How to Get Less Greasy Hair

Have you ever wondered why your hair gets so oily? As it turns out, it all depends on your scalp and the sebum it produces. Sebum is an oily, waxy substance produced by the body’s sebaceous glands and is abundant on the scalp.

I know all you can think about is how to make your hair less greasy, but sebum is important for hair health.

It protects the scalp and hair. Just like all-natural conditioners, sebum prevents hair and scalp from drying out. In addition, it maintains the elasticity and shine of your hair.

But when your glands produce too much sebum, your hair takes on an unwelcome greasy appearance.

There are several factors that affect sebum production. For example, hormonal fluctuations play a huge role. It is well known that hormones, especially androgens (so-called “male hormones”, which are also found in women) increase the production of sebum.

If you’ve ever noticed your hair getting greasier during periods of stress or before menstruation, you’ve experienced this firsthand.

High-sugar diets and processed foods can also promote sebum production. These foods cause your insulin levels to spike, which throws your hormones out of balance, which triggers the sebaceous glands to overwork.

While a greasy hair day is nothing to worry about, consistently greasy hair can indicate an underlying problem. Problems such as seborrheic dermatitis or dandruff could be the underlying result.

Pro tip: If your hair remains oily despite your best efforts, it’s time to consult a dermatologist.

Understanding the root cause of greasy hair

Feel like your hair is always greasy no matter how many times you wash it? Well, you’re not alone. Let’s dive into the root cause of greasy hair so you can tackle it more effectively.

As we discussed earlier, when the scalp produces too much natural oil, it can lead to a nasty, greasy appearance. But what are the causes of excessive scalp sebum production?

For starters, your scalp may be naturally prone to producing more oil. Just as some people have dry skin, others have oily scalps. If you have oily hair in your family, you are likely to face this problem as well.

There are several factors that may increase the production of sebum; the key being hormonal fluctuations. Periods of hormonal imbalance in your body, such as puberty, pregnancy, or menstruation, may cause your sebaceous glands to overwork.

Stress can also trigger this overproduction, and unfortunately, it can create a vicious cycle: stress promotes sebum production, and greasy hair makes you feel stressed, which stimulates more sebum production.

Then there’s the role of your hair type and texture. Your hair type is another influencing factor. In particular, thin, straight hair is more prone to oil production than curly or wavy hair. This is because the oils on your scalp easily run down the hair shaft.

Finally, your hair care and styling habits can also be a culprit. Over-washing or rarely washing your hair can lead to oil buildup. While washing your hair frequently may seem like a logical solution to the grease problem, it can stimulate reactive overproduction of oil.

Bust the myth: over-washing strips the scalp of its natural oils, prompting it to produce more sebum to compensate.

Additionally, using too many heavy products or touching your hair too often can lead to oily hair soon after washing. Using conditioner on the scalp incorrectly or not rinsing shampoo products sufficiently can lead to product buildup and excessive greasiness.

This is a classic example of a good thing going bad. These factors may be contributing to greasy hair.

Want to know how to get less greasy hair? Examining them to find the potential culprits could be life-changing, as most are reversible.

Distinguishing Between Different Types of Greasy Hair

Understanding the condition of your hair is the first step in finding ways to reduce greasiness. Perhaps all of us have experienced periods when our scalp is particularly oily. Does this mean that our hair is greasy by default?

Oily hair comes in many forms, and understanding how to differentiate between the different types may have a significant impact on hair management. Let’s begin to understand the various types.

Excessively oily hair is one type you may encounter. If you fall into this category, you may notice a buildup of grease on your hair shortly after washing it (within a few hours or at the end of the day).

This greasy feeling is usually the result of overactive sebaceous glands producing too much oil. You may notice that your hair looks heavy, lacks volume, and may even have a distinctive odor.

The other type of hair is dry and oily hair coexisting. This is a strange situation where the scalp is oily but the ends of the hair are dry.

This is a challenge because you have to address both of these contradictions at the same time. You can recognize this type by the appearance of dry, frizzy ends and greasy roots.

Lastly, there is the occasional greasy hair type. In this type, your hair and scalp are usually normal, but factors such as diet, stress, heat, or product buildup may trigger an occasional greasy feeling. Unlike constantly greasy hair, this type will not always be greasy.