hat or helmet for many hours, you should wash your hair if it’s necessary. 

4. Physical Dirt, Pollen & Styling Products

Dirt, dust, and pollen stick to your hair while you work or play will make your hair look dirty. Styling products will accumulate in your hair and scalp and cause irritation and damage. If you use heavy styling products frequently, you will need to wash your hair more often.

5. Bad Habits Can Cause Dandruff

• Washing hair with shampoo too much, or not enough
• Avoid using conditioner
• Skipping SPF
• Ignoring obvious symptoms

Read more: How to Regrow Your Hair Naturally With Aloe Vera: An Ultimate Guide!

Dandruff and shampoo

Should you wash your hair everyday if you have dandruff? If you see dandruff on your hair, it may be a sign of overwashing. Dandruff, persistent flaking, dry hair, and itching are warnings about the overly dry scalp. However, you shouldn’t stop washing your hair.

Your natural hair oil is good somehow, especially if you have curly hair, but you don’t need to keep all of them all the time.  

The frequency of washing hair depends on an individual demand. Some people can get an itchy scalp if they wash their hair less frequently. If you don’t often wash your hair, only the appearance and feel of the hair change a little bit. In a few serious cases, clogged pores or dandruff can appear. Some people don’t use detergent-based shampoo because they find that it’s helpful if they skip that type of shampoo.

Some Treatments for Dandruff

The treatment may be simple or complicated depending on the cause of dandruff. You have to find the major cause and solve it.

You should try an over-the-counter anti-dandruff shampoo if you have mild seborrheic dermatitis or run-of-the-mill dandruff.  The antifungal ingredients such as selenium sulfide, ketoconazole, or pyrithione zinc in the over-the-counter anti-dandruff shampoo will control the yeast that causes dandruff.

In case, you have a dry scalp that creates flakes, what you need is to calm and moisturize your scalp. You must use a gentle, fragrance- and sulfate-free shampoo. You can use an occasional deeply moisturizing conditioner or hair mask.

When you have a contact dermatitis reaction, you need to use gentle shampoos and conditioners. They will moisturize your scalp without aggravating it while it heals. In case, your scalp becomes really sensitive, you have to cut down the frequency of using shampoo.

Dandruff that is from diseases like eczema, psoriasis, or a severe case of seborrheic dermatitis often goes with other signs such as itchiness and bleeding after scratching. You need to meet a board-certified dermatologist to get a proper diagnosis. You will able to be advised to use products containing salicylic acid, light therapy, a tar-based shampoo, or prescription medications.

It’s important to find out the cause and proper treatment. If you cannot find the cause, you will waste time trying all methods. They even can make your dandruff worse.

Watch this video to get tips for hair care;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XRBeWX6GQvo&ab_channel=Head%26Shoulders

Conclusion

There is no shampoo that fits all types of hair and scalp. You have to look for an ideal one. Each person will be suitable for a kind of shampoo. This depends on the lifestyle, body, and preferences of each individual. The more oil you produce and the dirtier your hair gets, the more often you have to wash your hair. Should you wash your hair everyday if you have dandruff? Don’t do that immediately when you have dandruff. Firstly, find the cause and try treatments. Washing hair everyday may be unnecessary.