No to Shampoo

While a large part of the beauty and personal care industry is dedicated to hair cleaning products, a new trend has emerged among some Hollywood stars that condemns the use of shampoo—or other chemical products—for cleaning hair. This group believes that chemical shampoos strip the natural oils from hair, resulting in dryness and loss of hair health. The name given to this new trend is "No-Poo" (or No Shampoo). But is the argument of the "No-Poo" advocates correct? According to the health and medical magazine Medline, the answer to this question depends on your hair type. Dr. Angela Lamb, director of a skin center in New York City, states that there is no one-size-fits-all answer: "It completely depends on the type of your hair. Some hair types are compatible with shampoos, while others are not." Hair is made of protein, and at its roots, there are oil glands that keep the hair oily and thus resistant to breakage and dirt. Advocates of not using shampoo claim they use natural cleaning agents like baking soda, apple cider vinegar, and others to clean their hair. They believe that if hair retains its natural oils, there is no need for synthetic styling products. Dr. Lisa Donofrio, an assistant professor of medicine at Yale University, says: "If you don’t use synthetic products to style your hair, then you don’t need synthetic cleaners to wash and remove them from your hair either." However, removing foreign substances (like gel, oil, and styling sprays) is not the only reason for using shampoo and soap to wash hair. For example, the scalp needs to be cleaned of hair oil, dried sweat, or dust that accumulates on the head. Dr. Robert Dorin, a hair transplant specialist from New York, states that using homemade products instead of shampoo does not clean the scalp. According to Dr. Dorin, those who do not wash their hair with shampoo are at a higher risk of fungal or other infectious bacteria: "Using shampoo reduces scalp itching and breakouts and prevents conditions like psoriasis, allergies, and dandruff." However, there is still no comprehensive opinion on how many times a week one should wash their hair with shampoo. According to Dr. Lamb, you know your scalp and hair better than anyone else and can determine through trial and error how many times a week washing your hair and scalp is sufficient for your health.