How Often Should You Wash Thinning Hair?

If you are one of the millions of people with fine or thinning hair, there can sometimes be a lot to consider. The type of hairstyles you wear, how you should cut your hair, and the types of products that work best for a thinning or receding hairline are just a few things we need to keep in mind. Figuring out how often you should wash your hair if it is getting thinner can take some adjustments and experimentation.

One of the questions that many women have when tackling thinning hair is wondering just how often you should wash it. Should you wash your hair daily if you have fine or thinning hair? Caring for thinning hair has a unique science, and class is in session. 

It’s also a great idea to have a hair care routine that will support your journey of scalp health, hair restoration, regrowth, or preventing hair loss. When we find out how often thinning hair should be washed, having a shampoo specifically formulated for your hair needs goes a long way!

Let’s take a look at how often you should wash thinning hair, as well as explore a bit more about the dos and don'ts of fine or thinning hair.

Should You Wash Thinning Hair More or Less?

How often you should lather your hair with shampoo comes down to many factors. Age, hair type, oil production, thin versus thick hair, and damaged versus healthy hair all play a role. The real answer to shampooing thinning hair comes down to personal preference, listening to your body, and acting as needed! 

Intuitive washing is the best approach, which happens by listening to your body and checking in on it. There may be a day that comes with a lot of outdoor time or physical activity that can cause you to sweat and build up oils on your scalp. 

Clogged cuticles are not great when your hair is thin, as the cuticles themselves are already narrow. Definitely shampoo on one of those days! On the other hand, you may have days of minimal activity or exposure to debris where your hair stays perfectly clean. 

Skipping a wash day could be an option for you. But because thin hair is already having to contend with a smaller cuticle, it's best to make sure you check on it. 

Washing hair that is thinning too often can lead to a dry scalp. Unfortunately, a dry scalp can lead to hair that is prone to breakage. Lots to consider!

The Do’s and Don’ts of Fine or Thinning Hair

Taking care of your body through what you eat and how much you move is essential to overall wellness. But food and exercise can be contributing factors to hair health as well! Here is one of our favorite ways to support thinning hair or a receding hairline from the inside. 

Consider our Significant Other Hair, Skin, & Nails Supplement to help your body with an extra boost. If your morning ritual involves coffee and some breakfast, adding this supplement is a simple way to set yourself up for success. Our supplement is an adorable heart-shaped gummy with biotin, vitamins A and B, and other nutrients to help your healthy body be at its best. 

We’ve delved into the importance of folic acid for improved hair care and taken a peek at the best vitamins for hair. We wrap all that science-backed hair growth knowledge into one tasty gummy package. Maintaining a good diet, getting regular exercise, and supplementing can be a great lifestyle to embark on to help your thinning hair — as well as your physical and mental health, too! 

Now, let’s take it to the outside for what you should and shouldn’t do for thinning hair. 

Using too much product is a common misstep with hair. While pulling out the hairspray and mousse is tempting, the chemical compounds used in these products can dry your hair, scalp, and hair follicles. A scalp that doesn’t receive the nourishment it requires can lead to hair breakage. 

Let’s take a step back from hair products that do more harm than good. To help your thinning hair appear thicker, try our Wake Up Call High-Hold Thickening Spray. This heavy-hitter thickening spray can add up to 187 percent instant increase in the appearance of volume that will last up to 24 hours. It’s also non-sticky and color-safe, all while combatting the effects of humidity. 

A final note of caution on what not to do if your hair is fine or thinning: remember not to overdo it on strenuous hairstyles. Thinning hair is already fragile, and some styling methods (such as teasing or being rough with a flat iron) can lead to more hair loss and general damage. 

Staying away from hairstyles that pull your hair into tight buns, ponytails, or clips is also a good idea. This is because the strain from tight hairstyles can cause breakage — not to mention accidentally accentuate a thinning hairline. If you are used to putting your hair in a tight bun, but your hair has begun to thin, try some of these hairstyles for thinning hair instead!

Thinning hair does not need to be an issue of style — at Better Not Younger, we are all about changing the narrative around aging and the hair changes we all experience as we age. 

The Best Shampoos for Thinning Hair

Thinning hair needs extra consideration when it comes to hair care products. But don’t stress! Once you have the correct haircare products at your fingertips, your healthy hair routine will be a breeze.

Our Wake Up Call Volumizing Shampoo is great for strengthening thin strands. Hair strands fortified with ingredients such as silica-providing bamboo can stand up to breakage. With burdock root providing a wealth of vitamins and nutrients, and cleansing sage plus conditioning hops to round out the ingredients list, Wake Up Call Shampoo will soon be your thinning hair go-to.

If you deal with sensitive scalp or fragrance sensitivities, our Full Transparency Pure Revitalizing Shampoo may be a good option for you. This formula contains hair strengthening and thickening ingredients to aid thinning hair.

One of the star players is galactoarabinan (GA), which is a natural polysaccharide that comes from pine. This component helps to thicken the appearance of hair strands.

Solutions for Thinning Hair

There can be many factors that play a part in what could be causing your thinning hair. It can potentially be difficult to narrow down the issue, but with help from your doctor and making simple lifestyle changes at home you can help turn it around — or at least slow down the process. 

Thinning hair is something more than 50 percent of women will experience as we age. The life transitional phase of menopause can often bring physical effects — one of which can be thinning hair. 

Genetics and hormones also play a role in who experiences thinning hair. No matter what the exact mechanism is, there is one constant as far as thinning hair is concerned. How do we fix it?

Dealing with thinning hair can feel stressful, but know that you are absolutely not alone! Learning how to manage thinning hair can help elevate your self-confidence and give you some options to keep in your back pocket for fine and thin hair care.

Conclusion:

How often you wash fine or thinning hair depends on internal and external factors. You won’t want to wash hair that is thinning too often, as that can lead to dryness and breakage. You also won’t want to have too many non-shampooing days in a row because the buildup of product and your scalp’s natural oils can weigh down your hair. 

Finding the magic formula for how often you should wash thinning hair may take a little time, but once you’ve found a shampoo routine that works for you and your lifestyle, it should be smooth sailing. Make things even more supportive of your haircare journey by including products with your hair health goals in mind. 

Volumizing shampoos, scalp serums, and thickening sprays can go a long way with thinning hair. From taking you through days that you don’t wash your hair, to lathering up your locks, the right hair care products just make sense! And if you’re still unsure where to start, take our personalized hair quiz today!

Sources:

Scalp Condition Impacts Hair Growth and Retention via Oxidative Stress | PMC

Polysaccharide | Science Direct

Hair Loss in Women: Causes, Treatment & Prevention | The Cleveland Clinic