Washing your hair once a week may benefit or hurt your scalp, depending on your hair type. Credit: Antonio Hugo Photo / Getty Images
Washing your hair once a week can help your scalp feel more moisturized and less irritated, greasy, and dry.
For people with fine or oily hair types, washing your hair only once a week may lead to scalp irritation and build-up.
Once-a-week hair washing helps people with dry, curly, or thick hair types maintain a more hydrated scalp.
What happens to your scalp when you wash your hair once a week mostly depends on your hair type and lifestyle. Washing your hair once a week can affect your scalp's oil production, skin barrier, and overall health—for better or worse.
Benefits of Washing Your Hair Once a Week
For many people, washing your hair once a week is convenient and helps improve scalp health. People with dry, curly, or thick hair types may only need to wash every one to two weeks.
Decreased Scalp Irritation and Dryness
Like your face, your scalp has oil glands that produce natural oils (known as sebum) to moisturize your scalp and hair. If your hair feels brittle and your scalp is dry and irritated, you're likely shampooing too often.
Overwashing your hair strips away oil. Washing your hair once a week can help replenish natural hair oils that moisturize your hair and scalp, without causing excess greasiness. Proper scalp hydration is important to keep your scalp moisturized, nourished, and irritation-free.
It may seem counterintuitive, but if you have excessively greasy hair, you may be washing it too often. Overwashing strips away oils, and some reports suggest this may cause your oil glands to increase oil production to replenish lost moisture. This creates overly greasy hair while the scalp remains dry and irritated.
Healthier Scalp for Hair Growth
If you notice you're losing more strands of hair than usual, washing your hair less often may help. Extremely dry hair is more prone to breakage, and a dry scalp leaves you more susceptible to conditions and infections that prevent hair growth.
Washing your hair less can help the scalp retain oils that coat the hair shaft—resulting in stronger, shinier hair. These oils also create a protective barrier on your scalp to keep your skin healthy. Having a healthy scalp and hair follicles will help promote hair growth.
Negatives of Washing Your Hair Once a Week
Washing your hair only once a week isn't ideal if you have naturally oily skin, fine hair, use a lot of hair products, or are getting sweaty or dirty frequently.
Potential for More Build-up and Irritation
Not washing your hair enough can cause excess oil and build-up—especially if you live an active lifestyle or have oily, fine hair. Washing your hair once a week can make your scalp more prone to a build-up of oil, bacteria, yeast, hair products, dead skin cells, and odor.
This build-up can clog hair follicles and irritate your scalp. It can also lead to hair loss. You may also notice itchiness, flakiness, and hair that looks weighed down and greasy. To prevent buildup and oiliness, some people will need to wash their hair every one to two days.
Increased Risk of Fungus and Skin Infections
An irritating build-up of sweat, oils, and dirt can also create the perfect environment for fungi and bacteria to grow on your scalp. Infrequent hair washing can give dandruff-causing Malassezia yeast more opportunity to overgrow and feed on oil. This overgrowth leads to an itchy scalp, odor, and flakes.
A scalp with excessive oil and yeast may also lead to a seborrheic dermatitis rash. This non-infectious skin condition can cause scaly, irritated patches on the scalp's oilier areas. Studies have found that more frequent washing is ideal for reducing flakes, yeast, and redness linked to seborrheic dermatitis.
How To Transition to Weekly Hair Washes
If you want to try washing your hair only once a week, be patient. It can take a few weeks for your scalp's oil production to regulate.
Some tips to transition to washing your hair once a week include:
Slowly decrease your hair-wash days: If you wash your hair daily or every other day, drop down to two to three days a week. Then, ease into one day a week.
Rinse between washes (as needed): If you're worried about odor and build-up, rinse your hair and scalp with water between washes, especially after workouts.
Use dry shampoo sparingly: Choose a fragrance-free option made for your hair type and color. Only apply dry shampoo where you feel greasy and let it sit for a bit to absorb oil before brushing it out.
Avoid homemade dry shampoos: Cornstarch, cocoa powder, and baking soda are more likely to clog pores and irritate your scalp. Bacteria also love to feed on cornstarch, which can cause odor.
Focus on cleansing your scalp: Gently massage shampoo directly onto your scalp with your fingertips, then let it run down your hair when you rinse. Only use conditioner on the ends of your hair.
