I get it, washing your hair is time consuming and it removes color and other treatments faster. My color turns brassy much faster than it should and smoothing treatments NEVER last as long as they claim. And it’s my fault. I wash my hair every day. It needs washing every day. I am a “sweaty mess” when I work out and there is no way dry shampoo will cut it. If I skipped a day (or two or three) between washing my hair, it begins to smell and my scalp starts to itch and become flaky. Once – on the recommendation of my hairdresser – I tried washing every other day. Shortly after, my husband (who doesn’t notice much about my appearance) asked why my hair smells sweaty… back to washing daily for me.
Everyday I see multiple people who complain about itchy and flaky scalp. For the minority, this is caused by dry scalp and washing makes it worse. For the MAJORITY, the condition worsens as they get further from wash day. In this situation, I try to be gentle but honest that the condition will never improve unless the scalp is washed at least 3-4 times per week. I cannot help you if you wash every two weeks.
Notice I said “unless the scalp is washed.” You don’t have to wash all of your hair, just the scalp and the hair that is directly attached, this is where the yeast, oils and dead skin cells build up to create the flaking and itching.
So how does one wash the scalp and not the rest of the hair? I recommend coating the hair with a cheaper conditioner and then lathering shampoo on the scalp. When you rinse the shampoo the conditioner creates a barrier for the parts of the hair that is drier and more damaged.
Another recommendation – use a medicated or “naturally medicated” shampoo one to two times per week. Medicated shampoos that I recommend: Nizoral (1% or 2%), Selenium Sulfide (Selsun Blue and others), and T-Sal.
For those who prefer a more natural feeling shampoo: tea tree oil shampoos are awesome. My own kids use Jason brand tea tree oil shampoo for their dandruff prone hair. You can even add your own tea tree oil to your favorite shampoo (if you want a sulfate free or color safe option). If you add your own oil, start with a small amount and titrate up, some essential oils can be very strong and can burn the skin.
Hoping every day is a good hair day for you!
Seattle Skin MD 