Your hair at this age: Sebum (oil) secretion tends to diminish in our 60s and 70s+, and this can make the hair dry and brittle.
Oily hair can be the makings of a bad day. The good news is that there are plenty of remedies to help you get it under control. It's also important to note that the amount of oil you produce changes over time and generally goes down as you get older.
Sebum is vital to our hair, protecting it from environmental damage and keeping it supple, but too much can lead to a greasy look. Our hair also becomes thinner as we get older, and we don't renew the hair we lose as quickly, leaving us with less to absorb the oil (sebum) the scalp produces.
Puberty causes all kinds of changes in your body. Your skin and scalp may suddenly get oily very easily.
Those with fine or thin hair, however, may find their hair looks greasy after just one day. It's all to do with the amount of oil your scalp produces, as well as how well your hair can carry that oil.
Weiser suggested salicylic acid-based shampoos, as well as an at-home remedy using diluted apple cider vinegar as a way to remove excess oil from hair. Medications like oral contraceptives and spironolactone can also help manage hormonal fluctuations, but you should talk to a doctor before trying anything new.
Overwashing Your Hair
It's not your imagination—the more you wash your hair, the quicker it may seem to need another wash. If you rinse your hair of its natural oils too frequently, it could be trying to overcompensate. Your scalp could be amping up oil production, which means greasier strands in record time.
Everyone's scalp can get a little oily sometimes. But a little oil is OK! Oil (sebum) helps protect and support healthy hair. But an abnormally oily scalp can feel like a problem if it makes your hair feel greasy or dirty all the time.
"Your hair bundles peak at around 12 years old." Then, sadly, as you age, bundles of four become bundles of three, bundles of three become bundles of two, and it's all downhill from there. End result: hair appears thinner and less full.
Fine hair, for example, is much more likely to get greasy quickly, as it ables to absorb less sebum and moisture than thicker, coarse types.
What Is the No-Poo Method? The no-poo method is a hair-cleansing technique that removes shampoo from the equation, says Geeta Yadav, MD, a dermatologist in Toronto. Instead of using shampoo, followers of the practice use alternatives such as apple cider vinegar, a cleansing conditioner, or just plain water.
Some hair types are naturally oily, making it almost impossible to avoid oily hair. This condition is common in people with straight strands as sebum can travel freely from roots to the tips. Curly hair can also be oilier on the roots because sebum fails to reach other parts of the hair strand.
It might sound counterintuitive, but the less you wash your hair, the better off it'll be. If you need to stretch your wash, spritz some Batiste Dry Shampoo onto your roots to keep hair looking clean (even if it isn't).
However, brushing your hair too little allows oil to build up on your scalp, making the top greasy but the ends dry. The key to finding your balance is using a paddle boar bristle brush, which allows you to grab any excess oil from your scalp and evenly distribute it down to the ends.
Not Getting Enough B Vitamins
"A sufficient intake of the B vitamins, particularly of vitamin B2 (riboflavin) and vitamin B6 (pyridoxine), can help combat greasy hair by regulating sebum production," the site explained.
Men have an increase in testosterone, and women produce more estrogen. The increase in hormones can stimulate the production of oil from the sebaceous glands, which may result in oily hair.
Modern lifestyles have led to an increase in anxiety and stress levels, making them one of the most common causes of oily hair. “Stress causes your cortisol levels to rise. Cortisol stresses out the oil glands to produce more sebum, naturally leading to oily hair,” explains Sethi.
People with oily hair or who use hair care products daily should consider washing their hair once every 1–2 days. People with dry hair can wash their hair less frequently. Those with textured or coily hair should only wash it once every 1–2 weeks.
Shampoo as we know it today has only existed for about 100 years. Prior to 1903, the act of hair washing ranged from a head massage with fragrant oils to boiling pieces of “shaved soap” bars in water. There are a range of early methods, however let's focus on the past hundred years or so.
Water is effective at washing away dirt, dust, and other water-soluble debris from the hair and scalp without stripping the hair of this sebum. However, Mamelak notes that if there are other oils in the hair (from a haircare or styling product, for example), a good portion of these will be left behind as well.
How often should you wash your hair with the No poo method? This is down to personal preference, but most newbie 'No Pooers' usually leave it every ten to fourteen days before washing it9 – sans shampoo of course.
It's a cliché for good reason, apparently – longer hair can be ageing as we get older. This is especially true if you're starting to see some grey strands, Neil Moodie, session stylish and Viviscal ambassador, tells us. It might be worth considering a cut, if this is you.