Help me solve my greasy scalp problem

[Entangled]

I'm rubbish at titles, but here's what I'm trying to nail down and fix: why is my hair greasy so quickly?

Observations:
--My HAIR doesn't have extreme reactions to many things. I've tried three different brands of conditioner, and done SMTs. Nothing makes a drastic change. Pre-poo, heavy oilings seem to make a subtle difference in softness, and I have seen a result from clarifying, but overall, changes are minimum. ( This is for my length. I don't condition above my ears, and you can really tell when that hair hasn't had a vinegar rinse or leave in comditioner of any kind. My scalp HAIR loves conditioner. My scalp doesn't.)
--My SCALP doesn't have extreme reactions. In other words, I've done stuff to it, but changes have never made a dent in the problem. Any effect affects me negatively.

The exact problem? I wash my hair at night because my hair doesn't dry fast enough for school. This does mean my hair looks greasier faster, because it's seen a night time after washing rather than immediately after. However, I don't have time in the mornings to change that. I wash my hair every other day, but I should probably wash every day, as day two hair is visibly greasy in an updo. By the end of the day, it looks wet. Gross and annoying.

So, my strategy is this: pinpoint any aggravators to mitigate the problem. I know part of it is just oily skin like my father, and the other is part of being a teen. However, something might exacerbate it.

Excessive brushing worsens it, but I've been fingercombing for several months now, so that won't fix it.

CO is bad. My hair is super soft, but never really looks clean. If I'm going to go through getting my hair wet, I want it to look clean. (I really want to only wash once a week, but that's not happening yet. My hair can take twelve plus hours to dry if it's not completely loose, and the longer my scalp is wet, the itchier it gets.)

Diluted shampoo is easier, but doesn't make a difference in grease time. A day and a half later, it still looks bad.

Maybe my vinegar has to do with it? I hope not, as it's my favorite part of showering (it smells yummy: crazy, I know), but I'm willing to change if it's a problem.

I use a leave in conditioner, but it hasn't had any effect on grease levels, positive or negative.

I've stretched washes to once a week for three weeks, but nothing changed. By day three, my hair looked wet and I shed a lot. This continued every day until wash day. I did this for three weeks before giving up, as I felt that the nasty hair wasn't worth the annoyance (I had to do more elaborate styles to hide grease). I don't like dry shampoo. It grosses me out. I've tried bbbing before, 50 strokes at night, but I didn't notice a difference.

I do know I've been eating unhealthily for the past few months, so I'll change that, but the problem has existed for a while.

So, any thoughts? Experience with greasy hair, hair that takes forever to dry, or scalps that get itchy if you leave them wet? What would you do if you were in my shoes?

[Nadine <3]

my scalp is just like yours. I find it sometimes changes with the weather. Mostly I just suck it up and wash when it's yucky, and for me that's every other day as well.

[Anje]

My scalp is really reactive to dryness. I find that if I dilute my shampoo, I can get at least an extra day or two between washes compared to when I use it full-strength. However, it took me doing a long stint of water-only to get near washing only once a week, and it wasn't enough to get me through winter (which opposite most people is when my hair puts out more oil).

So, honestly, I'd say to dilute your shampoo and wash as often as you need to. If that's every 2 or 3 days, fine. If you find you can add an extra day on during a season when you make less oil, great. But it's more important to have your hair be nice and your scalp be happy, than to extend your washes a lot. Even going from daily washing to every other day halves the number of washes your hair experiences, but after that it's all diminishing returns.

[amanda_the_tall]

Have you considered blow drying on cool at night after you shower? I find if I blow dry my hair it looks less greasy for a longer period of time since my hair isn't all clinging to my scalp and absorbing all the oils. I still wash daily, but I could make it almost a day and a half when I blow dry on cool and put my hair up and not touch it (I wash in the mornings though). Finger combing for me makes my hair get greasy faster. Moving the hair at all seems to make it greasy faster as well (not sure if it's just in my imagination, or what). I just clean it daily with a sulfate free shampoo, since my hair is simply too thin to hide any excess oil for any longer than that.

