I haven’t washed my hair in 17 days — it doesn’t smell

Well, hair we are.

One woman on TikTok said that she hasn’t washed her hair in 17 days — but she’s come to perms with it.

In the video, which has reached nearly 4 million views, Los Angeles influencer Emily Alexander explained that she was on Day 17 of not washing her mane. However, she maintained that it doesn’t smell, and it’s something she does all the time.

“I need to style it today,” Alexander announced as she removed a gray headband from her dirty hair. “In the last video, you guys were like, ‘Doesn’t it smell bad?’ It doesn’t.”

Alexander went on in the 51-second clip to debate how to style her locks for the day. She decided on a high ponytail and a braid. The brunette also put gel at her roots, which she didn’t have to worry about lasting since she was finally going to be washing her tresses the next day — Day 18.


TikToker Emily Alexander showed off her 17-day unwashed hair on the app.
TikToker Emily Alexander showed off her 17-day unwashed hair.
TikTok/emilyalexaander

“That’s my Day 17 hair,” she said at the end of the video as she showed off the braid, which she had adorned with white bows.

Although she was happy with her unwashed locks, commenters on the video told a different story, slamming the influencer for not cleaning her strands for nearly half a month.

“I’m so confused girl just wash your hair,” one person wrote in the comments section.

“17 days??” another user questioned. “This whole ‘not washing your hair’ thing has gone too far.”

Others agreed, with one person typing, “’It doesn’t smell’ can we get [an] outside source for this.”


Emily Alexander maintained that her hair didn't smell after not washing it for 17 days.
Alexander maintained that her hair didn’t smell after not washing it for 17 days.
TikTok/emilyalexaander

Emily Alexander styled her unwashed hair with two white bows and threw it into a ponytail braid.
Alexander styled her unwashed hair with two white bows on her ponytail braid.
TikTok/emilyalexaander

But Alexander might just be onto something — not everyone needs to wash their hair daily, and you should only wash it when it feels oily or “unclean to the touch,” according to Seattle integrative dermatologist Elizabeth Hughes, who shared tips with Healthline.

Alexander defended herself in the comments, explaining that she’s done this since she was younger and noticed that her hair got longer the less she washed it.

“Everybody’s different with their hair and they find that some things work better [for] them than for others,” one viewer wrote in defense of Alexander. “It’s not like she’s not washing herself.”


TikToker Emily Alexander used a gel stick to style her tresses, which she hadn't washed in 17 days.
Alexander used a gel stick to style her tresses, which she hadn’t washed in 17 days.
TikTok/emilyalexaander

One person even said that she looked “great” with dirty hair.

“The daily anxiety I would have because I’m FEELING how dirty my hair is,” they wrote. “Not for me, [but] you look great.”