Trend: Is it healthier to skip the shampoo?

Best HealthBest HealthUpdated: May 18, 2011

Ditch the soap and suds and let your hair down au naturel ‘ it’s healthy! Or at least it won’t

shampoo

Ditch the soap and suds and let your hair down au naturel ‘ it’s healthy! Or at least it won’t hurt you. 

On a recent trip to the hair salon, my stylist gave me a slight scolding when I said I washed my hair about five or six times a week. Apparently, if you shampoo your hair daily it could be stripping it of sebum, a beneficial oil that prevents hair from drying out.

It seems more and more people are giving up a daily wash in the hopes of achieving a healthier mane. Supporters of the ‘no ‘poo movement’ go weeks, and even months, without washing their hair. Instead, non-shampooers wash with a combination of baking soda and apple cider vinegar or simply rinse their hair with hot water.

Jessica Simpson‘s hairstylist, Ken Paves, has reportedly revealed that the pop singer washes her hair only two or three times a month. It’s also been reported that Robert Pattinson is a celeb with less frequent hygiene practices.

So don’t feel guilty if you skip the shampoo and use those extra minutes in the morning for a little more sleep. ‘By no means do I think it’s a necessity of health to wash your hair every day,’ Amy McMichael, a dermatologist at Wake Forest University School of Medicine in Winston-Salem, North Carolina told the Huffington Post. According to McMichael, shampooing your hair is done more to achieve that fresh scent.

The downside? While not shampooing will likely benefit your hair, it could be hard on your scalp. In the Huffington Post’s article, George Costarellis, M.D. a dermatologist and director of the University of Pennsylvania Hair and Scalp Clinic says people with dandruff may find that not shampooing worsens the problem.

While I’ll now give my hair a couple of days off between washes, I don’t think I’ll be skipping a good soapy lather after my next hot yoga class. What do you think of the ‘no ‘poo movement’? Health-conscious decision or an excuse to neglect hygiene? And how often do you wash your hair?

Originally Published: May 17, 2011