One of the persistent fallacies about Black hair is that it grows more quickly when it is unclean. Although the idea of never again wetting your hair is absurd, there is some truth to this tale.
Because the major method for hair straightening before relaxers and even after they entered the mainstream haircare market was the use of a hot comb, this is part of the reason why Black people in the past didn’t shampoo as frequently (or go swimming).
It makes sense that they would want their hairstyles to endure as long as possible after spending several hours shampooing, drying, and straightening the hair with a hot comb that may severely burn the scalp.
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Does Unclean Hair Grow More Quickly Than Clean Hair?
The truth is that hair requires cleaning fairly frequently. Never using water on your hair is unclean and can cause dryness, breakage, odour, buildup, and even buildup. The idea that unclean hair grows more quickly than clean hair is a common misconception.
Dirty hair can irritate the scalp and encourage the growth of bacteria. Infections of the scalp brought on by bacterial development might result in hair loss or improper hair growth.
After getting that out of the way, it’s critical to discuss why the idea that filthy hair encourages hair growth is still so pervasive.
One of the reasons some people think not washing enough helps hair development is because excessive washing fosters dryness, brittleness, and breaking, which are all problems you can experience if you don’t wash your hair frequently enough.
Yes, your hair will dry out and break if you shampoo too frequently (for Black hair, too frequently might be daily with a harsh, sulfate-laden cleanser). Anyone who shampoos daily runs the risk of damaging their hair.
Why Not Getting a Wash Can Damage Your Hair
While overly frequent washing might result in breakage and dryness, forgoing washing altogether can also have a number of negative effects. It may lead to bacterial growth as well as various irritations and illnesses of the scalp. The accumulation restricts the scalp’s pore movement.
Your hair can accumulate natural oils, hair products, scalp sebum, air pollutants, and even natural oils from other sources. Imagine what happens if you never wash it out or if you only wash it once every few months or so. There’s a good chance that the gunk is hindering growth.
How Frequently Should Natural Hair Be Washed?
The amount of washes depends on your unique scalp and hair, thus there is no right or wrong response to this issue. If not every two to three days, then at least once a week, you should wash your hair.
Additionally, daily shampooing isn’t as horrible as you might assume if you’re more active and prone to sweaty scalps. There is nothing wrong with regularly shampooing your hair. In this situation, co-washing would be a perfect alternative since you are [moisturizing] and [cleaning] the hair at the same time. To prevent your hair strands from drying out, it’s important to pay attention to the components in the hair products you use and seal in the moisture.
The average rate of hair growth is between 1/4 and 1/2 inches per month, but some people may experience faster growth if they wash their hair and scalp more frequently than usual.
Your head will be healthier if you use water to hydrate your hair and scalp frequently. A healthy, clean scalp promotes abundant hair growth. The truth is that clean hair doesn’t grow any more quickly than filthy hair, therefore it’s best to have both clean hair and a fresh head of hair. Your hair will feel, look, and be healthier as a result.
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