Susan Buth / BLAUBLUT EDITION
I was mid-haircut when I overheard another client chatting with her hairstylist. "Why are we all losing our hair?" she asked with an exasperated laugh. Within seconds, a chorus of possible culprits filled the room—stress, aging, nutrition, GLP-1s—you name it. Hair loss seems to have everyone mystified—and willing to try almost any routine that promises results.
Enter the Abbey Yung Method: the viral 11-step hair routine that has racked up over 13 million views on TikTok. What started as trichologist Abbey Yung helping users tweak their routines for healthier hair evolved into a robust routine that spans pre-shower, in-shower, post-shower, and in-between care. Fans of her method have reported longer, shinier, thicker hair as a result (and Yung's own hair is a shining testament)—but what makes it so effective?
"The core idea is less about making hair grow faster and more about preventing it from snapping, so you maintain your length and your hair looks and feels smoother and more polished in the process," says board-certified dermatologist Helyn Alvarez, MD, FAAD. "The clinical reality is that whether your personal hair ritual is 11 steps or four, it takes more than just washing and conditioning to maintain youthful, vibrant hair as you age," adds Jay Small, trichologist and co-founder of Arey. "True hair longevity requires a commitment to proactive hair and scalp protection." Yung's method does just that, focusing both on scalp health as well as creating a "structural buffer" that future-proofs hair against damage from external stressors, like heat styling, without compromising its integrity.
However, both experts stress that there is no "one-size-fits-all" solution to hair loss and hair shedding: "Hair shedding is typically a temporary reaction to a systemic shock, such as a change in diet, lifestyle, or high stress," explains Small. "Hair loss, on the other hand, is often progressive and driven by hormonal shifts or autoimmune factors." If you're experiencing either, it's important to speak with your doctor to find the root cause (no pun intended) and develop a holistic plan. "This method is really aimed at longer, healthier-looking hair through retention—meaning less breakage and less shedding, plus improving how the existing hair looks and feels," says Alvarez.
HOW TO ADAPT THE METHOD
The Abbey Yung method is a flexible framework—so no, you don't necessarily need all 11 steps. It requires adjusting through trial and error to determine what works for your specific hair type, including your texture (curly vs. straight), density (fine vs. thick), and lifestyle (heat styling, wash frequency, and UV exposure), says Small: "All of these variables dictate how much protection your specific hair fiber requires."
While Yung's method relies on many drugstore picks, most aren't clean. Worry not—if you're ready to try the method with clean hair-care swaps, we did the work for you to adapt the steps.
PRE-SHOWER
Step 1: Pre-Shampoo Bond Repair
(1 or 2 times a week)
Yung recommends applying the Epres bond-repair treatment (which happens to be the one clean product in her method), once or twice a week, at least 10 minutes before washing or using any other product. As Alvarez explains, bond-repair products work by reinforcing the hair’s internal "links."
"I tell patients to imagine a ladder—when hair is healthy, the rungs are intact, and the ladder can handle stress. After chemical treatments like bleach or heat damage, some rungs weaken or break, so the ladder wobbles and is more likely to give out,” says Alvarez. “Bond-repair products are like a repair kit that helps reconnect or reinforce those weak spots, which can help make hair more resilient and prevent breakage."
Step 2: Pre-Shampoo Oil Treatment
(optional)
If you suffer from dry or damaged hair that tangles easily, Yung suggests applying a pre-shampoo oil on the days when you aren't using a post-shampoo bond repair treatment (more on that to come). You however can apply it after the pre-shampoo bond treatment—just apply it at least 20 minutes before shampooing.
Or, if you have more fine, thin hair, alternate wash days. "Shampoo is meant to cleanse oil and buildup, and in the process it can strip protective lipids from the hair shaft, which is why the ends often feel drier after washing," says Alvarez. "Applying a small amount of oil to the midlengths and ends before shampoo can act like a light buffer, helping reduce swelling, friction, and tangling during the wash." It means less dryness and less breakage over time, which ultimately can help keep your hair length strong and intact.
IN-SHOWER
Yung puts shampoos in three different categories: clarifying shampoos, to be used once a week; non-clarifying shampoos, to be used as much as needed; and medicated shampoos, to be used in place of, or in addition to, the other shampoos for those who need to target itching, irritation, and flaking.
Step 3: Clarifying Shampoo
(once a week or as needed)
Think of a clarifying shampoo as your scalp's cleanup crew. "A clarifying shampoo is essential for removing excess sebum, dead skin cells, and environmental or product buildup," says Small. "This reset is critical because it decreases the risk of inflammation and irritation conditions that can physically stifle regular, continuous hair growth."
Your own scalp biology—including how oily or greasy your scalp is, how sensitive it is, or if you deal with buildup, flaking, or irritation—will impact how often you need to use one, he adds. "If someone’s main issue is scalp-related, then prioritizing scalp hygiene and occasional clarifying can make a difference," says Alvarez. "The follicle lives in scalp skin, and inflammation or imbalance can be linked with more shedding and poorer retention."
