How Often Should You Wash Short Hair? Tips for Keeping Your Hair Healthy and Clean

Co-authored by Shun Pittman

Last Updated: January 11, 2022 References

Short hair is fantastic for a lot of reasons! It's cute, easy to style, and it dries fast. However, if you've noticed your hair looks oily, you may be wondering how often you should shampoo it. Although there's no simple answer, you can figure out a hair shampooing schedule based on your hair's texture and condition. Check out our answers for more guidance.

Question 1 of 6:

How often should I wash my hair if it's short?

This depends on your lifestyle and the products you use. Your scalp produces an oil called sebum. Since your hair's short, that sebum can make your hair look oily pretty quickly. Shampooing your hair every day, though, might end up stripping the oil from your scalp. This can dry it out. You might try shampooing your hair every other day to retain moisture and prevent this from happening.^{[1]
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- Shampooing your hair every other day won't be too harsh on your hair, especially if there's a lot of oil buildup on your scalp and in your hair.
- If you have curly hair and frequently use a lot of products to style it, you may want to shampoo it more frequently.

Question 2 of 6:

How often should I wash my hair based on its type?

1
Shampoo your hair just once or twice a week if it's curly or thick. It takes oil from your scalp a lot longer to travel down the length of curly hair so you don't need to shampoo it very often. If you do shampoo your hair frequently, it can really dry out your curls or waves.^{[2]
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- You'll find that by limiting how often you shampoo, your curls will be less frizzy and dry.
2
Shampoo your hair about every other day if it's straight. Since oil can move down the length of your hair faster than curly hair, your straight hair will look oilier. This just means that you should shampoo it more frequently.^{[3]
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- Since you have short hair, too, your straight hair will probably look oily after a few days of not shampooing it. You may want to use dry shampoo on the days that you don't shampoo.
3
Shampoo your hair every other day if you have fine hair. If your hair feels thin or doesn't have a lot of volume, you'll see oil build up pretty quickly. Plan on shampooing your hair every other day.^{[4]
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- You should also limit how many hair products you use since these can build up in your hair.

Question 3 of 6:

What if my scalp is oily or dry?

1
Shampoo once or twice a week if your scalp is dry. If you're noticing that your scalp is dry or itchy, this means there's not enough oil and you don't need to shampoo as frequently. ^{[5]
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- If you've got chemically-treated hair (colored, permed, or relaxed), it's probably a little dry, so try shampooing it less often.
2
Shampoo your hair more frequently if you've got an oily scalp. Try shampooing your hair a day earlier than you usually do to remove some of this oil.^{[6]
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American Academy of Dermatology
Professional organization made of over 20,000 certified dermatologists
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- If you notice flaky white dandruff, pick up a shampoo designed for treating dandruff and massage it directly onto your scalp at least 1 or 2 times a week.
- Exfoliating any dry patches can also help remove excess dandruff and dry skin from your hair. Exfoliate by using a comb with rounded teeth prior to shampooing.

Question 4 of 6:

How should I wash my short hair?

Use a shampoo that's formulated for your hair type. Read shampoo labels to find a product that's designed for your hair texture and condition.^{[7]
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Expert Source

Shun Pittman
Hair Stylist
Expert Interview. 14 April 2021.} That's really the most important part of shampooing short hair. Get your hair wet with warm water and squirt a coin-sized amount of shampoo into your palms. Massage the shampoo onto your scalp and through your hair. Then, thoroughly rinse it out with warm water.^{[8]
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Trustworthy Source
American Academy of Dermatology
Professional organization made of over 20,000 certified dermatologists
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- For example, if you've got oily hair, reach for a purifying shampoo rather than a moisturizing or conditioning product. If you have coarse or dry hair, go for a hydrating, moisturizing shampoo.
- If you've got fine hair, look for a gentle shampoo that won't leave a lot of product to weigh down your hair.
- If you get your hair colored, choose a shampoo and conditioner specifically for color-treated hair since it prevents product buildup without making your color turn dull.
- If you have natural or curly hair, your hair is probably pretty dry so choose a moisturizing or hydrating shampoo.

Question 5 of 6:

Should I use conditioner if I have short hair?

Yes—conditioner protects your hair from damage. It also keeps it from drying out since you've washed a lot of the natural oil out of your hair. Choose a conditioner designed for your hair type and massage it through the ends of your hair, not your scalp.^{[9]
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Expert Source

Shun Pittman
Hair Stylist
Expert Interview. 14 April 2021.} Let the conditioner sit on your hair for about 5 minutes—or whatever is recommended on the label—so it really penetrates and conditions. Then, rinse it off with cool water.^{[10]
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Trustworthy Source
American Academy of Dermatology
Professional organization made of over 20,000 certified dermatologists
Go to source}
- If you've got super short hair and you're concerned regular conditioner will be too heavy, it's completely fine to use a lightweight leave-in conditioner instead.

Question 6 of 6:

Does short hair get dirty faster than long hair?

Not necessarily. If your scalp makes a lot of oil, your hair is thin or fine, or it's not healthy, then your hair will probably look oily faster regardless of the length.^{[11]
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- You might find that it's easier to hide oily hair if it's long. For instance, you could pull it back into a sleek ponytail or tuck it under a stylish headband.
- Using a lot of products will increase how quickly your hair starts to appear oily. You'll likely have to shampoo it again sooner in this case.