If there is one thing that almost anyone can agree on, it is that we do not like greasy, oily, hair. It looks dirty, feels gross, and worst of all can come from out of nowhere to knock us back when we look at it in the mirror. Whether it is a result of our crazy busy schedules or some other underlying issue, the grease has got to go!
We’ve put together this article as a life line for those that, like many of us, have dealt with the grease for the last time. We understand how the frustration can reach a boiling point and we are here to once and for all help you put an end to it. Read on for everything you ever needed to know about greasy hair and what causes it. Best of all, we’ll help you fight it too.
Table of Contents
What is the Grease in My Hair?
The greasy look in your hair is likely due to an overproduction of sebum. Sebum is the oily stuff that is secreted by the pores all over your body. Sebum is important to your hair and scalp because it helps to coats your hair protecting it from pollutants, it also moisturizes your hair and scalp. However, when sebum production goes into overdrive the result is anoily or greasy look to your hair.
Other Causes of the Grease
Oily hair can also come from other reasons beyond sebum. That greasy look can come from several things that our hair goes through during the day. In addition to sebum, dirt and other oils from our hands and even the environment sticks and builds up in our hair.
Sweat, which is different than sebum, gets trapped in the hair and does not evaporate like on the rest of the body, especially in individuals with darker hair color. Although these other issues can be present, excess sebum remains the number one cause of oily hair.
Sticky products, such as hairsprays, gels, and even leave-in conditioners act like magnets for dirt and oils. They can also suffocate the scalp causing the hair follicles and sebaceous glands to work overtime to try to cleanse the scalp of the excess grime.
What Causes Excess Oil Production?
The oils from the sebaceous glands on the scalp are constantly changing the level of oil they produce. Some of this is extremely natural and part of the cycle the hair and scalp go through constantly. However, there are things that can impact this cycle causing an increase in oil production.
Hormones
Hormones are the trigger for most of the process in our bodies, and that includes the sebaceous glands that produce sebum and other oils. Hormones fluctuate all the time and can be the result of increased stress, age, even the foods we eat.
Skin Issues
Skin conditions like psoriasis, some types of dermatitis, and even allergic reactions can cause the scalp to produce more sebum in an attempt to moisturize and help the skin deal with the issue. These conditions are often followed by dandruff and itchy dry scalp. We know it is confusing that dry skin conditions can accompany oily hair, but it can.
Some Medications
Many medications, especially those that affect hormone production, can cause an overproduction of oils. This is often due to a recent change in medications. There is no evidence of medications causing increases in oil production after a period of time.
Over Washing Your Hair
It may seem like the opposite, not washing your hair enough, would be the more likely cause of oily hair. While your hair can definitely get oily if you go too long between washes; over-washing your hair can increase oil production.
Why? Because each time you wash your hair you risk stripping your hair of the oils that it needs to protect hair from being excessively dry. Some people have to wash their hair every day, either due to the products they use, or their activities. If that is the case, you should make sure to use a gentle shampoo to make sure not to strip away the essential oils.
Touching Your Hair and Scalp Too Much
Remember when we mentioned dirt and other oils causing an oil buildup? This usually comes from touching or running your hands through your hair too much. Our hands are often covered in dirt and other things we pick up from all the things we touch throughout the day. When you touch your hair, you leave those things and the oils naturally found on our hands (different than those on your scalp) behind. If you are a person that touches your hair often, either reduce it or make sure to wash your hands more often.
Product Build-Up
A build-up of hair products can cause the hair follicle to produce excess oils in an attempt to eliminate the problem. This can occur when you use excess styling products and the products are not completely eliminated from the hair when washing your hair. The scalp needs to breathe to maintain a balance in oil production. Product build-up effectively suffocates the scalp.
Excessive Conditioning
Just like over shampoo can increase oil production, using excessive conditioners can also cause your hair to be oily. This can be for two reasons. First, when you use a ton of conditioner there is a greater chance that you are not going to rinse the conditioner from your hair completely; leading to a build-up of conditioner (see above). The other reason is that using unnecessary conditioners may actually signal the sebaceous glands to ramp up sebum production. After all, if they are working properly then the excess conditioners wouldn’t be necessary, right?
Excess Brushing
Every time you run a brush through your hair the brush bristles stimulate the hair follicles. This can result in an increase in sebum production. There is a couple of ways to avoid overstimulation. First, use a wide-tooth comb, the larger teeth Will not stimulate the hair follicles as much as reducing the risk of over production of oils
Bacteria – Dirty Hairbrush
Just like the dirt and grime your hands can get in your hair, a dirty hairbrush can too, but probably worse. Most people don’t even think about how clean their hair brush is since we are often the only one that uses it.
The truth is, a hair brush ends up with hairs that have been pulled or are loose from our head every time we brush. These hairs contain dirt and bacteria that can increase overtime. Every time you use a dirty hair brush you are redepositing that bacteria and dirt back into your hair.
A Signal to Medical Issues
Before we go on, we wanted to take a moment to mention that anytime there is a sudden change in your hair it could be a signal from your body. This is especially important if there have been no changes to your daily routine, diet, or medications. Our hair, after all, is a byproduct of our body, essentially a waste product, any sudden change should be examined carefully.
Ways to Decrease Oil in Hair
On a lighter note, there are some simple ways to decrease the oil in your hair and maybe even stop it for good. Not every one of these methods will work for everybody and may not work at all in some cases.
Stop Washing (your hair) Everyday
Some people may be surprised to learn that you don’t have to wash your hair every day. Infact, unless you work outdoors or at a physically demanding job that causes you to sweat alot, there is no reason to wash your hair daily. Like we mentioned excessive washing can actually lead to an overproduction of oil. Start by backing off to washing your hair every other day, or every third day. In general, most people find that washing their hair only 2 to 3 times per week is best to maintain normal hair.
