Will washing your hair frequently cause you to become bald?

That is not the case.

A common misconception about hair and scalp health is that frequent hair washing can cause hair loss and make people bald. In fact, frequent hair washing does not cause baldness. On the contrary, keeping a clean scalp is essential for hair health.

It should be known that the hair growth cycle includes the growth phase, regression phase and resting phase, and each hair has its own natural growth and shedding process. For normal people, hair shedding is mainly due to the natural shedding of hair follicles after entering the resting phase, not due to the frequency of washing hair.

As for pathological hair loss, possible causes include genetic factors, hormonal changes, stress, malnutrition, and side effects of certain medications. Compared with these factors, the impact of shampooing is minimal. Moderate shampooing can remove oil, dust, and dead skin cells from the scalp, helping to keep the scalp healthy.

Rather than worrying about how often you wash your hair, focusing on other details of hair washing, such as using a mild shampoo, choosing warm water instead of hot water, and avoiding rubbing your scalp, can reduce damage to your hair and scalp.

In short, washing your hair frequently is a good personal hygiene habit and has no direct relationship with hair loss or baldness, so don't worry too much. What's important is to pay attention to other factors that may cause hair loss and take corresponding prevention and treatment measures.

Author: Tang Jiaoqing, MD, attending physician of dermatology

Review | Feng Jun, deputy chief physician of the Dermatology Department of Sinopharm Tongmei General Hospital