Does more frequent washing increase hair growth

Does frequent washing increase hair growth?

  • Yes

    Votes: 50 34.0%
  • No

    Votes: 38 25.9%
  • Unsure

    Votes: 59 40.1%

  • Total voters
    147
  • Poll closed .

levette

Well-Known Member
I am 7 weeks post relaxer and have been mainly wearing braidouts during the 7 weeks. I have been washing 1x week , Co-washing about 2x a week. My hair feels thicker and I feel like I am about 14 weeks. I have a lot of new growth. Is this expected from more frequent washing?
 
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tiffers

Whisper "bleep boop" to yourself when you're sad.
I've heard this. :yep: The theory (at least a few years ago) was that frequent washing keeps your scalp extra clean and free of germs, like MN does.

For me, I'm not sure if it increases growth, but when my hair is always wet, I retain EVERY inch that I get. :thumbsup:
 

**SaSSy**

3rd Big Chop on 7/18/2016
I am 7 weeks post relaxer and have been mainly wearing braidouts during the 7 weeks. I have been washing 1x week , Co-washing about 2x a week. My hair feels thicker and I feel like I am about 14 weeks. I have a lot of new growth. Is this expected from more frequent washing?

Your hair might not have been getting as much moisture before you started frequently washing/co-washing, so like a grape turning into a raisin it was losing it's fullness and becoming limp. Now that you are "watering" your hair it's being fuller and lively again. So frequently washing your hair is helping you.
 

Krystle~Hime

Well-Known Member
otherwise frequent washing can creates an uncomfot envirnment for your scalp cause you are gonna strip all oils from your scalp :/
tiffers you can have a clean scalp without washing your hair. some essentiel oils purify, like lavender, tea tree. some oils kill germs like castor oil, sage oil, peppermint, lavender eucalyptus..
 

naturalgyrl5199

Well-Known Member
Hair growth is genetically determined. Some people are fast growers, some are slow growers, and then you have your in-betweens. Retention is determined by how well you prevent your hair from breaking faster than it grows....as far as hair washing, it depends...moisture does prevent breakage, so some people will wash a lot and still experience breakage for different reasons (products that don't provide enough moisture, or an incompatible regimen...for example)....so....it depends....but I chose NO...simply because the reasons for better retention....vary.....

But my hair grows at the same rate as it did when I was relaxed...I just take care of it better now than I did back then so I can see the growth better......
 

lesedi

All is well with me
it's probably more retention than increased growth rate but my hair does extremely well daily co-washing. I get crazy thickness and length
 

levette

Well-Known Member
otherwise frequent washing can creates an uncomfot envirnment for your scalp cause you are gonna strip all oils from your scalp :/
tiffers you can have a clean scalp without washing your hair. some essentiel oils purify, like lavender, tea tree. some oils kill germs like castor oil, sage oil, peppermint, lavender eucalyptus..

I hear you. but I also exercise and I don't feel clean after exercising unless I wash my hair. I will probably stick with the more frequent washing method since my hair has not suffered from it thus far.
 

InBloom

In my new-growth
Perhaps the frequent washing provides more scalp stimulation (circulation) and this may be why you seem to be noticing more growth.
 

NJoy

Here I grow again!
I'm not sure but, I do remember thinking that was to key to growth many years ago. It seemed if I washed my hair more frequently, it grew more. I remember specifically thinking this was the secret to long hair. But, I never kept it up and that was a time before I started taking care fo my hair.

I will say that I was a daily cowasher last year so, maybe that helped.
 

ms-gg

Aka frostoppa
No. As long as you are alive your hair is going to grow. Retaining the length is the problem.
 

mezzogirl

Active Member
Perhaps the frequent washing provides more scalp stimulation (circulation) and this may be why you seem to be noticing more growth.


I believe the highlighted part. I think circulation because you are mesaging your scalp and the high moisture level helps with growth and retention.
 

Royalq

Well-Known Member
i dont know but i just started doing it. i have a twa and my hair only looks good and feels good went its freshly washed
 

ScorpioBeauty09

Well-Known Member
For me I'd say no. In the past year I've made a point to wash my hair every 2 weeks but before sometimes I'd go up to 4 weeks without washing and I've retained length in either of those situations. I know my scalp does better, I feel better/have more energy when I wash my hair every 2 weeks, but as far as increased hair growth, I'd say no.
 