Decrease Oil in Your Diet
Believe it or not, the amount of oil in your regular diet can increase the amount of oil in your hair. Now it’s not exactly the same kind of oil that ends up on your scalp, but excessive oil in your diet can lead to increase sebaceous activity. So, if nothing else has worked you may want to take a good look at your diet and see if there are ways to decrease the amount of oil you consume.
Use the Right Shampoo and Conditioner for Your Hair
OK, this one should probably have been higher, since it is perhaps the most common reason for oily hair. Using the wrong shampoo and conditioner can often strip the hair too much, just like over washing your hair, which can lead to excessive oil production.
It is extremely important to find the right shampoo and conditioner for your hair type. Be careful to avoid shampoos that have harsh ingredients or work too well. It may take some trial and error to find the right one, but in the end, it will be worth it.
Shampoo and Condition Properly
In addition to using the right products, you need to shampoo and condition properly. Many of us are familiar with the routine “wash, rinse and repeat” found on the back of every shampoo bottle. Oddly enough, most people don’t follow those directions. There is actually a proper way to shampoo and condition your hair; just follow these simple steps:
Step 1: Wet your hair with warm water and apply Shampoo for most people about a quarter-sized dollop of shampoo will be more than enough.
Step 2: Lather the shampoo throughout your hair focusing on the hair shaft all the way to the tips.
Step 3: Rinse well with warm water
Step 4: Repeat the process, this time focusing on the scalp. DO NOT over scrub your scalp, let the shampoo do the work. Excessively scrubbing your scalp can stimulate those sebaceous glands again.
Step 5: Rinse well with warm water.
At this point, you can choose to add conditioner or not, depending on your unique hair needs. However, if you do use a conditioner, avoid getting conditioner on your scalp. In fact, your best bet is to keep conditioner up to an inch away from the scalp. Your scalp doesn’t need the conditioner, we promise.
Dry Shampoo
In recent years, there has been a huge surge in dry shampoo products. These products include powder, usually talcum powder that when sprayed on the hair absorbs excess oil leaving the hair looking better. BUT you should use dry shampoo sparingly as it coats the hair and, more importantly, the scalp, which can lead to a vicious cycle of excess oil and using dry shampoo to combat it.
Stop Straightening Your Hair
Using a straightener on your hair does two things, heats up your hair, and causes it to lay flat again the head. Both are things that can speed up oil production. As the weight of the hair on the scalp increases throughout the day, it becomes worse. Avoiding using a hair straightener will help to reduce the stress on the scalp. And as a side benefit, you will drastically reduce the amount of prep time on your hair.
Best Practices for Great Hair (not too oily or too dry)
We’ve covered the common causes of oily hair. We’ve covered some ways to decrease the oil. Now, let’s take proper hair care. Making sure to properly care for your hair will go a long way to preventing future issues with oil, or greasy, hair.
Find Your Products
Like we mentioned before, finding the right products is extremely important to establishing great hair care. This may take time, and that is fine. We all have different types of hair and have to find what works for us and what does not. In general, people that fight oily hair will want to make sure to use gentle shampoos that do not strip the natural oils from your hair and scalp. You may also want to use a lighter conditioner or even avoid one completely. At least until you end the oily struggle.
Go Natural
Our hair was not designed to be loaded down with excess products every single day. our hair grows the way it grows for a reason; it’s part of who we are. Taking the opportunity to go natural as often as possible will allow your hair to breathe; to be the best it can be. Embrace the natural, it’s part of you after all.
Establish a Routine
In our busy lives, it can sometimes be easy to let our hair care take a back seat. Making a commitment to establishing a regular hair care routine helps to keep it part of our daily schedule. Routine breeds habit making it easier to stick to in the long run.
Apple Cider Vinegar – The Miracle Ingredient
Now for a little secret, apple cider vinegar could be one of the greatest things on the earth. Ok, that may be a little exaggerated, but just a little. Apple cider vinegar can do amazing things for our bodies, including our hair. Apple cider vinegar can be an amazing tool for people that fight oily hair.
Apple cider vinegar, diluted with water, at about 1 part vinegar 5 parts water, works as a gentle cleanser that effectively cuts through any buildup on your hair and scalp without stripping away the important oils. Apple cider vinegar also helps to balance the pH of your scalp making it healthier.
Diluted apple cider vinegar can be used as a rinse or combined with other ingredients, such as coconut oil and applied as a mask to deep condition your hair without the risk of crazy buildup.
Styling Oily Hair
There are several ways that you can style your hair that will help to reduce the oil production, mask oily buildup, and actually make your entire routine easier and faster. First of all, don’t over brush your hair. Instead, go for a simpler style that does not include intense brushing of your hair slicking it back.
Next, avoid using styling products that add stickiness to your hair, such as a mousse, hairspray or even hair wax. Pomades are also one of the products known to add heavy stickiness and increase oil production.
Finally, when in doubt let it hang out. Leaving your hair untouched with the exception of maybe a gentle combing is probably the best thing you can do to allow your hair and scalp a chance to balance out, decreasing the natural oil production.
And finally, a reminder, oily hair does not mean dirty hair. We often make those assumptions and stereotypes. Now that you have experienced the other side of things, hopefully, you will remember and be sympathetic in the future when you come across someone dealing with this issue. Now you can even give them some tips on how to deal with it.
Conclusion
We’ve handled the greasy mess, and discussed ways to eliminate the oil and hopefully keep it from coming back. We hope you have found some value in this information and that you are able to find the right solution to your oil woes. Here’s to an oil-free future!