Oily Hair: A short guide to deal with an annoying issue
Let’s cut to the chase and admit it, having bad hair days is cringe-worthy, annoying and problematic in general. It’s a pain that all girls can quite attest to.
Out of all the hair problems a girl has to deal with in her lifetime, the curse of having oily or greasy hair can be one of the most annoying, and rather frustrating hair-related issues girls of all ages cope with.
Like a pimple or a bad date, greasy hair can be rather sneaky; creeping up on you when you least expect it. It happens to the best of us, especially if you’re a fitness freak and you spend most of your free time catching up on some hardcore exercise. Some people are also just more genetically prone to having an oily scalp.
It’s hard not to envy those who have naturally dry locks, but as someone who is constantly plagued with excess oil, it can be helpful to know how to keep the greasiness at bay. You see, an oily scalp, in turn, can lead to uncomfortable itching, dandruff, and a thousand other problems. No matter what the issue is, it’s extremely important to take proper care of your scalp, and in turn, your hair.
So, what’s an oily-haired girl to do? Hide under a baseball hat? Dry shampoo your hair into oblivion? Think again. Taking the proper steps can help keep most oil-related hair problems at bay - or at least help hide the appearance of it.
In today's blog post, we'll walk you through our top tips on how to get rid of and/or deal with oily and greasy hair. We have searched high and low until we collected some groundbreaking tips on how to manage oily hair daily. Read on to find what we have to say on the matter…
What Causes Oily Hair?
Without taking genetics into play, having oily hair has to do a lot with the environment and the lifestyle of the person suffering from it. Maybe you use far too many products that are causing more harm than good, or you might be constantly touching your hair, unconsciously spoiling it and thus encouraging the release of excess oils into your scalp.
However, sometimes, the issue at hand is much more complicated. So, to understand the basics, a science lesson is in order.
Our sebaceous glands are the star of the show here. Sebaceous glands, which consist of lubricating fluid, are glands of your skin that produce sebum. Such glands are found across the body, apart from a couple of areas (such as the hands and feet) that are connected to your hair follicles. Still, wondering why you always have oily hair? Well, we've got (semi) good news; your sebaceous glands are alive, well, and active!
The bad news? Over-active sebaceous glands mean that you have oily hair, which is somewhat irritating and hard to handle. However, we're here to help, as mentioned earlier. And so, without further ado, let's start with the first tip on how to deal with such an issue.
Condition Only the Tips
Whether you actually have an oily or a dry scalp, when it comes to this issue, it doesn't matter. Conditioning your scalp, in general, is a big no-no. Doing this just makes the scalp oily, makes your hair much more liable to fall and encourages the growth of bacteria. Try to use the conditioner on the bottom of your hair only.
If your hair is already prone to greasiness, try avoiding the roots because they are already weighted and hydrated by natural oils in your hair.
Don’t Straighten your hair often
We understand your love for your hair straightener and the hair curler, but have you ever thought about the damage it does to your hair? If you have an oily scalp, heat tools are your worst enemies. They make your scalp greasy, cause your hair to be weak and damage your tresses in the longer run. If you still want to style your hair, try going for no-heat styling methods and save your hair from the unforeseen damage.
Buy and use certain products that won’t impact your hair negatively
We understand that sometimes you may have to use a little bit of hairspray or mousse to perfect that curl or updo, but try not to use too many mousses and gels as these types of products can cause buildup. Also, try to avoid products that make hair "shiny" as these can make oily-prone hair just look greasier. We recommend minimizing the use of these products and when you do use them, be sure to rinse your hair at the end of the day.
Avoid touching your hair
Do you know how they say that a kiss is probably cleaner than shaking hands with someone? It's true–all day long your hands constantly touch many things and even if we strongly trust your portable hand sanitizing game, you still have plenty of germs, oils, and other things which you do not want to transfer to your hair. The hair twirling or the brushing of the hair behind you both contribute to the oil you see in your hair throughout the day. If you struggle to keep your hands out of your hair all day long, try to tie that hair up in a bun at the beginning of your day so you won't be tempted to touch it.
Use sulfate-free shampoo
We recommend switching to a sulfate-free shampoo. The sulfates are the detergent compounds in the shampoo that create the foam and cleansing action. They help loosen the grease and sebum from the hair and scalp, but, at the same time, can over-dry the hair and strip it from its good natural oils, which in turn can lead your scalp to over-release natural oils, and thus lead to overly greasy hair. Try using a lightweight sulfate-free conditioning shampoo. It will help restore and replenish the hair without overly drying the scalp causing it to produce extra unwanted oils.
Whether you have been born with oily hair or not, the weather, sweating or dancing the night away will turn anyone's locks into an oily, damp, greasy mess from the shimmering, cascading mop of hair it originally was. However, by using these simple tips and choosing the right products, you’ll have the peace of mind of knowing that you’re adding bountiful goodness to your healthy locks.