When children are between the ages of 8 and 12, parents often ask dermatologists this question. If you’re a parent trying to answer this question, you’ve come to the right place. In three easy steps, you can figure out how often a child between 8 and 12 years of age needs to shampoo. Step 1: Consider your child’s traits To determine how often your child needs to shampoo, you first need to consider your child’s: Hair type (straight, curly, oily, dry) Age Activity level Step 2: Find your child’s traits on the following chart Shampoo guidelines: Children 8 to 12 years old Shampoo every other day or daily 12 years of age or starting puberty Oily, straight hair Active: Plays outdoors, plays sports, or swims Exception: Hair is dry and curly Shampoo 1 or 2 times per week 8 to 11 years of age Exception: Hair is dry and curly Shampoo every 7 to 10 days Dry and curly hair, even hair with braids or weaves After heavy sweating or swimming, rinse and condition the hair Step 3: Fine tune to get
Many treatments that enhance the appearance of your hair can actually damage it, causing your hair to become dry and brittle. Follow these dermatologists’ tips to prevent dry, brittle hair: When dyeing your hair, stay ‘on shade’. Choose a dye within three shades of your natural color. Typically dyeing hair darker is better than lighter. Lightening your hair more than three shades requires higher volumes of peroxide, which causes more hair damage. Test store-bought hair color before using. Follow manufacturer’s instructions. If you develop a rash or redness, swelling, burning or itching, you are having an allergic reaction to the die. Do not dye your hair and consult your dermatologist for further allergy testing. Protect your hair from the sun. The sun can make your hair weak, dry, rough, faded and brittle. This is especially true if you dye, bleach or perm your hair. Wear a wide-brimmed hat when you go outside. Use caution when perming hair to prevent long-lasting damage. Set a timer