Every time you wash your hair with shampoo, it sends the scalp the signal to produce more sebum. If you're washing your hair too often, your scalp gets the message that it needs to be in oil production overdrive. This can result in oily buildup on your scalp.
It's a common problem: scalps produce oil and sebum so greasy hair can be inevitable, especially among those with finer textures. Often it's the result of skipping wash days, over-washing or exercising, but the weather can also play a part. “Many people find greasiness is worse in the warmer months.
Shampooing too little or even too often can contribute to greasy hair. Typically, if you have greasy hair, you should shampoo daily. Washing more than once a day can cause your glands to overreact and produce more oil to make up for the extra shampooing. You'll also want to choose a shampoo that's made for oily hair.
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.
Although greasy hair isn't our favorite thing in the world, it's not unhealthy. And when it comes to shampooing, less is more — regardless of your hair type.
How often should a person wash their 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.
“If you have oily scalp, then daily washing is needed,” she explains. “Sometimes, people think they have dry scalp because they have dandruff, but in those situations, more frequent washing is also helpful.”
Our hair follicles are surrounded by sebaceous glands. Overproduction of sebum leads to blockage, inflammation, and hardening in the pores. That, in turn, leads to the thinning of the hair with accompanying hair loss. So, oily scalp can cause the hair to fall out faster than it can grow back.
Vitamin B deficiency is the hidden reason why most of the people have an oily scalp. Vitamin B helps in regulating oil production in your scalp and further manages the pH levels. Not having enough vitamin B can cause excess production of sebum in your hair due to an imbalance in the pH levels.
oily hair: shampoos with lauryl sulfates or sulfosuccinates, which work to remove sebum from the hair. average-to-dry hair: shampoos with laureth sulfates, which remove some sebum from the hair.
Have you ever scratched your scalp and noticed white, waxy buildup under your nails? That's sebum mixed with dead skin cells. It's hard for shampoo alone to wash away your oily scalp issues. And issues like stress and weather can increase the scalp's sebum production, making you even oilier.
"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."
Greasy hair after washing may be due to a person's hair care routine, an overproduction of sebum, environmental factors, or underlying health conditions. People may be able to stop hair from becoming greasy as quickly by using a gentle clarifying shampoo and lightweight, non-greasy hair products.
The short answer is yes! The slightly less short answer is that an oily scalp definitely contributes to hair loss but is often not the sole cause of it. Excess amounts of oils can trap and attract dirt, dandruff, and product build up, which clogs pores and prevents new hair growth.
Fact: Conditioner is not only OK for oily hair types to use but it's also necessary. It provides a healthy dose of hydration, nourishment, and protection that your locks can't get from shampoo alone.
Avoid hair oiling with an oily scalp
But even if you have dry hair and an oily scalp, oiling will seldom lead to any good as it can further clog pores. Applying aloe vera gel is your best bet as it soothes the scalp and softens hair without making it greasy or clumpy.
Depending on your hair type, you can wait three to five days between washes, and we've got the scoop on how to survive the process while you're waiting for sebum production to slow down. We'll admit, the first two weeks are the most difficult, but after about week four, you should see a significant difference.
Sleeping habits can often be to blame for greasy hair. This is especially true “if you're not washing your pillowcases often enough.” There are also a number of ways your hair washing routine contributes to extra oil production.
Sleeping with your hair up in a bun or pineapple can be one of the greatest lifesaving tools you can deploy in your war against greasy hair. This is because oil from the roots are unable to get through to the rest of the strands when your hair is tied up.
Exfoliate your scalp
“Shocking your hair back to health through scalp exfoliation will help to reset your scalp and help alleviate conditions like dandruff,” says Graciano. Exfoliation removes dead skin cells, oil, and dandruff, and is “the key to healthier, shinier hair from roots to ends,” adds Korab.