But you can train your hair to be less oily with a technique called hair training. This involves slowly reducing the frequency of hair washes to get your scalp used to not being rinsed often, naturally minimizing oil production.
"You can train your scalp to be less greasy in the course of three to four days, however, it will take some time for your body to fully adjust," Potempa says. "Take some time to do research about the type of hair you have and establish a new routine that gives your body enough time to adjust to the change."
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.
While there are clearly those who believe in the benefits of oil training, including hairstylists, we regret to inform you that oil training is a hoax. Hormones control your sebaceous glands and their oil production, according to the Cleveland Clinic, and how often you wash your hair has no effect on oil production.
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.
A quick tip is to blow dry the product into roots (even on dry hair), to amp up the volume and help it soak in any excess oil the hair has produced, says Aaron. "This will extend your hair wash cycle for at least another two days, and it will look as healthy and glossy as it did on day one," he adds.
Hair growth flourishes from a clean, healthy scalp. The bottom line is that dirty hair doesn't grow any faster than clean hair, so you may as well have a clean scalp and fresh tresses. Your strands will look better, feel better, and be healthier, too.
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.
In fact, there is currently no scientific evidence to support that hair training works. Our natural sebum is being produced all the time and, left on its own, will eventually make hair feel and look oily. (Sebum is an oily, waxy substance produced by your body's sebaceous glands.
Apply a clarifying shampoo or exfoliating product once a week. If you're a greasy hair sufferer, you're probably a dry shampoo junkie. Nothing is wrong with using dry shampoo, but if you tend to use a lot of it or other styling products, this step—which you can consider a hair reset—is imperative.
Touching Your Hair Often
Just as touching your face too often can lead to acne, touching your hair too often can lead to added grease as well. That's because your hands are also covered in a natural oil to protect your skin. And every time you touch your hair your transferring that oil directly to your hair.
“By using less, harsh shampoos and reducing the frequency of washing you will find the scalp produces less oils and will not need to compensate for the natural oils being washed away,” agrees trichologist and Nizoral ambassador Stephanie Sey.
Lifestyle and diet changes to fix oily hair
Your diet should consist of foods rich in vitamin B, especially B2 and B6. It is believed that these components in your diet can help keep your sebum production in control. So, consider adding foods like leafy vegetables, pulses, and seaweed.
Most hair experts suggest if you follow a very carefully regimented program to train your hair to get less greasy when washing it less often, you should see significant improvements at the end of two months. Some people see results as quickly as 4 weeks while others may not see results for up to 12 weeks.
Sebum provides necessary hydration to both your scalp and your hair itself. The amount of oil excreted by the scalp runs the gamut depending on the person, which explains why some of us have greasy-looking hair less than 24 hours after a shampoo and others can easily go a week without washing their hair.
Switch Up Your Brush
It's still widely believed that brushing oily hair will only make it worse. But the truth is, with the right brush, you can remove and distribute some of that oil so that your roots appear less greasy.
Prolonged periods of not washing can cause cause buildup on the scalp, damaging hair and even impeding its ability to grow, Lamb said. Grime from dirt, oil and hair product can show up within four to six days for people with finer, straighter hair.
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.
The process involves forgoing washing the hair or using any hair products for a full seven days, then using a clarifying shampoo. One editor put this "hair reset" to the test and was impressed with the results.
Hair Washing Frequency and Tips
“I recommend washing your hair two to three times a week,” Dr. Icecreamwala says. “If your hair is dry, you may only want to wash it twice a week. If it is on the oilier side, every other day is recommended.”