Yes, it is advisable that you take off your pearls when washing your head with shampoo.

The natural means of pearls is the water, and therefore the pearls are thankful to be with the water, reason why is recommendable periodically to pass it a humid cloth . (Although better it would be to submerge them in water for awhile, even do this is not good for the thread.)

Shampoo is prepared with pH 5.5 that is inferior to pH of the natural water that is pH 7, this next to other factors like the unforseeable chemical agents that can be in the shampoo, make recommendable to avoid the contact with the pearls.

Depending on the type of Cultivated pearls that you have the resistance to external agents it will be different. In case that your pearls are Japanese Akoya you must have special care of it by its fine nacre layer. As to durable pearls we recommend the South Sea pearls (Australian) and Freshwater pearls.