Rinse and repeat: On hairwash days, try a clarifying shampoo to remove build-up. After, wash again with a more moisturizing shampoo suited to your hair type.
An Iranian woman walks past symbolic belongings laid on the ground at Valiasr Square in Tehran on April 24 in tribute to the schoolgirls in Minab killed in an airstrike.
AFP via Getty Images
After a day-long visit to Pakistan, Iran's foreign minister Abbas Araghchi has left, prior to the arrival of a U.S. delegation, say Pakistani officials.
The White House had earlier confirmed that U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff and President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner would travel to Pakistan Saturday for a new round of peace talks.
But according to a post on his Truth Social account, Trump has said he was now canceling the U.S. delegation's Saturday trip. This decision, first reported by Fox News, came just minutes after Pakistani officials said Iran's Foreign Minister had left Islamabad.
Araghchi had arrived Friday in the capital Islamabad, where Pakistan had hosted direct U.S.-Iran talks earlier this month. His spokesperson, Esmaeil Baqaei, had denied that a direct meeting with the U.S. was planned.
This handout photo released by the Iranian foreign ministry shows Pakistan's Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar (L) greeting his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi upon his arrival in Islamabad on April 24.
Iranian Foreign Ministry | AFP
"Iran's observations would be conveyed to Pakistan," he wrote on X.
The news of U.S. and Iranian officials planned travel to Pakistan had come the same day that Israel's military said it attacked southern Lebanon, targeting sites it says belong to the Iran-backed Lebanese militant group Hezbollah. The militant group also fired rockets into Israel.
That was despite President Trump's announcement that Israel and Lebanon agreed during White House talks Thursday to extend the ceasefire by three weeks. Hezbollah was not involved in the negotiations and has opposed them.
The shaky Israel-Lebanon ceasefire is linked to broader U.S. efforts to draw its war with Iran to a close. Tehran has insisted that the fighting in Lebanon remain paused as a precondition for further peace talks with the United States.
Trump had unilaterally extended the ceasefire with Iran earlier this week, hours before it was set to expire, without indicating a new expiration date.
Iran has dismissed that extension as "meaningless," saying the continued U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports is a violation of the deal and that the Iranian delegation will not return to the negotiating table until the blockade is lifted.
Security personnel stand guard at a closed road leading to the Serena Hotel in the Red Zone area of Islamabad on April 23.
Asif Hassan | AFP via Getty Images
Here are the latest updates on Day 57 of the conflict in the Middle East:
Witkoff and Kushner cancel trip to Pakistan for Iran talks: Fox News
According to Fox News, President Trump has told one of their reporters he was canceling the U.S. delegation's planned trip to Islamabad today. This came minutes after Pakistani officials said Iran's Foreign Minister had left Islamabad.
But Friday White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, had said on Fox News that President Trump was dispatching Witkoff and Kushner to Islamabad "to go hear" what the Iranians have to say.
"We're hopeful that it will be a productive conversation and hopefully move the ball forward towards a deal," she had said, adding that the Iranians asked for the talks.
Vice President Vance, who led the U.S. delegation last time, is not planning to travel this weekend, she said.
"The vice president remains deeply involved in this entire process, and he'll be standing by here in the United States, along with the president and the secretary of state, Marco Rubio, and the entire national security team for updates," Leavitt said.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt speaks to the press at the White House in Washington, DC, on April 24. US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner will head to Pakistan on April 25 for a new round of talks with Iran on ending the war, Leavitt told Fox News.
Alex Wroblewski/AFP via Getty Images
Iran's foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, had arrived in Islamabad Friday. "Purpose of my visits is to closely coordinate with our partners on bilateral matters and consult on regional developments," he said announcing the trip on social media. He noted he would also visit Oman and Russia.
On Thursday, President Trump said he was in no hurry to reach a deal to end the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran. "I don't want to rush. I want to take my time," Trump told reporters, adding that he was prepared to wait for "the best deal."
Spain shrugs off reported Pentagon memo looking to penalize NATO allies for Iran war stance
On Friday, Spain's prime minister pushed back against reported U.S. plans to penalize NATO allies who refused to support the U.S. in its war with Iran.
The Reuters news agency reported on Thursday about the existence of an internal Pentagon memo, prepared by top Pentagon official Elbridge Colby, outlining measures that the U.S. could take to retaliate against what it called "difficult" allies.
