It’s a thing you do every day and probably rarely think about: showering. Believe it or not, some of your shower habits could be contributing to thinning and shedding hair — and something as simple as the temperature of the water that you’re using can have a drastic effect on the condition of your hair.
If you’re thinking: great, I’ve been showering the same way for years and now I have to completely change up my routine, the good news is that a few tweaks, product swaps, and temperature changes are really all that’s needed to help get your hair in better condition. These are the shower mistakes that dermatologists and hair experts say can cause your hair to fall out.
You’re Taking Too-Hot Showers
Sometimes nothing in life feels as great as a long, hot shower. It’s relaxing, it can soothe muscle aches and pains, and — unfortunately — hot water can also do a real number on your hair.
“Using hot water strips away essential oils,” says Arrogant Smith, a professional hairstylist and the Hair Consultant at keswigs.com.
Jean Lopez, co-founder at LilyHair, agrees and says “mindless hair washing” can be a cause of hair thinning.
“Washing with hot water strips away healthy natural oils from the scalp and cause dryness,” Lopez says. A better way to wash your hair is to keep the water temperature a consistent warm-cool and then rinse with cold water to seal in shine.
You’re Using Harsh Shampoos
All shampoos and conditioners are not created equal. If you’re using shampoos that contain sulfates and parabens, you’re perhaps unknowingly drying out your strands and could be causing thinning and shedding.
Smith says top showering and post-showering mistakes include using harsh shampoos or other products with sulfates, not deep conditioning after shampooing, and leaving styling products in too long on the scalp or strands of hair. “Over styling can lead to dryness as heat damage weakens individual strands and breaks down the protective cuticle layer which leads to straw-like texture,” Smith says. “To avoid all these problems and achieve healthier looking hair, switch out sulfate-containing products for more nourishing ones such as those enriched with natural oils, use cool water when showering, deep condition following shampooing once a week (more frequently if needed), limit heat styling tools and treatments (using a good leave-in conditioner also helps protect against heat damage) and always follow up with a light mist of oil or serum for extra protection from environmental elements like wind, sun exposure etc.”
You’re Over-Washing Your Hair
When it comes to dry hair, one of the most common mistakes people make is over-washing, Smith notes. “Washing your hair too often can strip away natural oils that keep it moisturized and healthy,” Smith says. “Try limiting washes to three times per week maximum.”
You’re Drying Wet Hair With A Regular Towel
It’s natural to reach for a towel and wrap your wet hair in it after your shower. But if your towel is made of rougher cotton, as most are, you could be rubbing your hair in a way that makes split ends worse and can cause frizz and even breakage. The solution? A special microfiber hair towel. Considering the sheer number of hair towels on the market today — at all price points — is there even a good excuse to dry your hair with a regular cotton towel anymore?
Try this pick instead — this microfiber hair towel absorbs eight times its weight in water, which means less time spent under a hair dryer. It costs less than $15, you’ll get two in a pack, and it boast more than 54,000 Amazon reviews.
A better shower with better hair habits doesn’t take a lot of money or a whole lot of time and effort. Make these simple swaps to keep your hair its healthiest.
