5 Things You Need to Know About Oily Hair
1. Too Much of a Good Thing
The follicles of our hair contain sebaceous glands that produce oils that naturally condition our hair. However, when this system acts in overdrive, hair can be overly oily and stringy. This is often a problem for people with fine hair, and it is common for many people during the teenage years.
There are some things that you can do to make your hair look better if you have oily hair. First, use a mild shampoo with no conditioners. If you do need conditioner, use a light one and only use it on the ends of your hair. Experts recommend that people with oily hair use only a teaspoon of conditioner. "Clarifying" shampoos are particularly good for oily hair. Products that contains lanolin, oils, or silicone are not a good choice. Two-in-one products that contain shampoo and conditioner are also not a good choice.
2. Comb Your Hair for Less Stringiness
It's best to comb your hair a couple times during the day to redistribute the oils and help your hair look less stringy. You can also spray a little water on your hair and blow dry it to make your hair more manageable.
3. Greasy Foods Aren't the Cause
Changing your diet will probably not help make your hair less oily. Some people think that eating greasy foods will cause your hair to become more oily, but there is no scientific evidence that this is true. However, there are experts who think that eating right and reducing stress in your life can help to make your hair less oily.
4. Skip the Brushing
Over-washing your hair shouldn't be a concern for you, but you should be cautious of excessive brushing. Combing your hair will redistribute oils throughout your hair, but brushing will drag oil from your scalp to your hair and make it even more oily.
5. Try Lemon or Aloe Vera to Reduce Oil
Be careful to rinse shampoos and conditioners out of your hair thoroughly, because product build-up can make oily hair look even more limp. Be sure to wash your scalp as well as your hair. You might also want to rinse your hair in lemon juice to make it less oily. Some people also recommend adding a teaspoon of aloe vera gel to their shampoo to reduce oiliness.
Member Comments
by carnold4 on October 9, 2008 at 10:29 PM
I've had this problem for years and talked to many a hairstylists about the problem. The advice in this article doesn't match what I've been told....
Although all of these points will provide a "quick fix" to the problem, they don't acknowledge that there is an underlying imbalance.
Harsh shampoo's (especially clarifying shampoos) strip your scalp of its natural oils. This causes them to overcompensate ansd actually produce MORE oil. Same thing goes with washing your hair everyday.
The only thing that I have found useful is slowly trying to wash my hair LESS, so that the natural balance can be restored.
On the inbetween days I sprinkle a little bit of baby powder on my hair brush before I brush so that the powder absorbs some of the oil. Works great!