According to Alvarez, hard water can affect hair, too. "Research shows calcium and magnesium from hard water can alter hair properties like stiffness and manageability, so removing that mineral residue with an occasional clarifying or chelating wash can help hair feel lighter, look shinier, and detangle more easily," she says.
Bonus: Add a Scalp Treatment
While targeted scalp serums aren’t standalone steps in Yung’s core method, she emphasizes scalp health and encourages people to customize their regimen based on their needs—which can include adding scalp‐focused treatments. "You can have the most advanced ingredients in the world, but if the scalp environment is neglected, those ingredients can't reach their destination," says Small. "Conversely, a clean scalp with no nutrient support won't have the fuel needed for growth."
If you're in desperate need of some scalp detoxing, you can try Act + Acre's pre-shampoo tonic once a week to help clarify and remove buildup (just be sure not to use it the same wash day as a clarifying shampoo as you don't want to overdo it). "Clarify too often and you can strip the scalp and make it dry or irritated," says Alvarez. "So weekly is a common sweet spot for people who use lots of styling products or dry shampoo."
Scalp serums are also a brilliant way to deliver extra nutrients or hydration to your scalp. "Growth happens beneath the surface, so only scalp-focused treatments like targeted shampoos and leave-on serums can influence the follicle's productivity," says Small.
Step 4: Non-Clarifying Shampoo
On wash days when you're not using a clarifying shampoo, Alvarez says to choose a shampoo based on your scalp's needs. "Shampoo’s core purpose is clearing sebum and debris in part to help prevent scalp issues like folliculitis and seborrheic dermatitis, which can flare when the scalp environment is off," she says.
Step 5: Conditioner
Yung’s method calls for at least one conditioning product—a gloss, conditioner, or mask—every time you wash your hair. If needed, you can pair two of those products in the same wash (gloss and conditioner, gloss and mask, or conditioner and mask). Both conditioners and masks smooth the hair’s outer layer, or cuticle, which can become lifted and rough after cleansing, Alvarez says: "When the cuticle lies flatter, hair looks shinier, feels softer, and tangles less."
If you have very dry, porous hair—often from coloring, heat styling, or naturally curly and coily textures—you can opt for a hair mask instead of conditioner after you shampoo. "A mask is basically a thicker, more moisturizing, concentrated version of conditioner," says Alvarez. "The best guide is how your hair responds: If it feels bouncy and smooth, you nailed it, but it feels heavy or flat, scale the mask back and stick with regular conditioner."
POST-SHOWER
Step 6: Bond Repair Treatment
(optional)
Yung includes a post-wash bond repair treatment one or two times a week in her core method. It's an optional step if you're already using other bond-repair treatments pre-shower (like Epres). If you do want some extra support, this treatment doubles as a leave-in conditioner, giving your hair bond repair and hydration in one step.
Step 7: Leave-In Conditioner and Heat Protectant
Yung says to apply leave-in conditioner liberally post-wash, every wash day. "A leave-in conditioner or detangler helps if you need extra slip and frizz control," says Alvarez. And a heat protectant is essential anytime you want to use a hot tool: "It reduces heat damage from tools, mainly by coating the strand with a thin film that slows heat transfer and reduces moisture loss and friction," says Alvarez. "It can reduce breakage and split ends so you retain more length and hair looks smoother over time."
Step 8: Styling
(optional)
Unlike the other steps, styling is about the look you want to achieve rather than hair health—whether that’s adding volume, texture, or definition. Yung recommends using whatever styling essentials you love—these are a few of our clean favorites.
Step 9: Style Sealers
(optional)
Post leave-in conditioner, if you need additional conditioning, softening, smoothing, or shine-boosting, Yung's method says to add a serum, lotion, cream, or oil as a final "style sealer."
BETWEEN-WASH CARE
Step 10: Re-Up If You Need
What you do with your hair between your wash days is just as important as what you do on your wash days—it maintains the integrity of your hair. This is where you can evaluate based on how your hair feels—everything is optional based on your personal preference.
If you, like me, have hair that easily feels dry between washes (or gets tangled easily), apply an overnight treatment, like a conditioning serum or oil, which Yung recommends to recondition, smooth, and add shine.
If you want to add a bit of life to hair with a curling wand or styling tool in between wash days, again, be sure to spritz on a heat protectant first to maintain hair's integrity and prevent damage.
And if your scalp tends to get oily or greasy between wash days, dry shampoo can help absorb excess oil. Just be sure to use it sparingly—according to Alvarez, too much product can build up on the scalp and clog follicles, which may interfere with healthy hair growth and scalp health. It's also not a replacement for wash days: "Shampoo is a tool to remove oil, shed skin cells, and residue, supporting scalp hygiene and helping reduce problems like folliculitis and seborrheic dermatitis," says Alvarez.
