Does Washing Your Hair Daily Lead to Hair Loss?

Published: 2025-06-04

Updated: 2025-06-05

4 mins

Not everyone takes care of their hair in the same way. Your hair texture, porosity, and thickness are a few factors that may impact your hair routine, including how often you wash your hair. If you feel intense itchiness or see dandruff on your scalp, that can often be a sign that it’s time for another wash. Still, the steps you take to care for your hair afterward may also influence how frequently you cleanse your hair. For example, those who use heavy oils and creams on their hair may need to wash their hair less often to avoid dryness.

What Causes Hair Loss?

Hair loss occurs when the hair begins to gradually thin or when strands break consistently. While washing your hair daily won’t directly cause hair loss, hair damage may cause you to start losing hair over time. It’s important to treat your hair gently and intentionally to prevent hair damage — one of the most common causes of hair loss. If you have long hair, try to limit how often you wear it in tight ponytails that may cause damage to the roots. 

Other potential causes of hair loss include the following:

• Health conditions like lupus and hyperthyroidism

• Medications like chemotherapy

• Excessive heat on the hair

• Rapid weight loss

• Heavy metal poisoning

Hair loss is a genetic condition that is often passed on through generations of men in your family. Male pattern baldness is one of the most common causes of hair loss in men.

What Factors Affect How Often You Wash Your Hair?

Several factors affect how often you wash your hair, including skin conditions, hair texture, and your lifestyle. Depending on how consistent your schedule is, how often you wash your hair may change from week to week. Factors like how you treat your hair between washes or preexisting health conditions are more likely to contribute to hair loss than how often you wash your hair.

Skin conditions

Skin conditions like seborrheic dermatitis may also affect how often you need to shampoo and condition your hair. Seborrhic dermatitis leads to a pink or purple rash on the skin and a build-up of dandruff. Dandruff scales may be dry or greasy and cause itchiness on the scalp.  Hair loss is not a direct symptom of seborrheic dermatitis. However, intense scratching may lead to hair loss. 

The following health conditions may also cause changes to the scalp:

• Eczema

• Psoriasis

• Folliculitis

A healthcare provider may recommend dandruff shampoo as part of a treatment plan for someone with seborrheic dermatitis. Generally, a healthcare provider may recommend that those with seborrheic dermatitis and straight or wavy hair use dandruff shampoo two to three times a week or once a week if you have tight curls or coils. If the dandruff shampoo recommended by your healthcare provider doesn’t make a difference in four weeks, be sure to let them know.

They may recommend additional treatment options or a different product. Zinc soap is another cleanser often recommended for those with seborrheic dermatitis. A healthcare provider may also recommend letting the shampoo sit on your hair for a couple of minutes rather than washing your hair more often.

Hair type

Washing your hair daily may work for some people, but generally it may be better to wash your hair every couple of days or once a week, depending on your hair type. Straighter hair textures tend to be oily and require cleansing multiple times a week. 

For those with extremely greasy hair, washing your hair daily may be beneficial. However, those with curly or coily hair textures are not required to wash their hair daily because of the risk of extreme dryness.

Curls and coils absorb oil differently than naturally straight strands of hair.  Thicker hair textures may also require less hair washing than thinner hair. Washing textured hair daily could further strip hair of the natural oils it needs to stay moisturized. 

Those with more tightly coiled hair may have low porosity hair. Hair porosity is a measure of how well your cuticles retain and absorb moisture. Those with low porosity hair may notice that water beads are more likely to sit on the top of the hair. Those with high porosity hair have cuticles that allow water to flow through the hair more easily. 

Lifestyle factors

Some people may sweat in their scalp more than others. If you work out every day, a buildup of sweat and dirt may occur more often. You can still wash your hair whenever you feel an uncomfortable buildup of dirt and oil on your scalp without worrying about hair loss. Those with oily hair may wash it daily because sebaceous glands will continue to produce enough sebum (oil).

For those with texturized hair, washing your hair every day may make your hair feel drier. Some people may choose to co-wash (wash the hair with conditioner only) every other wash if they wash their hair multiple times during the week. However, cowashing may not be ideal for those with skin conditions or a high risk of contact dermatitis.

Is it Possible to Overwash Your Hair?

Depending on your hair type, washing your hair too much may make your hair feel drier, but it is not likely that you will experience hair loss. It’s normal to see some of your hair shed when you wash it in the shower, but this is not always a sign of hair loss. 

You may see more shedding hair if you wash your hair less throughout the week. Still, be sure to consult a licensed healthcare provider or dermatologist if you notice uncommon increases in how much hair you see after washing your hair.

Tips for Preventing Hair Loss

The key to preventing or delaying hair loss is understanding when your hair feels its healthiest. Consider the following tips for preventing hair loss:

• Purchase quality shampoos and conditioners with limited amounts of harmful chemicals

• Dry your hair with a microfibre towel or a t-shirt to protect the strands

• Use heat protectants when applying heat to your hair

• Brush and comb your hair gently to avoid breakage

• Eat a well-balanced diet

Many minerals and vitamins, like vitamin A, D, and E, can promote hair growth. However, it’s important for you to discuss hair growth vitamins with your healthcare provider before adding them to your routine.

How Rex MD Can Help

Rex MD offers effective and affordable prescription hair loss treatments online to get ahead of hair loss. Through Rex MD, you can access FDA-approved hair loss medications like finasteride to help restore hair thickness.

Get started today by just answering a few questions about your hair growth goals.