Myjourney2009

Ready to be APL
I know for people that have seborrhea dermatitis the hair grows at its fullest potential with frequent washing. My dd has this condition and when I was washing her hair every 2 weeks her hair grew at a snails pace. Instead of the six inches she should have averaged she was getting maybe 1-3 inches a year. Now that I wash 1x a week I see a big difference.
 

Black Ambrosia

Well-Known Member
I think it helps for most people as long as you don't damage the hair with poor technique when you detangle or use too much heat.

Sent from my SCH-I800 using SCH-I800
 

Nix08

Relaxed, 4B
I would like the science to prove it one way or another however I lean to the side of saying that it may just help increase growth as for the last 2 months or so I've been co washing regularily (every 2 days or more) and I have seen an increase in growth. I've retained all my hair since my journey and my growth rate has stayed the same the regular co washing is the only difference.
 

beans4reezy

Well-Known Member
My hair has never been this long, ever, and I wet my hair alot more frequently now then when my hair was shorter....maybe you are on to something....
 

keepithealthy

Well-Known Member
My hair grows an average of 1/2 inch per month. I haven't seen a difference in growth in my hair when washing my hair frequently. In the summer I usually wash every 3 days because I use a lot of styling products and in the winter if my hair is in twists I can go 2 or 3 weeks without washing. I still get that same 1/2 inch..
 

levette

Well-Known Member
I would like the science to prove it one way or another however I lean to the side of saying that it may just help increase growth as for the last 2 months or so I've been co washing regularily (every 2 days or more) and I have seen an increase in growth. I've retained all my hair since my journey and my growth rate has stayed the same the regular co washing is the only difference.

It would be nice if there was some research out there that could prove this. This may explain why white people hair seems to grow very fast as they tend to wash their hair more frequently. Let me duck the comments that are about to come from this statement
 

Windsy

New Member
It would be nice if there was some research out there that could prove this. This may explain why white people hair seems to grow very fast as they tend to wash their hair more frequently. Let me duck the comments that are about to come from this statement


I can agree with this...:look:
 

Nix08

Relaxed, 4B
It would be nice if there was some research out there that could prove this. This may explain why white people hair seems to grow very fast as they tend to wash their hair more frequently. Let me duck the comments that are about to come from this statement

I thought the same thing but didn't have the nerve to type it out in here:look:
 

Luscious850

Well-Known Member
I voted YES because I believe that with frequent washing comes two important things:

1. Scalp massaging = better blood flow on the scalp
2. Moisture:lick:

I also think that there can also be adverse effects such as:

1. Washing with shampoo too often = stripping the hair of its natural oils
2. Not paying attention to what you wash your hair with = end up with matting, tangles, breakage, protein/moisture overload
3. Over manipulating the hair

If careful I strongly believe one can benefit from more frequent washes.:yep:
 

ms-gg

Aka frostoppa
How does wetting your hair make it grow faster? It just doesn't make any sense to me...

Before this black folks use to believe dirt made their hair grow :lachen:. People use to tell you this with a straight face too. :look:
 

Nonie

Well-Known Member
The only thing I can see frequent washing doing is giving you an opportunity to massage your scalp thus increase circulation. Also dirt and sweat can cause your scalp issues so that a clean scalp provides a healthy environment for hair growth. So if you're sweating much (like after a workout) then washing does provide an environment for sebum production and prevents clogging of pores which can lead to itches and scalp issues. Lastly, moisture is a good thing for your hair. It wasn't until I started washing my hair regularly that I discovered that I didn't need leave-in products to keep my hair "moisturized". The washing itself provided the moisture my hair needed.

Of course there are people whose hair grows w/o them ever washing their hair (even for a year!), but if you noticed an improved growth/retention after you start a regimen of frequent washes, the above reasons could be why.
 

An_gell

Well-Known Member
I'm unsure. I know when I was co-washing every other day, I saw increase in thickness and some growth, but I wasn't retaining a lot of it due to my technique at least that's what I believe. I have fine hair so it's very fragile and when wet it's just that much more fragile, and it took me months to realize I was doin more harm than good. So now I wash once a week. I do, do water rinses in between but this usually consist of me just taking my towel and squeezing the water thats in it over my head.:look: Don't know if that would be considered a proper water rinse but it works for me. :) Since I stopped co-washing so much I can see more length which lets me know I'm retaining.
 
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