Hair expert recommends washing frequency and care tips

Hair expert Juan Leal recommends washing hair every 48 hours to allow the scalp's microbiota to regenerate, even for those who exercise daily. He warns that daily use of conventional shampoo can be aggressive, potentially triggering sebaceous glands to produce more oil, creating a rebound effect.

To maintain cleanliness longer, Leal suggests a technique of applying dry shampoo to the roots while the hair is still damp immediately after a traditional wash. This allows the starch to absorb oil as it is produced.

Leal also identified several common habits that damage hair fibers, such as rubbing hair with a towel, using overly tight hairstyles, or excessive friction from clothing. He noted that heat from styling tools can alter the hair's internal structure—specifically hydrogen and sulfur bonds—a phenomenon referred to as ‘hair memory’ that can lead to permanent changes in texture, such as the loss of natural curls.