We’ve been seeing a trend lately: more scalp issues in our guests who wear toppers and hair systems. One of the biggest culprits? Not shampooing often enough.

Your topper may look amazing, but it doesn’t come with a “self-cleaning” button (we wish!). The truth is, your scalp still sweats, produces oils, and sometimes goes into overdrive thanks to stress, diet, or hormones. Add in the styling products we all love to use — hairspray, texture spray, gels, or mousse — and you’ve got even more residue sitting on both the topper hair and your scalp.

If this scalp buildup isn’t washed away, it can leave the hair looking dull, cause tangling, and irritate the scalp. Left unchecked, scalp buildup can snowball into oily dandruff, itchiness, and even cause your topper attachment to slip.

At the bare minimum, shampoo once a week. But for a healthier scalp (and a topper that looks fresher for longer), we recommend washing two times per week or more with the right products.