Hairdressers are warning people to avoid the soap dodger’s dream of ditching shampoo for an entire month and it’s not just because of the smell
A new trend encouraging folk to stop washing their hair for 30 days is turning Brits’ barnets into a breeding ground for bacteria.
Hairdressers are warning people to avoid the soap dodger’s dream of ditching shampoo for an entire month because of the health risks… and the smell. Experts warned the TikTok trend could even lead to dirty herberts going bald.
Advocates of the craze claim it returns your locks to their natural state and promotes a “fuller”, healthier head of hair.
But top stylist Rachel Valentine said: “Your scalp is a living organ, exactly the same as the rest of your skin, and a breeding ground for bacteria and yeast. It collects dirt, it gets dirty, it gets oily.”
As an experiment, the London-based crimper stopped washing her own hair for just three days before her scalp was checked under a microscope.
She said: “You can already see the dry skin starting to build up. You can only imagine what it’s going to be like after 20 to 30 days.”
Rachel added: “If you don’t wash your body every day, it starts to smell. And that’s exactly what’s going to happen on your scalp as well.”
She recommended people washed their hair every other day, or at least twice a week, to maintain a healthy scalp.
‘Hair educator’ Abbey Yung also warned Brits against the TikTok trend of not washing their bonce for a month after it went viral on social media.
US-based Abbey said: “While skipping washes might sound like a good idea for fuller hair, it can actually cause issues like itching, flaking and even hair loss if you go too long without cleaning.”
Rachel and Abbey spoke out after British clinic UK Hair Transplants highlighted the issue in a new report. It said: “Dermatologists warn against such long gaps between hair washes.
“The American Academy of Dermatology advises that how often you wash your hair should depend on how oily your scalp gets and how active you are, aiming to keep your scalp clean without stripping away natural oils.”