Introduction
Generally, Jamaicans are considered to be cool with their reggae music, that island lifestyle which stands for freedom with all that sand, sea and cannabis, needing only an excuse to party or have children out of wedlock.
An interesting physical characteristic are the dreadlocks that signifies their inner spirituality which is of course connected to the 'Rastafarian way of life', and which states that one should never cut these locks as they are to remain 'whole'.
And honestly, out of curiosity, one wonders how often do these chaps wash their, as their 'religion' clearly states that they should not be tampered, using a verse from Numbers chapter 6 verse 5 in the Bible.
So, in doing some research over the internet, I found out that some Jamaicans wash their hair once a month!!! The same goes for the sadhus and sages in the Indian culture who are not necessarily concerned about hygiene (their earthly body) as opposed to their sense of spirituality.
I do respect your religious beliefs no matter how weird they are. Of course, to each his own but dirty hair… not cool, pal! Not cool at all!
But what about people with normal hair? How often should they wash their hair and still preserve the natural oil in their hair?
Hair
For a long time now, hair has been considered as a secondary sex characteristic which clearly differentiates between a man and a woman, while also indicating health and youth as well. And through the ages, both men and women are no stranger to hairstyle and grooming that vary from region to region, and for different reasons too.
So hair care is indeed considered very important to several people that find it important to be presentable no matter how old they get. And this brings us back to the question 'how often should one wash one's hair'.
Now, under the microscope, each hair on your head begins from beneath the skin (pretty obvious… isn't it?), so it is not considered important to take care of the hair but also the scalp as well.
Another interesting feature of human hair is the function of the sebaceous glands, which produce 'sebum' that produce an oily/waxy matter (natural oils) that lubricates the skin and hair of humans by protecting from becoming dry, brittle and cracked due to dehydration.
Hair Care
So, while taking of oneself, ensuring that these glands are allowed to carry out their function is important, but in cases where people have excess oily hair, washing more than a week using a recommended shampoo becomes common place.
Most experts recommend that washing your hair once a week is just fine but then it depends on what kind of exposure that your hair is accustomed to on a daily basis. Depending on whether you have busy to very busy sebaceous glands, one can wash their hair from once a month to two to three times a week.
IMPORTANT NOTE: DON'T wash your hair everyday as the natural oils in your hair are taken away by the shampoo that you use. It's overkill not unless you work in sewers or at construction sites where you are exposed to large amounts of germs.
In Closing
Mother Nature takes care of her own, so there's no need to overdo things when it comes when it comes to washing your hair or anything else for that matter. Call it a dynamic balance or what you will, and one can often find that its far more effective to not do anything at all rather than cause a shift in the delicate balance that has been working flawlessly since the beginning of time.
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