Here's Exactly How Often You Should Wash Your Hair So It Grows (2025)

Here's Exactly How Often You Should Wash Your Hair So It Grows (1)

If you’ve always dreamt of having long, voluminous strands, chances are you’ve tried more than a few hair-care products, tools, and accessories to get the look. From biotin gummies and clip-in extensions to anti-breakage styling sprays and root-boosting hot tools many products exist to help create the hair of our dreams.

But could we be overthinking it? Sure, if instant length and lift are the goal, instantly gratifying products are required, but if naturally longer, fuller hair is the goal, it could be as simple as committing to a well-thought-out hair routine. This includes consistent washing, using heat in moderation, and being patient in the process.We reached out to trichologist Anabel Kingsley and board-certified dermatologist Neera Nathan, M.D., to learn more about the relationship between washing hair and hair growth.

Meet the expert

Keep reading to learn how often you should wash your hair for it to grow long and healthy.

Wash Routines and Hair Growth

While washing your hair won't necessarily cause it to grow, there is a correlation between the two. “As a rule of thumb a clean scalp is more than likely to be a healthy scalp,” says Kingsley. And a healthy scalp is more likely to produce long, full, healthy-looking hair. “Your scalp is the bedrock of healthy hair growth so taking care of it and shampooing regularly is essential,” she says. “A clean, balanced scalp environment gives your follicles the best chance to flourish.”

Interestingly, Dr. Nathan shares that certain shampoos are tailored to focus on your scalp instead of your strands. “Scalp is skin and needs to be washed regularly for healthy hair growth because the hair roots reside within the scalp below the skin surface,” she explains. So, while you might not want to cleanse your hair from roots to ends every other day, refreshing your scalp with shampoo can be helpful.

After all, when you forgo shampooing regularly, oils, sweat, dirt, and dead skin cells can build up and create a breeding ground for scalp-disrupting, follicle-clogging bacteria, Kingsley tells us. “This can impact the strength and quality of the hairs that then grow, and you may develop scalp issues such as dandruff,” she explains.

Wash Frequency and Hair Type

How often you should wash your hair will depend on your hair type. “It's not practical for some hair types to wash as frequently as others,” says Dr. Nathan. For straight, fine, or wavy hair, she recommends shampooing at least once a week; for textured or coily hair, she says shampooing at least once every two weeks is key. “If [you’re] wearing a protective style that can't be washed as often, there are leave-in clarifying treatments that can be used directly on the scalp to help cleanse/exfoliate without washing,” she adds.

The way Kingsley sees it, you shouldn’t go more than four days without shampooing your hair. “After all, your scalp is skin, and you wouldn’t go longer than that without washing your face or body,” she points out. And if you have fine hair, she says you’ll likely want to wash it well before the fourth day. “People with fine hair often have more hairs per square centimeter of scalp due to the smaller strand diameter,” she explains. “As every hair follicle is attached to an oil gland, fine hair therefore tends to get oiler faster than any other hair texture and usually needs [to be washed daily] to cleanse away excess oils.”

Frequent Shampooing and Hair Loss

“Contrary to popular belief, shampooing more frequently will not cause an increase in hair loss,” Kingsley assures us. “People are often scared to increase their shampoo frequency due to the amount of hairs they see shed when in the shower. However, it is important to realize that these hairs are already disconnected from the blood supply at the follicle and the act of shampooing is simply dislodging them from the follicle, they are already ready to fall.”

With that in mind, Kingsley says that it is perfectly normal to lose around 100 hairs per day. “The longer you leave it between washes will mean an accumulation of this daily rate of shedding,” she points out. So unless you’re noticing bald spots or serious thinning once your hair is dry, there’s nothing to be concerned about.

How to Boost Hair Growth

While regular shampooing is an essential component of scalp care and thus directly affects hair growth, simply increasing the rate at which you wash isn’t going to create ultra-noticeable results right off the bat—it’s more of a long game. There are some haircare products, however, that can offer amplified benefits sooner rather than later.

Use the Right Products

For starters, Dr. Nathan says opting for shampoo, conditioner, and hair treatments with growth actives like biotin and caffeine can help. For a deliciously scented, growth-boosting wash routine, try the Vegamour GRO Revitalizing Shampoo and Conditioner Kit.

Take Hair Vitamins

You can also address your hair health from the inside out. “A lot to do with hair growth is about what is happening internally in our bodies,” Kingsley says. “Nutritional factors can really [affect] our hair health and growth and therefore it is important to optimize the vitamins and minerals essential for healthy hair growth.”

Avoid Breakage

The way you style your hair can also affect how healthy it looks. “Often I hear clients complain that their hair isn’t growing, when in fact it is growing at the root, but they have overlooked that it is snapping off at the ends,” Kingsley says. “To improve hair strength and resistance to breakage I’d recommend using pre-shampoo treatment masks that help with bond repair and moisture intake.

Another way to avoid breakage is to be more mindful of your go-to hairstyles. “I recommend avoiding wearing tight hairstyles for more than three to four hours at a time, and minimizing excess heat styling or chemical hair treatments can help support healthy hair growth, too,” Dr. Nathan says. Sleeping on silk pillowcases, like the Slip Seashell Queen Zippered Pillowcase, can prevent breakage, as well.

The Final Takeaway

While how frequently you should wash your hair depends on your hair type, if you want your hair to grow long and thick, your scalp has to be clean and healthy. The only way to achieve that is by washing it on a consistent basis. While those with thick or coarse hair may be able to wash their hair less often than those with fine hair, Kingsley recommends going no more than four days in between washes. Doing that along with using the right hair products and avoiding practices that can lead to hair breakage (ahem, bleaching and wearing tight hairstyles) will lead to optimal growth—just remember to be patient.

Here's Exactly How Often You Should Wash Your Hair So It Grows (2025)
Top Articles
Latest Posts
Recommended Articles
Article information

Author: Aracelis Kilback

Last Updated:

Views: 6473

Rating: 4.3 / 5 (64 voted)

Reviews: 95% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Aracelis Kilback

Birthday: 1994-11-22

Address: Apt. 895 30151 Green Plain, Lake Mariela, RI 98141

Phone: +5992291857476

Job: Legal Officer

Hobby: LARPing, role-playing games, Slacklining, Reading, Inline skating, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, Dance

Introduction: My name is Aracelis Kilback, I am a nice, gentle, agreeable, joyous, attractive, combative, gifted person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.