Super Oily Hair?

[Cait_Mc]

Hey guys! Here's my issue: my hair is super oily. It is now almost TBL, and the roots are just so oily I don't know what to do about it. I am on a pretty strict budget at the time and I have tried all that I can think of. Currently (and for as long as I can remember), I have had to shampoo twice each time I wash. I do spread the washes out as long as I can, and being a stay at home mom, I don't have to go out of the home too terribly often during the week so I just let it be oily. I shampoo about twice a week, and condition only on the other days, and it doesn't seem like it is causing TOO much damage, but I feel like if I could get to where I wash only once at a time, it would do better. My hair has pretty much stopped growing and I wonder if it's being caused by too much washing :(

I have tried CSC, CO, and using a vinegar rinse, but nothing seems to help the oily factor. To boot, the oil doesn't nourish the length at all, so I end up adding in a leave in, which I'm wondering if it's helping or hindering.

Thanks in advance for the advice!

[ladyfey]

I wash every other day due to my oily hair, shampooing twice each time. I have seborrheic dermatitis, so every 4 days I use Nizoral (medicated shampoo). My hair is knee length and doesn't seem to suffer from the washing. I am very gentle with it. Maybe you should see a dermatologist and see if they have any ideas for you.

[Firefox7275]

Might be hormones, given your age so could be worth getting a health check. Also are you eating a balanced diet including essential fatty acids (oily fish, nuts etc.) and keeping fully hydrated? Sorry if it's TMI but my sebum was noticeably thicker when I partied hard, got dehydrated, didn't sleep properly and so on. :(

Do you need to shampoo twice if you wash more frequently, this might be irritating your scalp? Maybe dilute the shampoo so you still get clean hair but use less shampoo? I don't think CWC is supposed to have any positive effect on oil production just on the condition of the hair itself. Have you already tried cold rinses (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/vbjournal.php?do=article&articleid=77)? Or sulphate free shampoos? My skin gets greasy right after I wash (with SLS cleanser!) and my hair seems less greasy since I stopped using sulphate shampoo, but to be fair I have changed other things in my routine.

[Mesmerise]

I also would question why you need to shampoo twice each time. What if you washed slightly more frequently, but only did one shampoo at a time? My mum always claimed to have oily hair, but rarely washed her hair... she did, however, wash twice and use shampoo for "oily hair" which is much harsher and strips more oils from the hair.

Me, on the other hand, as a teen/young adult, also had oily hair, but I used to use moisturising shampoo, washed only once, but washed more frequently than my mum. Her hair always looked rather dry to me (despite being kept short), which I think in part was due to her harsh washing.

So my advice would be to wash one day earlier, use a gentle shampoo and try washing only once rather than twice. See if your hair is still as oily or not.

[Jcv-Shelley]

Maybe if you stretched the washings and ignored the sebum for a while (loose ponytails keeps the greasy out of sight), it will gradually go away. You could also try the cold rinse mentioned above, or dry shampoos.

[jojo]

What temperature do you wash your hair in? about ohh 6 years back I got incredibly greasy hair and I mentioned this to a hairdressing friend of mine, who told me the hotter the water you wash in, the quicker it will go greasy. I wash in lukewarm water these days and the greasies are a thing of the past!

Also try and do the final rinse in as cold as you can stand; it really does help!

[Cait_Mc]

Oh wow I had no idea about cold rinses helping with oil production! Thanks! I think I will try rinsing with cool water and maybe increase the frequency of washes, but only wash once. I have tried that in the past with not so good results, but since my pregnancy, my body has changed so much it might just work!

[Anje]

I'm wondering if the shampooing is contributing to the oil production. It certainly doesn't hold true for everyone, but I find I grease up a lot faster if I use shampoo with any sort of regularity. I've got skin that reacts to dryness by getting oily, and my scalp is no exception. So CO washing is the thing for me, but admittedly it can take several weeks for oil production to decrease, if it's going to at all.

What about using some sort of dry shampoo/oil absorbing powder between washes? There are commercial products available, but I've also heard good things about corn starch, orris root powder, and even cocoa powder (for dark hair) being dusted onto the roots, left in to absorb oil for a little while, then brushed out.

[jojo]

Oh wow I had no idea about cold rinses helping with oil production! Thanks! I think I will try rinsing with cool water and maybe increase the frequency of washes, but only wash once. I have tried that in the past with not so good results, but since my pregnancy, my body has changed so much it might just work!

make sure not to shampoo in hot water either! though your pregnancy could have a short term affect, it will sort it self out!

[ladyfey]

the reason I shampoo up twice is because with seborrheic dermatitis, first wash is to loosen gunk, second is to sit on for a few minutes after there is less gunk to interfere with the medication getting to work.