[PalomaSincera]

I had this problem until i started oiling my scalp with peppermint oil and using Jason shampoo. I don't know which of the two is helping because I started them at the same time. I used to have to wash my hair every day and now I can go two days without washing. It also helps when i don't touch my hair at all and when I wear it up.

I know, it annoying. Especially when you know people who don't have to wash every day.

[Beezle]

In addition to using a dilute vinegar as an occasional rinse, I used to use a 50-50 mix of vinegar and water to clean kitchen benchtops and whatever else was wettable and scrubbable in the kitchen. Even though I am a dreadful house-cleaner, eventually even I noticed that there was a stickiness on the benchtops from the vinegar. After I noticed that, I stopped using vinegar rinse too as presumably what it leaves on the benchtops it would also be leaving on my hair.

I wash completely once a week but have to do scalp washes every couple of days or I look really grotty.

[Adelain]

Do you go to sleep with wet hair? I've heard that can make your hair look greasy faster..

[YvetteVarie]

I'm thinking maybe cut out the leave in conditioner? I'm thinking if your hair gets greasy fast, maybe you don't really need to use it

[Agnes Hannah]

I only condish from my neck downwards as the scalp area doesn't need it, it produces enough sebum of its own so I'm in the same boat as you. I find I can stretch washes in winter more than in summer. I also wash in the evening so it dries overnight. I very rarely use a brush on it nowadays just combing is fine for me. I also wear a silk sleepcap and all these things have helped a bit for me. Have you tried scalp only washes? Good luck.

[tigereye]

Perhaps using something like a wooden comb would be better? When I finger comb, I end up with a grease-ball, which is a real feat since my scalp is dry as a bone - it's my hands that seem to make it greasy where it wouldn't alone.

[catasa]

Seconding blow drying on cool (my hair gets greasier faster if I sleep on it wet) and diluting shampoo (even if it does not help you go longer before hair gets greasy, at least it will hopefully be somewhat milder on the hair, and cheaper :p). Then again, I have never been able to stretch washes to more than every second day and I´m in my forties... some people just naturally have skin that gets greasy fast I think. I have stopped trying since stretching washes also increases my shedding (as you noticed too). The best results I have had was actuallu with CO washing - when that worked best I could sometimes go three days. But my lengths hated it, and I shed way too much from it...

I hope you find a solution! :blossom: but if not, there are people here on LHC that washes often and still have very long and healthy hair! That´s what I try to think of when I get sad or frustrated with my greasiness...

[Entangled]

I'm thinking maybe cut out the leave in conditioner? I'm thinking if your hair gets greasy fast, maybe you don't really need to use it
The leave in conditioner is used for detangling purposes. I only started using it a few weeks ago, and it's helped tang lines a lot without accepting greasiness.

Sounds like I might need to invest in a wooden comb. I have a plastic one, but it has seams, so I haven't been using it much.

To those talking about scalp only washes, I forgot to say that those are my every-other day washes. I wash my length once a week.

That's interesting, Beezle. Perhaps it was the buildup from lack of other cleaner? That sounds like an adverse effect. I hope it won't effect me too much because my ratio of vinegar is much smaller and I shampoo at every washing.

I do go to sleep with wet hair. It's not ideal, but since I can't do it in the morning, I looked at t as the only options I guess. While I'm my very good at blow drying, my blowdryer does have a nice cool setting that I might use on my roots. That might make a difference.


I had this problem until i started oiling my scalp with peppermint oil and using Jason shampoo. I don't know which of the two is helping because I started them at the same time. I used to have to wash my hair every day and now I can go two days without washing. It also helps when i don't touch my hair at all and when I wear it up.

I know, it annoying. Especially when you know people who don't have to wash every day.
Defininitely annoying! What do you do with peppermint oil? I've never heard of this before.

