Serious Question: Why Are We So Afraid To Wash Our Hair?

When I was growing up, my parents insisted I shampoo daily — otherwise, my hair and scalp would be “dirty,” and there was always a concern about lice or something equally unwelcome. For years, though, I had long, thick hair that could basically hoard oil like a squirrel stores nuts, letting me get away with washing it as infrequently as twice a week (sometimes longer, if I’m being honest).  That all changed a few months ago, when I donated a foot of hair and entered my bob era. Suddenly, I was washing my hair every two days (not to mention, reaching for dry shampoo in between washes). Now that I had less length to absorb and distribute oil, it turns out that shorter cuts can be surprisingly high-maintenance. At first, I’ll admit, the adjustment period was real. Washing my hair more often than I was used to felt excessive, maybe even a little wrong. Why, exactly, I wasn’t even sure I could say. But if social media i