The phrase “oily hair” is not entirely correct, since we are not talking about the curls themselves, but about the condition of the scalp. It is the ability of the latter to produce sebum that affects the dryness or oiliness of the hair. Often, intense contamination of the roots is accompanied by dryness of the hair shaft, which becomes even more brittle due to regular washing.
Why does hair become oily in the evening, and is there a way to reduce the intensity of the sebaceous glands? Let's figure it out.
Why does hair become oily: reasons?
Among the main reasons for increased greasiness of hair are the following:
- Seborrheic dermatitis. If the scalp is dry, the sebaceous glands come into play, whose main task is to maintain the proper level of hydration of the epidermis. However, due to any malfunctions in the system, the glands begin to work extraordinarily, delivering too much sebum to the surface of the skin. A long life in a mode of abundance is fraught with difficulty in feeding and breathing for the hair follicles, and the hairs themselves, as a result of starvation, become very thin and brittle. Also, dandruff usually comes with dermatitis - this is nothing more than stuck together keratinized skin flakes.
- Poor nutrition. Everyone knows that nutrition affects health. But, alas, few people know what specific products affect the condition of hair. So, the main enemies of hair remain smoked foods, sweets, flour, highly salty foods, alcohol, because all this greatly slows down metabolic processes, and, therefore, the secretion is not released correctly. Excessive consumption of chocolate and coffee also has a bad effect on the skin, including causing acne.
- Diseases. Indeed, some diseases can cause excessive oily hair, however, as a rule, this is not the only symptom. These include diseases caused by disturbances in intestinal microflora, metabolic processes, and hormonal imbalances (especially in women). For example, banal dysbacteriosis, which occurs in every third person, disrupts the natural removal of decay products from the body, so “de-slagging” occurs through the exocrine glands.
- Heredity. Unfortunately it's true. The structure, type and intensity of hair growth are genetically determined in us. Therefore, if you have a tendency towards increased greasiness, try not to at least aggravate the situation. As a rule, if it’s a matter of heredity, then your hair has to be washed often since childhood, and its appearance is not greatly influenced by other factors.
Treatment for very oily hair
Next we will talk less about treatment, and more about the rules of caring for hair. After all, increased fat content is not a disease, but it signals the possibility of one. Accordingly, the disease needs to be treated.
And you need to take proper care of your curls. A few important tips will help you with this.
Don't wash your hair too often! Sometimes people are so worried about oily hair that they even start washing their hair twice a day. This only leads to the opposite result. Shampoo, tap water and hair dryer dry out the skin, and the sebaceous glands receive a signal: “Moisturize!” And they begin to work with double intensity. As a result, you are fighting an unequal fight with your own body.
Choose suitable cosmetics. It’s not for nothing that manufacturers produce specialized cosmetics for different hair types. It helps normalize skin balance and gently cleanse hair of impurities without weighing it down. Thus, the ALERANA line of professional products includes Shampoo for oily and combination hair with herbal ingredients that heal oily scalp. A balanced complex of active substances helps restore the activity of the sebaceous glands, soothes and moisturizes irritated skin, increases blood circulation, activating hair growth.
Don’t neglect homemade masks, which can be applied before each wash. For example, fermented milk masks, as well as products based on healing aloe juice, have a beneficial effect.
- Wash your hair with hot water - this provokes the intensity of sebum production.
- Use “heavy” shampoos with a high content of aggressive detergents - too dry skin = intense production of moisturizer.
- Comb “stale” hair with a massage brush - it will distribute the oil along the entire length.
- Dry your hair with a hot hairdryer - hot air is unacceptable for irritated seborrheic skin.
- Using metal hairpins and braiding tight braids - as in the previous point, this is extremely traumatic for inflamed skin.
- Indulging in smoked meats, animal fats, and sweets will only aggravate the problem.
- Wash your hair in the morning - the peak activity of the sebaceous glands occurs at night, so a morning shower will allow you to enjoy the freshness of your hair longer.
- Add vegetable fats to your diet - unlike animal fats, they help normalize metabolic processes and are extremely important for the female hormonal system.
