Oily Scalp Greasy Hair

Published 10/16/18, 3:52 PM by Fleur Scalp Care

Oily scalp often leads to oily hair that's flat, difficult to manage, limp and lacking in volume. Though we often hear about people having dry hair or come across products designed especially for dry & brittle hair, oily hair is just as common and frustrating to deal with.

An oily scalp is the result of excess sebum. Our pores on our skin and scalp are all connected to sebaceous glands that produces a natural oil - sebum. This helps in moisturizing and protecting our skin from drying out. Though sebum production is a natural process, it could kick into overdrive, leading to oily scalp and greasy hair and also potentially other hair problems like dandruff.

So, what causes oily scalp and greasy hair?

There are a range of possible triggers for oily scalp and it's easier to pinpoint with a scalp analysis. From genetics to hormonal stresses, or skin conditions like scalp eczema and seborrheic dermatitis, or external factors like excessive handling or using hair products inappropriately.

Different Hair Type

Everyone has a different natural hair type from curly or straight, fine or coarse hair.

Fine hair means there’s more hair growing in the same given space because the hair is ‘skinnier’. Each hair has its own oil gland but has less surface area, resulting in too much oil and not enough hair to absorb it.

Curly hair are generally greasier at the roots because the oil are usually trapped and builds up before having the chance to travel down the hair shaft.

Humidity

This sunny island’s humidity averages at between 60% to 90% all year round and could play a part in causing oily scalp. Oil could build up faster on our scalp when we’re sweating most of the time in the hot and humid climate. Though we can’t will the climate to our desire, we can still protect our hair from the elements.

Too Much Handling

Are you brushing or playing with your hair excessively throughout the day? Other than possibly transferring oil secreted from our hands to our hair, this could also stimulate the sebum production on our scalp.

Extensive heat styling and treatment like hair straightener can cause our hair to dry out, encouraging the sebaceous glands to work harder and produce more sebum making our hair even greasier.

What can you do about oily scalp & greasy hair?

It’s best to get a scalp analysis to determine the underlying cause and the severity of the condition. But here are some general steps you could include in your hair care regime.

Shampoo and Conditioner

In some cases, the trigger could simply be from the use of unsuitable products. Try switching to something that’s sulphate-free and clear or organic.

Click here to understand more about how shampoo & conditioner works; the chemistry behind clean healthy hair.

Cold Water

As tempting and luxurious as a hot shower may sound after a hard day’s work, hot water can stimulate the sebaceous glands. Instead use cold or lukewarm water to rinse out the conditioner for at least 30 seconds.

Cut Down on Styling

Extensive styling like hair relaxant and straighteners can cause our hair to dry out, encouraging the sebaceous gland to kick into overdrive to compensate.

Another thing to look out for is to avoid using a hot hair dryer, towel dry your hair by squeezing out the moisture or switch to the cooler settings on your hair dryer.

Anything in excess is never good, a balanced hair care routine is important to keep the hair healthy and shiny. And it’s best to get a good understanding on your hair condition with a free scalp analysis.