It can happen because: Your scalp is overworked due to changes in weather, over-styling or even simple genetics, which may make it itchy and flaky. In response, your sebaceous glands could be pumping out too much sebum to try and 'fix' the problem – cue oily hair and roots that are still dry and dehydrated.
Causes: Factors like environmental conditions (dry air, sun exposure), heat styling, chemical treatments, and lack of moisture can lead to dryness. Many people experience a combination of both oily and dry hair, often referred to as combination hair, where the scalp is oily but the ends are dry.
A great way to combat oily roots and dry ends is to use a clarifying shampoo. This will help remove any excess oil from your scalp, while also providing nourishing moisture to the ends of your hair. Additionally, you can try using a deep conditioning mask for your ends once or twice a week.
Excessive washing
Over-washing can make your hair look greasy because it strips the hair of its natural oils. This loss of natural oils causes the body to overcompensate by producing more sebum. Over-conditioning can also lead to greasy hair because it weighs down the hair and this in turn increases oil production.
Oily scalp and dry ends occur when your scalp produces an excessive amount of sebum oil. While on one hand, this makes the roots of your hair greasy and oily, on the other hand, your hair ends remain dry and damaged due to lack of moisture.
Oily hair isn't healthy or unhealthy by default. People with an oily scalp can have healthy hair or dry, brittle hair. Your hair needs oil to be healthy, but too much oil can lead to buildup on the hair and scalp. Oily skin may also contribute to a condition called seborrheic dermatitis.
Well, that depends. If you work out frequently, have an occupation that causes you to sweat profusely, possess an excessively oily scalp, or struggle with breakouts within your hair follicles, you may need to wash daily. Generally, it's best to leave at least a day between washes.
If your hair is greasy after just one day, it could be due to factors such as overactive sebaceous glands, the use of heavy hair products, hormonal fluctuations, or even your diet.
"If you blot tissue paper on the scalp of a normal hair type two days after washing, it will leave a small translucent area," says Dr. Lombardi. "An oily scalp type will be more saturated, and the hairs will clump, and dry scalp type you may not see anything on the tissue paper."
While oily hair does not directly cause hair loss, the side effects of an oily scalp can contribute to hair thinning. Excess oil can mix with dirt and product residue, leading to clogged hair follicles.
Using oil alone may not be enough to hydrate and moisturize your hair, especially if your hair is naturally dry or damaged. While oil can help to seal in moisture and protect your hair from environmental factors, it may not be enough to provide the hydration that your hair needs.
Here's a general overview: For those with dry, damaged, or color-treated hair, daily wetting may not be advisable as it can further strip the hair of its natural oils and moisture, leading to increased dryness, frizz, and breakage.
Damaged hair has altered or missing protein. Hair is damaged through heat, chemicals, mechanical treatments to the hair. Dry hair means moisture (water) has escaped from the inside of the hair, which is normal.
Vaseline's ability to seal in moisture makes it an excellent remedy for dry and damaged hair. By applying Vaseline to the ends of the hair, one can effectively combat split ends and breakage, common symptoms of hair damage.
Lack of moisture could be from any number of reasons, including the environment, the hair products you're using (and might be overusing), and hair texture. For one, dry climates contribute to dry hair because the molecules in the air are thirsty for water molecules, and thus pull them out of the hair.
How to rehydrate: The goal is to replenish your hair's lost lipids and then seal the cuticle so that the moisture doesn't escape again. And it's easier than you think—just shampoo and condition with a formula that contains lipids like cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol, which are able to get inside the strand.
Dehydrated hair often looks frizzy and dull – when you touch it, it may feel brittle and straw-like, and flyaways and split ends may become noticeable when you look in the mirror. Hair is formed of three layers - the cuticle, the cortex, and sometimes the medulla.