Greasy hair! You know, I personally don't mind the way it feels, but j hate the way it looks and the way my scalp feels. I'm not stretching just because it's "ideal for hair," though. I just dislike the hassle! My sister, with her dryer skin and thicker hair, can go a week without washing and have her hair look wonderful...
Well, comparison is the thief of joy, right?

[Lianna]

I just wash mine. I see it as an opportunity to oil it whenever I want. The drying time is more of a hassle to me than the washing itself. I ordered a soft bonnet to attach to my hairdryer (wavy hair) so I hope drying time will be easier now.

[Arctic]

I don't have really help, but I have sympathy. It's been a long time since I was a teenager, but my hair and skin were extremely oily type. I sometimes washed 2 times a day, if I wanted to go somewhere in the evening. 24 hours after washing my hair was very oily. This continues well to my 20s, but very slowly the oiliness has subsided. I still have oily hair/skin, but now it starts to be visibly oiy after about 48 hours :D And I'm almost 40! Good sides to this skin type: resists dryness and wrinkling well, hair gets nice self-conditioning :D

When I was teenager I had always pixie-to bob length hair, that was on the thinner side. It dried fast. It was straight, and all I did was comb it and soon it was dry. It was very easy to care, and I sometimes even miss that :) Touching my hair made it oily fast, as did humid weather or sweating. I needed to wash in the morning to be presentable (so I felt). I think I still have some kind of aversion to oily hair from this time of my life, and I love to have freshly washed hair.

This all was also long time before LHC, so I didn't have the collective wisdom at my fingertips like you have. However I always have navigated to more gentle shampoos and not the ones marketed for oily hair. The conditioners I used were on lighter side, and ends only.

Anyway, since during my LHC time my hair/skin still are oily, I have tried lot of things, and ... nothing has changed my oiliness level. It is what it is. I actually caused my scalp/skin to become sensiticed to oils and conditioners during my time here, and in some ways my skin problems have become worse because of the crazy experimenting I did as a new member. Now I think I am a rare case, as most people seem to have good or neutral effects from LHC style care. Through trial and error I have noticed my skin prefers to be clean, likes to be washed often with sulphates, and wants to keep oils and conditioners off of my skin. My hair type has changed since I was teen, and I feel I need conditioner - and quite a bit too! I even swipe some on my canopy, but never on scalp (it irritates my skin). I do use (non-oily) leave-in, and don't notice a change in how fast my hair gets oily from it. Pre-shampoo is the best time for me to make deep treatments, as they will get washed off properly, but yet have time to work on my hair without getting on my skin/scalp. I never noticed vinegar making my skin oilier, but I have seen people saying so.

Oily scalp can be irritating, but it has it's points too. People rarely guess my age, for example. Some people can manipulate their skin's oiliness, but some can not. Some people grow out of it and some do not. Some people can stretch washes and some never can. If you fall into the latter groups, then there might not be much that can be done. Hopefully, though, you do find some help! I don't mean to sound depressing! We have a secret hot oil/deep treatment/shine serum/anti age potion machines hidden in our skins! :D

[lapushka]

Have you tried washing in the morning (getting up a half hour early) and then leaving it in a turbie for 10-15 min., then blowdrying it dry. There's no ban on blowdrying here if you do it sensibly. Warm settings are fine (as long as you can hold your hand in the airstream without it burning it's fine).

I had slightly oilier hair as a teen as well - it *maybe* will get better with age. I only detangle once a week now, right before washing (no combing/brushing during the week). It helps! CO was terrible for me. My scalp was too oily + I have SD! I am stretched now to a week, normally I'd need 2/3 washes a week. I use a really harsh sulfate shampoo, though (no dilution!) and it helps as well.

No tips for the rest. It's just learning to deal with it, mostly... I'm sorry to say.

[MissMay]

Mine was exactly the same; even vinegar rinses did nothing! I've recently brought a boar bristle brush though and it's made the world of difference ...My third day hair now looks and feels as good as fresh-washed does! :)

[missblueeyes]

Do you use sulfates at all? It kinda sounds like your scalp needs them to be properly clean.