Treatment for oily hair
Not every girl turns to a trichologist to solve her hair problems. What can we say about men? Most often, self-medication is used. This means you need to arm yourself with some basics of home therapy.
The basis of successful treatment is an integrated approach. Start restoring your hair from the inside.
To do this, you need to choose a high-quality vitamin and mineral complex for hair, add Omega-3 fatty acids to your diet, and also cleanse your diet of food debris. Also, limit your salt intake, which retains fluid in the body. Coffee, alcohol and cigarettes reduce vascular tone and make it difficult to nourish the hair, so you need to fight bad habits in the name of beautiful curls.
Do a gastrointestinal examination. This is one of the most common sources of most skin ailments. By the way, it won’t hurt to improve the functioning of the nervous system either - stress also negatively affects the blood vessels of the scalp.
Try washing your hair with shampoos containing tar, sulfur and zinc - they reduce greasiness, eliminate itching and dandruff.
Scalp massage is another reason to find time for your own beauty. Even a light massage helps increase blood circulation and normalize metabolic processes in the scalp.
In any case, self-medication may not bring results if the problem is buried deeper. Therefore, the best solution to the problem would be to seek advice from a specialist.
For an accurate diagnosis, contact a specialist.
Hair quickly becomes oily due to the increased functioning of the sebaceous glands located in the scalp. It doesn't matter when you took a shower - yesterday or a few days ago. Almost always, the curls look greasy, dirty, unkempt, and only in short intervals do they look well-groomed. Oily strands are inherited or are the result of a variety of reasons: illness, unbalanced diet, careless hair care, bad habits, etc. Find out how to properly care for oily hair, and what cosmetic, home, and pharmacy products will help regulate the functioning of oily hair. glands, providing the hair with a healthy shine and attractiveness.
Features of care
According to statistics derived by trichologists, increased oiliness of strands is more common in dark-haired men and women, as well as teenagers and pensioners. However, almost anyone can be at risk. Regular blow-drying, straightening and curling, coloring and other factors can turn normal hair into oily hair. If you ignore the problem, dandruff will appear, your hair will begin to thin and fall out.
Frequent hygiene procedures will not help, but rather will aggravate unpleasant symptoms. The more often you wash your hair, the sooner it will become covered with excess sebum again.
In this situation, experts advise practicing an integrated approach. Eliminate fatty foods from your diet, diversify your menu with fresh fruits, vegetables, cereals and dairy products. Walk more in the fresh air, give up bad habits, try not to be nervous. Do a full medical examination and treat chronic ailments. Select appropriate cosmetics or pharmaceutical products.
Regardless of whether this problem is hereditary or acquired, products for oily hair eliminate unpleasant symptoms, slow down the production of sebaceous secretions, and give the hair a feeling of freshness and comfort.
Balms, conditioners, sprays and lotions
Caring for quickly oily hair is considered the most difficult. When choosing a suitable product, you need to pay attention not only to its composition, but also to its texture. The consistency of conditioners, conditioners and lotions should be light. It is important that the products are not intended to moisturize the hair. Look for bottles that are labeled “volumizing,” “strengthening,” etc.
Buy lotions and sprays that are washable and water-based. Other products will weigh down your hair. It is advisable that care products for oily hair contain drying, antibacterial components: zinc, citrus extracts, medicinal clay, etc.
Attention! Use cosmetics correctly: apply balms to the scalp, root zone and the entire length of the strands, conditioners - to the middle part of the curls and ends.
Ready
Modern manufacturers produce a considerable range of products that help regulate the activity of the sebaceous glands.
A well-chosen product will eliminate several symptoms of the problem at once: unpleasant odor, dandruff, increased hair loss, greasy shine. You can buy balm, lotion or conditioner at a pharmacy or cosmetics store.
We will help you navigate popular brands and tell you which ones have earned a good reputation among people suffering from oily hair.
Homemade
A completely natural alternative to store-bought balms and sprays are folk remedies. The ingredients for their preparation can be found in the refrigerator, on the windowsill with indoor flowers, or in the pharmacy. The frequency of using home remedies for oily hair is at least 2 times a week. You need to store homemade conditioners and balms in the refrigerator, otherwise they will quickly deteriorate.
