Greasy Hair

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Greasy Hair Information

Greasy hair can look oily and dull, and have a lank and lifeless appearance. It can look flat and heavy, and it never seems to stay clean and fresh. It takes on a stringy appearance within a few hours of shampooing and refuses to stay full and fluffy. Does this describe your hair? Do you ask the question, why is my hair greasy? Greasy hair can cause social embarrassment as others may judge that the sufferer has poor hygiene and does not wash their hair frequently enough, even if they actually wash it every day.

The grease in hair grease is oil and is called Sebum. Sebum is produced by the sebaceous glands which lie immediately under the skin in you scalp and each hair has a sebaceous gland. Greasy hair is in fact healthy hair, and the oil protects each hair strand from dryness and split ends. Sebum lubricates hair skin and provides a protective barrier to prevent drying. This oil is your own built-in moisturizer.

Greasy hair is excess of sebum in the hair and comes as a result of an over production of sebum (oil) from over active sebaceous glands, stimulated by hormones called androgens. Androgens are male hormones that are present in both men and women, but are higher in men. Androgens do two things: First, they enlarge the sebaceous glands in the skin. Second, they cause these glands to increase oil production.

Because hormones play a role in the production of sebum, one of the causes of greasy hair is fluctuating hormone levels. Greasy hair is most commonly found in teenagers going through puberty, in women because of their monthly cycle or pregnancy, and older women going through the menopause. Stress is also known to affect hormone levels and can therefore be a contributory factor towards greasy hair. People with fine hair often find that they suffer from excessive greasiness, as they have more hair and follicles meaning there are more glands on the scalp, each producing sebum.

There are many external causes of greasy hair. Over washing your hair can cause increase sebum production as frequent washing can strip the hair and scalp of all oils causing the sebaceous glands to excrete more to combat this. A build-up of grease can occur due to washing your hair too often. Scrubbing your hair and scalp vigorously while washing you hair can stimulate hair grease. Touching your hair can also increase the glands to over-stimulate, as can vigorous brushing which can carry the oil throughout your hair. Environmental factors such as everyday pollutants can cause hair to look greasy, as can the over use of hair styling products as the products build-up at the roots.

There are also many internal causes of greasy too. I have already mentioned fluctuating hormone levels, but one of the main culprits when it comes to internal causes of greasy hair is diet. Western diets that tend to be greasy, high in fat and sugar, processed and containing additives which can be a major cause of greasy hair as the high fat content increases oil levels in and on the skin. Hormones can be found in meat in the western, adding to the unbalanced hormone levels. A diet lacking in vitamin B can also contribute towards greasy hair.

The secret of how to treat, cure, prevent and avoid greasy hair is to treat it from both the outside, and the inside. For the outside: avoid brushing your hair too frequently, and when you brush avoid brushing your hair vigorously. When you wash your hair, the best shampoo for greasy hair is a mild-ph extra cleansing/clarifying shampoo that is formulated for greasy hair. Avoid moisturizing shampoos as they can leave some oil in your hair to protect against dryness. When washing your hair, avoid scrubbing your hair and scalp vigorously, lightly massage your hair and scalp instead.

For the best results, the longer you leave the shampoo in, the better. If necessary, rinse your hair and shampoo again. The question of how often to wash your hair is as unique as the individual. The ideal frequency is 1-2 times per week, but to find your own balance start with washing everyday then reduce that to find a good balance of washing and oil production. If you use a hairdryer when styling your hair don't let it get too hot as heat will stimulate more oil production. When it comes to conditioning your hair, again use a conditioner designed for greasy hair. Apply conditioner to the mid and ends of your hair, but not the roots.

For the inside: do everything you can to reduce any stress that you may have in your life. For your diet, reduce the amount of fat and dairy products, and avoid fried, fatty and greasy foods as much as possible. Consider vitamin B supplements in your diet. Avoid sugar and sugary foods like cakes, biscuits and soft drinks. Reduce the foods containing white flour like bread, pasta and pastries. Be sure to eat lots of nuts, seeds and whole grains, and leafy & green vegetables, saladverts and fresh fish.