[Entangled]

Yep, I use sulfates. Sodium lauryleth. Bbbing didn't seem to help much; it made my hair greasy faster. I've been meaning to try it again, though. The only thing stopping me is lack of a good detangling device. I don't want to damage my hair by jerking a bb through tangles!

As for waking up earlier, I can, but it would be unpleasant. I wake up at five and leave within twenty minutes. I'd have to get up at five or earlier (like I said, I'm bad at blow drying. It takes forever). I also stay up until eleven-two with homework some days :eek: so I try to maximize sleep! However, summer's coming, which means I can experiment more freely.

To start, I think I'm going to scut the vinegar rinse and see what happens. I'm also going to be switching conditioners soon, as mine is too runny, and I think I want to go back to cones. Any suggestions for the store? I still have a lot of shampoo left (hehe, you know you're a long hair when...) but I might look at something.

[Vivalagina]

I've had good luck with Garnier Fructis Fall Fight and Herbal Essences Hello Hydration since I went back to cones.

[longhairmomof7]

I have naturally oily hair/ scalp and I use oils on my scalp lol. I have to wash every other day, and can only wear hair down on wash day :/

[Lady Neeva]

I've found sulfates and clarifying shampoos to work the best for my scalp, since it gets oily fast (tho I wash it every two days instead of every day, so go I guess I'm a bit luckier...). If my hair is really greasy and noticeable, I'll use dry shampoo...but I still have to wash my scalp because it's still icky and quite itchy. I blow dry almost every time after I wash, and I think the heat is warmish.

[Entangled]

So, I wasted my hair with LOTS of cones last night. I switched to herbal essences long term relationship. Wow, they smell nice. But it is a little strong. Also, why in the world is dimethicone doing in my SHAMPOO? (Someone picked it up for me, so I didn't get to browse for ingredients). I mean, I'm fine with cones, but I want them to stay in their proper place! And wow, I'd forgotten how much lather sodium lauryl sulphate makes!

So, my hair is smooth, my waves are nonexistent, and my scalp isn't really all that clean this morning, as in it looks just as clean as other methods of washing. It's the same as diluted suave naturals, with sodium lauryleth sulfate (supposedly a more gentle sulphate). My skin is also but as oily as with the vinegar rinse, and my scalp is also still a little itchy from going to sleep with wet hair. This is interesting, but I don't know if it's my dream routine. I'll be leaving soon for a month in a much dryer climate. Maybe I should use cones there for easier detangling? I'll miss my waves, messy though they look. But about the shampoo, it kin of makes me uncomfortable without any significant improvement.

The other, less commonplace idea I had was using oat water as a shampoo. A few things have come up since the thread microscopically examining different cleansing methods. It sounds nice, anyways, and is simple enough to make and not expensive. Any reason why I shouldn't try it?

[lapushka]

The other, less commonplace idea I had was using oat water as a shampoo. A few things have come up since the thread microscopically examining different cleansing methods. It sounds nice, anyways, and is simple enough to make and not expensive. Any reason why I shouldn't try it?

Yes. Don't try everything all-at-once. If you change up your routine, then give it time! If it doesn't work after finishing half the bottle or at least for a month, then try something else. There's patience needed even with that.

[Entangled]

Okay, it's official: that shampoo was awful. My hair feels coated, and the back of my head looks like day three hair, a bad look for me. I have realized, though, that there's a lot of buildup on my scalp, perhaps from not brushing at all. Gross. ETA: the edges of my hair are fine, but the crown of my head is awful.

Thanks for the reminder, Lapushka. Since I've been doing a lot of benign neglect the past few months, the urge to try everything at once is strong. I think I'll use my old shampoo for a control test for the next week. Then, I'll remove the vinegar rinse and see if that helps. If not, I'll try the oat water after.

Sometime, though, I do need to get done hair tools, like a tangle teezer or seam free comb.