NPR has not independently reviewed the document. When asked about the reported memo, Pentagon Press Secretary Kingsley Wilson declined to comment on "internal deliberations," but said the department is working to ensure the president has "credible options to ensure that our allies … do their part."
Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez speaks to journalists as he arrives for an informal meeting of the European Council in Nicosia on April 24.
Nicolas Tucat | AFP via Getty Images
While no NATO member volunteered to join combat operations, Spain has been the most defiantly opposed to the war, deeming it illegal and refusing to allow the U.S. to use bases on Spanish territory.
Reuters reported that the confidential communication singled out the Spanish government, suggesting it could be suspended from NATO, and that Spain and others might be blocked from top positions inside the alliance.
At a European Union summit, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez was asked about the Reuters report. "We don't work on the basis of emails," he responded, speaking in Spanish. "We are working on official documents and positions, made in this case by the United States government."
Mines in the Strait of Hormuz
Trump said on social media Thursday he had ordered the U.S. Navy to "shoot and kill any boat" trying to lay mines in the Strait of Hormuz.
Speaking at a Pentagon news conference on Friday morning, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reiterated the president's threat, saying such vessels were "acting like pirates, acting like terrorists."
"They're the ones who lay indiscriminate mines," he said.
Hegseth also derided Washington's allies in Europe for not joining the U.S.-Israeli war. "We are not counting on Europe," he told reporters. "But they need the Strait of Hormuz much more than we do and might want to start doing less talking and having less fancy conferences in Europe and get in a boat."
"This is much more their fight than ours," he added.
A Pentagon assessment shared in closed-door briefings with Congress indicates it could take up to six months to fully clear Iranian-laid mines from the Strait of Hormuz, according to a U.S. official who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly.
People sit on the beach with ships in the distance on April 24 in Kish Island, Iran.
Getty Images
The threat of being attacked in the strait has had a tremendous effect on global shipping. Some vessels with links to Iran made attempts to move through the strait, but others are staying away after Iran attacked three ships with gunfire earlier this week and seized two.
Around 20,000 seafarers have also been stuck aboard their ships since the start of the war.
"There are a substantial number of tanker shipowners that [are keeping] their vessels away from the Middle East," Basil Karatzas, who heads the maritime consulting company Karatzas Marine Advisors, told NPR.
The disruption goes beyond oil. Helium, fertilizer and aluminum, which are all critical elements for industry and farming, have been held up in the Gulf, causing global shortages and driving up costs.
U.S. sanctions China-based oil refinery and firms and tankers accused of shipping Iran's oil
The U.S. Treasury Department said Friday it was imposing sanctions on an independent oil refinery in China, Hengli Petrochemical (Dalian) Refinery Co., Ltd., that it said was helping sustain Iran's oil economy.
The Treasury also said its Office of Foreign Assets Control is targeting about 40 shipping firms and vessels that it said are part of a clandestine network of tankers, working on behalf of Tehran to bypass international sanctions.
"At President Trump's direction, Treasury will continue to constrict the network of vessels, intermediaries, and buyers Iran relies on to move its oil to global markets. Any person or vessel facilitating these flows—through covert trade and finance—risks exposure to U.S. sanctions," Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a statement.
Separately, the Trump administration extended a waiver of the Jones Act, in an attempt to help with domestic supplies of gasoline and other refined oil products.
The initial 60-day waiver of the act was meant to help companies adapt to the global disruption in oil supplies caused by the Iran war. Experts say it does make it easier to ship fuels from U.S. refineries to U.S. customers, but the effect on gas prices for consumers is minimal.
Pope Leo urges U.S. and Iran to return to talks
Pope Leo XIV called on the United States and Iran to return to the negotiating table Friday, calling for renewed talks to end the war.
Speaking to reporters aboard the papal plane after a trip to Africa, Leo urged leaders to adopt what he called "a culture of peace."
He called the negotiations between Iran and the United States "complex," but urged all sides to remain committed to dialogue.
He said he was carrying a photograph of a young Muslim Lebanese boy killed in Israel's recent attacks against Hezbollah in Lebanon. The same child had been photographed holding a sign welcoming the pope during his visit to Lebanon last year.
"When conflicts arise," Leo said, "the question is how to promote the values we believe in without the deaths of so many innocents."
Resident Mohamad Ali Hijazi holds his damaged family photo album amid the rubble of destroyed buildings at a residential area in Tyre on April 23.
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