WHAT IS OILY SCALP AND HOW TO PREVENT IT?
Find out what causes oily hair and how to deal with a ‘greasy’ look quickly and easily with our expert tips and advice.
You’re rushing because it’s time to get onto your Zoom call, you sit down, switch on the camera, only to realise that your hair looks like somebody poured a bucket of grease on it. That feeling of dread is something that almost everyone experiences at some point. Nobody likes to have oily hair, even if you can hide it by tying it up. Fret not, as there are solutions available. But first you need to understand what oily hair is.
What Causes Oily Scalp and Oily Hair?
What Is Oily Hair?
Your scalp contains numerous sebaceous glands that secrete sebum or oil. The whole point of this secretion is to coat your scalp and hair in a protective layer. This prevents moisture loss and acts as a shield to the external environment. The sebum is supposed to flow down your hair strands and prevent them from drying out. But if your scalp starts producing excessive amounts of sebum, it can create a thicker layer on your hair, which is what leads to dull and lifeless oily hair.
What Causes Oily Scalp and Oily Hair?
There are various reasons for your sebaceous glands to produce excess oil:
- Poor hair care is the number one culprit. Not shampooing regularly or taking enough care of your hair can cause a massive oil build-up on your scalp.
- Hormonal fluctuations aren’t necessarily in our control, but they can send signals to our scalp to produce more oil.
- Seasonal changes and weather fluctuations confuse your scalp and could be a contributor to excess oil.
- Over-washing is ironically a major cause. It can dry out your scalp and trigger an increase in oil production.
- An unhealthy diet and different medications can send the wrong signals to your scalp.
- Harsh hair products and excessive styling equipment can also cause an oily scalp.
How Does Oily Scalp Affect Dandruff?
Dandruff is caused by a fungus called Malassezia Globosa, which is normally found on your scalp. This fungus feeds on oil and breaks it down into products that can react with your scalp. Now this is completely normal. But when your scalp has excess oil, it provides fertile ground for this fungus to explode. This leads to red patchy skin, severe itching, and dead skin in the form of flakes. This is what we know as dandruff. If your hair and scalp is excessively oily and greasy, it is usually accompanied by oily scalp dandruff. One follows the other, and if you take care of your oily scalp, you would end up taking care of your oily dandruff. And therein lies your answer on how to remove dandruff.
How To Prevent Oily Scalp and Oily Hair?
There’s no ‘cure’ for greasy hair as you will always produce sebum. But there are remedies for oily scalp that help to keep it under control:
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Wash your hair -
Sounds too simple to be true but washing your hair regularly can clean your scalp of excess oil and dirt, resetting your scalp health and is a great oily scalp treatment. -
Apple Cider Vinegar –
This is known to lift all the excess junk in your hair, including your oily scalp dandruff, and wash it away. Be sure to dilute it and rinse thoroughly after. -
Healthy diet –
Avoid greasy foods while incorporating Vitamin B, vegetables and enough water into your diet. -
Clarifying shampoo –
It just might be beneficial for you to use a clarifying shampoo for oily scalp. These are strong shampoos that remove all excess oil and dirt, acting as a dandruff solution. But use sparingly as they can also dry out your scalp. -
Tea Tree oil –
Its anti-fungal properties are widely proclaimed to help with excess oil and oily dandruff. But make sure to dilute it, as it is extremely pungent and can cause a reaction. -
Dry shampoo –
Skip the regular shampoo once in a while and use a dry shampoo to help counter the oiliness in your hair. -
Avoid hair products –
Just give the styling products and hair cosmetic products a break, just to let your scalp and hair breathe naturally for a while. -
Aloe Vera –
It can immediately soothe your scalp and remove any excess oil that it finds. You can even make a homemade mask from Aloe Vera gel and apply it directly. This is a great oily dandruff treatment at home.
Overall, if you employ a healthy hair care routine using a good scalp shampoo, you can avoid any excess oil from developing on your head. Try the Head and Shoulders Cool Menthol shampoo that brings the cooling effect of menthol to your scalp, while removing any excess dirt and oil. Using products like the Head and Shoulders Silky Black or the Head and Shoulders Neem anti dandruff shampoo can open your hair strands and allow your hair to get back to its original health. All these shampoos have been built to get rid of the excess oil on your scalp, to prevent oily dandruff from making an appearance.
An oily scalp is something that you will see often in your life. It isn’t like you can get rid of all the oil on your head completely. But you can at least rest easy knowing that whenever it comes up, you have a solution within arm’s reach.
