Greasy hair can look oily and dull, and have a lank and lifeless appearance. It can look flat and heavy, and it never seems to stay clean and fresh. It takes on a stringy appearance within a few hours of shampooing and refuses to stay full and fluffy. Does this describe your hair? Do you ask the question, why is my hair greasy? Greasy hair can cause social embarrassment as others may judge that the sufferer has poor hygiene and does not wash their hair frequently enough, even if they actually wash it every day.
The grease found in hair is called sebum and is oil that is produced natural by the body. Each of the hairs on your head has a gland called the sebaceous gland immediately under the skin, this gland produces sebum. Oil in greasy hair protects each strand form split ends and dryness, and is in fact a sign of healthy hair. Sebum is made as lubrication for the skin and hair, providing a protective barrier and preventing drying. Sebum is the body's own natural moisturizer.
Greasy hair is actually an excess of sebum in hair which is a result of overactive sebaceous glands over-producing sebum, stimulated by hormones known as androgens. Although they are present in both men and women, androgens are male hormones and are higher in men. Androgens do two things: One, they increase the size of sebaceous glands in the skin. Two, they cause the sebaceous glands to increase the production of oil.
Fluctuating hormones can cause greasy as hormones play a part in sebum production. Greasy hair is most common in women because of either pregnancy or monthly cycle, older women going through the menopause, and teenagers experiencing puberty. Stress can be a contributory factor in greasy hair as it is known to affect hormones levels. People with fine hair on their head may experience excessive greasy hair as they have more hair follicles and more sebaceous glands producing more sebum.
There are a number of external factors in that cause greasy hair. Washing your hair too often can increase the production of sebum as the sebaceous glands produce more sebum to combat the stripping of oils from the scalp and hair which can happen as a result of frequent washing. Vigorous hair and scalp scrubbing can stimulate hair grease. Touching hair can also over-stimulate glands, as can brushing vigorously which carry oil through your hair. Pollutants in the everyday environment can cause hair to look greasy, along with product build-up at the roots from over-use of hair styling products.
There are also several internal causes to greasy hair as well. Along with changing hormone levels, a major cause of greasy hair is the food you put inside of you, i.e. you diet. Western diets are usually much greasier, containing more fat. They are usually processed, containing many additives, and typically are higher in fat and sugar. The high fat content of the diet increases oil in the skin which can lead to greasy hair. The meat in a Western diet often contains some hormones, and these hormones can add to the levels of unbalanced hormones. Greasy hair can also be a sign of a diet that is low in vitamin B.
The secret of how to treat, cure, prevent and avoid greasy hair is to treat it from both the outside, and the inside. For the outside: avoid brushing your hair too frequently, and when you brush avoid brushing your hair vigorously. When you wash your hair, the best shampoo for greasy hair is a mild-ph extra cleansing/clarifying shampoo that is formulated for greasy hair. Avoid moisturizing shampoos as they can leave some oil in your hair to protect against dryness. When washing your hair, avoid scrubbing your hair and scalp vigorously, lightly massage your hair and scalp instead.
When shampooing, leave the shampoo in your hair for approximately 5 minutes for a better clean. Rinse and shampoo again if necessary. It's up to you as to how often you should wash your hair. Once or twice a week is the ideal but to find your own balance of washing and oil production start with washing once a day, reducing how often you wash as you find that balance. If you are going to condition your hair, use a conditioner designed especially for greasy hair, and apply the conditioner not to the roots but to the mid and ends of your hair. If you use a hair dryer to style your hair, heat will stimulate oil production, so don't let it get too hot.
On the inside: with your diet, Reduce the number of foods you eat that contain white flour such as pasta, pastries and bread. Increase the amount of green and leafy vegetables in your diet, along with seeds, nuts, whole grains, salads, fresh fish and vegetables. Avoid sugar and foods containing sugar e.g. soft drinks, biscuits and cakes. Reduce the amount of fat in your diet, avoiding fried, greasy and fatty foods. Consider supplementing vitamin B in your diet. Reduce and eliminate as much stress as you can from your day to day life.
About the Author:
About the author: Jennifer Summers can help you achieve great looking hair. She is a well of information on greasy hair shampoo and providing great blonde hair care advice.
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