Find out which herbs and products will remove oily strands, and in what proportions they should be mixed.
Oils
There is an opinion that base and essential oils are not suitable for oily curls, as they weigh them down and make them even more unkempt and greasy. However, temporary external discomfort is compensated by the benefits that these drugs provide for hair. The oils contain nutritional components that regulate the functioning of the sebaceous glands, help eliminate dandruff, and strengthen the hair along its entire length. The main thing is to choose and use the product correctly.
We will tell you about the properties and methods of using burdock, almond, flaxseed and other oils in a detailed thematic review.
Masks
Unlike shampoos and other rinse-off products, masks affect oily strands and scalp for a long time: from 15–20 minutes to half an hour. This ensures deep penetration of nutritional components into the dermis and hair structure, and increases the effectiveness of the use of medicinal mixtures.
Important point! Masks for oily hair can be applied along the entire length or distributed in the root zone if the hair quickly becomes greasy only at the roots.
The products should be washed off with warm water so as not to stimulate the sebaceous glands. For the same reason, you cannot degrease your curls too much, otherwise you will get the opposite effect.
Homemade
Effective helpers in the fight against increased oiliness of hair are soda, clay, honey, tar soap, mustard, etc. These and other ingredients dry the strands, rid them of excess sebum, make the hair manageable and voluminous, and accelerate the growth of curls.
All products made according to folk recipes have their own characteristics. For example, an egg mask can only be applied to the roots, and a clay mask should not be used on the ends. We will talk about the main nuances of preparing and using homemade masks intended for oily strands.
Purchased
You can find finished products in any price segment. When purchasing, pay attention to the composition of the product, read reviews from other users. Masks for oily hair from popular brands often contain herbal extracts, clay, and other components that help maintain freshness of curls for several days. Some of the best professional products for controlling hair greasiness are described in our material.
Shampoos
The range of shampoos for oily hair is impressive in its diversity. In a pharmacy, cosmetics and household chemicals store, or online, you can buy separate shampoos for men and women, dry, solid and classic liquid preparations, as well as those designed for sensitive skin, to eliminate dandruff, etc.
Wherein The main function of all products is to cleanse the scalp and strands of excess fat and regulate the functioning of the sebaceous glands. Additionally, a good shampoo will make your curls soft, manageable, and smooth.
Products for quickly fattening hair should contain a minimum of nutrients. These components weigh down the hair and accelerate its pollution. It is optimal if the shampoo contains herbal extracts - nettle, mint, rosemary, chamomile, etc., antiseptic ingredients - essential oils of tea tree, citrus, coniferous plants, vitamins and minerals.
Attention! You should use a product to cleanse your hair of excess sebum no more than 2 times a week or at least every other day. Too frequent washing leads to the fact that the protective layer is washed off from the curls, so the sebaceous glands begin to work in increased mode to make up for the deficiency. The result is that your hair becomes dirty within a few hours of taking a shower.
Professional
If you decide to buy ready-made shampoo, pay attention to what the contents of the bottle look and smell like. A minimum of dyes, flavors and preservatives, a transparent or translucent liquid consistency - the optimal choice for oily curls. Purchase shampoo and conditioner or conditioner separately. 2-in-1 products are suitable for occasional use rather than regular use.
Don't be lazy to study the composition. Shampoo for oily hair should contain a minimum of heavy silicones and sulfates. A rough list of desirable ingredients in addition to herbs, vitamins and antiseptics:
- salicylic acid or other fat-dissolving substances. The shampoo should contain only one component of this kind, otherwise it will be difficult to avoid skin irritation;
- sulfur, zinc - regulate the production of fatty secretions;
- citric or lactic acid - normalize the activity of the sebaceous glands, etc.
