Hair training: TikTok’s method of teaching hair to stay clean without shampooing. But it works?

If you are among the 60% of people who wash their hair every day, you know that it can feel more like a chore than an act of self-care. Not only is it time consuming, it is also a costly business, requiring a large supply of shampoo and conditioner.

But what is the alternative? Aside from the occasional dry shampoo the second day after washing them, which has its drawbacks (welcome, itchy scalp), there’s not much you can do to avoid daily scrubbing. Or is there?

According to TikTok, it is possible, rather, to “train” the hair to clean itself to reduce the frequency of washing. The method is the one called hair training, but it works? And is it really good for the scalp? We heard the advice of trichologists to let us explain the theory behind hair training and clear up any misunderstandings.

What is hair training?

L’hair training aims to gradually extend the time between washing days, until an interval of 30 days is reached. The theory is that the scalp will adapt to fewer washes and produce less oil, which means your hair won’t get greasy that quickly.

The method went viral on TikTok when creator @HayleeJ revealed that she hasn’t washed her hair for 25 days, yet she still looked fresh from the salon. Her followers were quick to ask to know how they too could start training their hair to stay clean without too many washes.

Halyee explained that over the course of a year she went from washing my hair every four days to just once a month: “It took me a whole year to get to where I am now, which is that I only wash my hair once. per month, ”he says in his video. “My scalp has got used to these rhythms.”

It works?

Ultimately, the opinion is not unanimous. According to some experts, there is a certain element of truth in the hair training theory, namely that if you wash your hair less often, your scalp will produce less oil and your hair won’t look greasy that quickly.

“You can train the scalp to produce less oil by eliminating all aggressive and dehydrating ingredients such as sulphates and alcohol, which means avoiding spray hairspray, dry and texturizing shampoos, and using only mild and sulfate-free shampoos”, explains the trichologist Hannah Gaboardi. The same goes for an overzealous cleansing routine, which deprives the skin of natural oils and triggers an overproduction of oil to compensate for dryness.

“By using less aggressive shampoos and reducing the frequency of washing, the scalp will produce fewer oils and will not need to compensate for the natural oils that are washed off,” agrees trichologist and Nizoral ambassador Stephanie Sey.

However, oil isn’t the only thing we wash off when we shower. There is also the daily grime, pollution and cellular debris that must be taken into consideration: “At some point you will have to wash your hair because the natural oils and environmental pollutants eventually accumulate. If you don’t wash your hair, your scalp will itch, and your hair will become dull and dull, ”adds Stephanie.

According to trichologist Anabel Kingsley, washing your hair is the only way to prevent bad odors from building up: “Your scalp is skin – it’s a living tissue that produces oil, sweats and releases skin cells and starts to smell when it’s not. it is washed because the bacteria begin to decompose the oils and sweat if they remain on the skin for a long time, and this produces a characteristic musky smell ».

“In addition, the scalp contains apocrine sweat glands, which produce a protein-rich sweat that tends to develop a particularly pungent odor,” continues Anabel, “The apocrine glands are the same as those found in the armpits and pubic region.”

While it is possible to mask these odors to some extent with dry shampoo or scented styling products, the only way to get rid of them is to shampoo your scalp. Annabel cautions that not cleaning the scalp often enough can trigger flaking, itching, irritation and inflammation – which in turn can lead to hair loss. It is for this reason that Anabel is againsthair training.