Do You Need to Shower Before or After Haircut? [Why?]

Plans to get a haircut should get you all excited and giddy inside. But what do we hear about worries that are preventing you from having a relaxing experience?

The recent debate concerning haircuts is whether or not you should wash your hair beforehand, afterward, and what could happen if you don’t get it right.

With different myths, ideas, and opinions out there-some of which couldn’t be more wrong, we’ll be answering your questions about showering before a haircut, after, or even both.

In answering these questions, we’ll be considering several angles and circumstances that could change the answer from a yes to a no real quick, so follow closely.

Do You Need to Shower Before a Haircut?

There’s a common saying that your hair’s cleanliness or the lack of it can affect your haircut. Let’s begin by saying that’s not true. Your haircut is not affected by the cleanliness of your hair.

Instead, the decision to wash or not wash your hair depends on the type of haircut, and of course, general hygiene. 

As for good hair hygiene, you shouldn’t visit the salon with dirty and smelly hair, or hair you haven’t washed for weeks. It would stink and probably have too much dirt that your stylist would have to contend with.

However, you also mustn’t wash it on the same day you’re getting the cut. Washing your hair two days before visiting the salon is fine unless you got involved in activities that caused you to sweat or get your hair dirty. Even then, you can use dry shampoo.

But then, your decision largely depends on the haircut you’re getting, so let’s look into what haircuts require you to shower before, and which haircuts don’t.

Wet Vs Dry Cuts  

When getting a dry cut, you should visit the salon with freshly washed hair because the presence of build-up in your hair can affect its setting and weight it down. So, a dry cut is best with clean hair.

On the other hand, some stylists prefer to cut your hair when wet, which means they would choose to wash your hair when you visit the salon. In this case, you shouldn’t wash your hair before, because it would amount to over-washing.

If you’re not sure what a stylist would opt for, inquire in advance:

Maintenance Haircuts

If you’re getting a maintenance haircut, the factors to consider include whether your hair doesn’t have any movement or it feels heavy. If it’s yes to both, then you should shower before going for a haircut.

While you can choose to shower shortly before visiting the salon, it is okay to shower 48 hours before going for your haircut for a neat and pretty style.

Haircuts and coloring in one sitting

When going for a haircut and coloring, you shouldn’t shower before visiting the salon because the hairstylist will wash your hair after coloring.

First, the stylist will color the hair and then rinse out the color before cutting your hair, so you shouldn’t wash your hair before visiting the salon if you plan to color it.

If you wash it, you’ll lose the natural oils that should protect your hair from harsh chemicals and prevent scalp irritation.

Do You Need to Shower After Haircut?

One myth about washing your hair after a haircut is that it can destroy your hairstyle. But, if your haircut is well done, washing it won’t change your haircut in any way.

So, if you get a haircut and there’s lots of loose hair on your clothes and skin, you can get a shower after your haircut and ease your discomfort.

 However, hair styling is a different situation. If you did some hairstyling with a hot comb or curling iron, you’ll need to be sure you can style the hair the same way in was the salon before proceeding to wash.

So, these conditions determine whether or not you should shower after a haircut.

• If your haircut is easy to style, then you can shower right after cutting it
• If you got a haircut or style that shouldn’t be washed right away then you shouldn’t shower after.

Does that sound a little confusing and ambiguous? Then let’s look at a list of haircuts that are compatible with showering after cutting and those that aren’t.

Haircuts That Go with Showering Right After

1. Layers

If you get layers, you can wash your hair and get it back in style without needing any expertise or hair product.

2. Shag

Shag is one of the easiest cuts to style after washing because it is non-structured, so feel free to shower after cutting.

3. Long and medium-length cuts

You can shower after a long or medium-length cut because the effect would always be there without you needing to style.

When You Shouldn’t Wash Your Hair After Haircut

If you got a haircut alongside any of these treatments or styling, you shouldn’t shower after the cut.

1. Haircut and Perm

If you get a perm alongside your haircut, you shouldn’t shower right after because perms should stay on your hair for 48 hours so that the product sets before washing it off.

2. Haircut and dye

If you dyed your hair alongside the haircut, then it is best to wait at least 24 hours before washing your hair so that the dye pigments cling to your hair fibers better.

3. Haircut and Straightening Treatment

The haircut and straightening treatment also takes at least 48 hours to set in your hair before you allow water anywhere near it. 

Haircuts that are difficult to Style After Washing 

As we stated earlier, some haircuts don’t reject showering immediately after, but they are difficult to style, so you should consider your ability to restyle the hair right before washing.

1. Blunt bangs

Without a hair straightener, blunt bangs can be hard to restyle after washing. It is also difficult if you did a straightening treatment or you don’t have straight hair.

2. Short and Long Bobs 

You’ll need a straightener and some skills to create the pointy effect on the hair that frames your face right.

3. Symmetrical Bobs

You’ll need to use a hot brush around the tips of your hair to get it back in shape if you shower afterward.

If you still want to wash your hair after considering these factors, then it is all up to you.

Do You Need to Shower Before and After A Haircut? 

Just as we have several factors affecting your decision to shower before or after a haircut, it is the same for showering both before and after.

We have expressed that it is okay to shower after a haircut if your hairstyle supports immediate washing. We’ve also specified when you should and shouldn’t shower before getting a haircut. So, these factors will also determine whether you can shower before and after.

For instance, if you’re simply going for a maintenance haircut but you notice your hair is really dirty, heavy, or full of products, you can shower to make it clean. However, you don’t necessarily have to shower afterward, unless you want to get rid of loose strands, then it is doable.

But, we must not forget the dangers of over-washing your hair. If you showered before your cut, washing it is often unnecessary and would most likely rid your hair of its natural oils and leave it dry. 

Instead of washing your hair immediately after a haircut, you can brush off the loose hair with a soft brush. If you’re feeling itchy because of hair strands, you can also cover your hair while you shower and focus on cleaning your body after washing your hair clean.

Using a dry shampoo before your haircut and then washing afterward or vice versa is another alternative to avoid over-washing, especially when you’re coloring your hair and must wash it afterward. 

Final words:

Information always puts things in perspective, doesn’t it? Now you don’t have to tire yourself out with worry before a haircut because you know what to do on several occasions.

Beyond all we have noted here, you should also speak to your stylist if you have any confusion, especially in the area of wet or dry cuts.

Your hair deserves the best of care, and you should see that it receives such care and more!