Credit: Getty
4 min read
If your hair is getting greasy quicker than usual, you’re not alone. Here’s how to fix it…
There’s no better feeling than freshly washed hair. But if you notice your hair becoming greasy again after just one or two days, something might be up. While dry shampoo is often a lifesaver if you’re in a bind, it’s not something you want to rely on every day as the product build-up isn’t great for your scalp health. So what can you do?
We spoke to trichologist Anabel Kingsley and hairstylist Sam Wood to get to the root cause of your greasy hair woes. From figuring out why your hair is getting greasy so quickly to the best haircare tweaks to make, here’s how to fix greasy hair for good.
What causes greasy hair?
“Greasy hair is mainly sebum – an oily substance produced by sebaceous glands,” explains Kingsley. “The main components of this are fat and cellular debris. However, this ‘grease’ will also consist of sweat, dead skin cells and environmental pollution.”
While greasy hair is normal and something we all deal with, if you think that your hair is getting greasy too quickly – there could be a few causes.
“Over-washing your hair can in turn over-stimulate the sebaceous glands, leading to greasy hair,” explains Sian Wood, hairstylist and director at Taylor Taylor London. “Then there are things like using too much conditioner or using products that are too heavy for your hair to absorb, so they sit on the outside of the hair shaft and make it look greasy or weighed-down.”
Our environment can have a big impact too. “Pollution affects the hair and scalp in a similar way to the skin on our face,” says Kingsley. “It makes our hair and scalp dirty and can also increase the likelihood of scalp problems, such as flaking, itching and the formation of pimples.”
Why is my hair getting greasy so quickly?
Dirty hair tools
“It may sound simple but check when you last washed your hairbrush,” suggests Wood. “Dirt, bacteria and products transfer easily onto your brushes and then your hair. The same is true of your pillowcases, which are in direct contact with your hair for seven or eight hours a night.”
If your hair tools and sheets are sorted, it’s then time to consider if you’re washing your hair correctly. “When you are in the salon we always spend a long time massaging your scalp during the cleansing process and we barely touch the mid-lengths and ends,” says Wood. “This is because your scalp needs the most love, care and gentle exfoliation.”
Hard water
“The minerals deposited from hard water can build up around your follicles, creating a barrier that prevents effective cleansing which in turn leads to a build-up of sebum and product residue,” explains Wood. “Also having your water too hot or too cold when washing your hair can stimulate your sebaceous glands – so it’s always best to keep it to a medium, warm temperature.”
Stress
“Stress has an impact on our hormone levels, which can also have an affect on the skin’s barrier function, and this in turn may disrupt the microbiome of your scalp,” says Kingsley. “Due the nature of the hair growth cycle, the effects of stress will not be noticeable on your hair until six to 12 weeks later, so people do not always connect the two events. However, stress can impact the scalp much faster.”
Hormones
Whenever hormone levels change, scalp secretions can change too. “The scalp usually becomes oilier during puberty, in times of intense stress and also during ovulation,” Kingsley explains. “Medical conditions such as polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) can also cause an overly oily scalp.” If you can’t get to the root of your greasy hair woes, it might be worth booking an appointment with your doctor or a trichologist to see if they can help.
Can you train your hair to be less greasy?
While you might’ve heard that you can ‘train’ your hair to wash itself – is there any truth to this? “Over-washing can indeed cause the scalp and hair to dry out, which in turn can cause more oil to be produced to try to make up for the lack of moisture,” says Wood. “However, not washing your hair often enough can also cause it to look more greasy – which is not the look you’re going for. A general rule of thumb is to wash your hair every two or three days.”
Which ingredients are good for greasy hair?
As for products? Wood suggests looking for formulas that target scalp health. “Any detoxifying scrubs containing sea salt, tea-tree oil or rosemary oil can help to promote scalp health.”
Exfoliating acids (like The Inkey List Salicylic Acid Exfoliating Scalp Treatment, £15) might also help to deeply cleanse your scalp and refresh greasy hair. “Salicylic acid has exfoliating benefits and therefore helps to deeply cleanse the hair and scalp of the build-up of dead skin cells and oil (sebum),” explains Kingsley. “It is mostly used to target and remove oil that can weigh the hair down or cause it to become limp and oily fast and therefore is mostly used in products that target the scalp such as shampoos, scalp masks and scalp toners. It’s also thought to have anti-inflammatory and antibacterial qualities and thus found in products that target dandruff due to its exfoliating nature.”
Images: Getty
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