Many people believe that washing their hair too much or too little can influence hair loss, or even that the brand or type of shampoo they choose can significantly modify their hair health. Nothing could be further from the truth. We could say that, in general, we tend to give too much importance to shampoo.
Shampoos act externally and therefore cannot penetrate the scalp. Doing so would be dangerous. Since no shampoo reaches the roots, none can modify the health of the hair. Its appearance, yes, but not its health.
In our dermatology clinics, we receive many questions about hair health. Below we provide answers to the most frequent ones.
Frequently asked questions about hair
1. How often should we wash our hair?
Hair health is not influenced by the frequency of washing or the type of shampoo. It is a matter of aesthetics and hygiene, just like choosing when to change your sweater. We decide when to do it, but the health of the skin (of the scalp) is not influenced by frequency.
To get rid of grease, grandmothers can wash their hair once a week. Teenagers, on the other hand, will have to do it much more often, especially since they are in a hormonally explosive period. Children, before puberty, have almost no grease on their heads and can also wash their hair once a week.
During menstruation, women will not need to wash their hair as often, because it will not produce as much oil.
2. Why are shampoos, lotions, and vitamin supplements not effective?
Because no shampoo or lotion penetrates the skin until it reaches the hair root. In addition, the former is a product that is quickly rinsed off.
As for vitamins, whether applied externally or orally, it must be assumed that a healthy person with a varied diet does not need vitamin supplements. What happens is that the pharmaceutical industry wants to attract the entire world population, not only the sick but also the healthy.
No vitamin, shampoo, or lotion can cause baldness either: it depends almost exclusively on genetic factors. What’s more, our body works much better if we leave it alone.
3. Why does our hair fall out so much?
People confuse hair replacement with hair loss. It is more common for us to shed our hair. When we were animals and lived outdoors, shedding made more sense, because it served to regulate body temperature. Many mammals still undergo synchronized seasonal shedding, which means that they renew their hair at the same time each year. In their case, the process is regulated by the climate.
Humans, however, have lost this synchronization, because we have heating, coats, air conditioners, and other temperature regulators that are not always the same and that confuse the body a lot. Even so, we maintain the tendency to constantly “shed” our hair.
Let’s take this opportunity to clarify something fundamental: hair loss and baldness are two radically different things. One imagines that because hair falls out one will become bald, but this is not the case. There are baldness processes that do not imply greater hair loss, but simply that the root does not work well. If we fill the shower or comb with hair, it is surely a sign that we are very healthy, because I am renewing my hair effectively.
Frequency doesn’t matter
In short, we can use the shampoo we like the most and wash it as often as we like, since it will not affect our hair health, but only our appearance and hygiene. What’s more, a Rasta who hasn’t washed his hair for years has the same risk of baldness as a professional athlete who washes his hair three times a day.
The same can be said of alternatives to shampoo such as vinegar or other degreasing potions: if you feel comfortable using them, you can do so. But if you prefer “traditional” methods, you can continue using shampoo.
Specifically with vinegar, which now seems to have aroused some interest, it could be said that it only has a mild degreasing function. Therefore, it can give a nice appearance to some types of hair, but without a doubt, a good shampoo with conditioner will achieve much better aesthetic results.
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