Before purchasing, it is useful to read reviews of professional shampoos and ratings that are based on consumer opinions. The following brands are considered in demand:
- Alerana with extracts of sage, wormwood and chestnut;
- Bioderma Node with oat amino acids;
- L'Oreal with components that soften hard water;
- Lush with lemon, juniper, lime and lavender extracts;
- Matrix with lemongrass extract;
- Natura Siberica - organic shampoo with lungwort, Arctic raspberry, elecampane;
- Estelle - contains a special patented complex for oily hair, etc.
Homemade
Homemade products have several advantages over store-bought products. Homemade shampoos do not contain aggressive surfactants and other harmful components, so they are more gentle on oily hair and scalp. The risk of developing allergic reactions from using these products is minimal - you put what you want in there: oak bark, egg, honey or mustard.
Choose your favorite homemade shampoo recipe from our collection and make sure that preparing it yourself is not at all difficult.
Dry
Such products are available in the form of powders or sprays. They necessarily contain an absorbent that removes excess sebum from dirty, oily hair. The hairstyle becomes fresher, cleaner, and well-groomed. You don't need water to use dry shampoo. But you will have to carefully comb out the remaining powder from the strands.
Find out which manufacturers offer dry products for emergency hair washing, and what budget products from your home arsenal can replace purchased products.
For oily hair at the roots
If the root zone of your hair quickly becomes oily, while the ends remain dry, you are dealing with a combined (mixed) type of curls. To care for such hair, you will have to choose a special shampoo that will effectively cleanse the roots and moisturize the dry edges of the strands. Similar products are available in the lines of different brands: KORA, Schauma, Timotei, etc. Read the detailed characteristics of popular professional shampoos for combination hair and recommendations for their use.
Pharmacy drugs
The undoubted advantage of products sold in pharmacies is their targeted therapeutic effect. Such preparations not only cleanse and strengthen oily hair, but also normalize the functioning of the sebaceous glands, that is, they affect the cause of the problem. A significant part of the pharmacy products in this segment has an antiseborrheic effect, rids strands of dandruff, which is a frequent companion of hair that quickly gets dirty.
Shampoos recommended for oily hair often contain ketoconazole. This is an antifungal component that helps treat seborrhea, eliminates flaking of the skin and reduces the greasiness of strands. You can also use various lotions, ointments and other local preparations for this purpose.
For a comprehensive effect on the problem of oily curls, there are products in tablets, drops and ampoules. If the sebaceous glands of the scalp are working overtime due to gastrointestinal diseases, the doctor may additionally prescribe Pancreatin or Mezim. If the strands suffer from the fact that you are not able to cope with nervous tension on your own, in this case it is appropriate to take tincture of motherwort or valerian, Persen, Novopassit or something else. Multivitamins are useful to replenish nutrient deficiencies in the body and as a general strengthening agent for oily hair.
Attention! Before purchasing any medicine, consult your doctor.
Vitamins and vitamin complexes
Nutrients are found in food, but sometimes this amount is not enough. Some vitamins are destroyed during heat treatment of food. Others are well absorbed in certain combinations (for example, B2 is “friendly” with B6, but is incompatible with ascorbic acid). Vitamins of group B are especially useful for oily hair, as well as A, E, D. Additional components include sulfur, iron, zinc, magnesium. Choose medications that contain these substances in significant quantities, or buy the necessary vitamins separately.
For example, your doctor may recommend the following comprehensive remedies:
- Aevit in capsules. Contains vitamins A, E. Depending on the manufacturer, the package may contain 20–30 capsules. You need to take 1 pc. per day during meals. Price - from 25 rubles.
- Milgamma. A complex of B vitamins that are beneficial for hair (including oily hair). A package of 30 tablets costs about 700 rubles.
- Neurovitan. The drug is prescribed during pregnancy to maintain the health of the nervous system. There are vitamins B1, B2, B6, B12, which help cope with the problem of oily hair. The cost is about 1600 rubles.
- Neuromultivitis. Contains B vitamins. Helps with disorders of the nervous system and at the same time has a positive effect on hair. The course of treatment is no longer than 4 weeks. One of the most expensive remedies: approximately 3,400 rubles for a package of 20 tablets.
Of course, no tablets or capsules can completely solve the problem of oily strands. But they have a positive effect on metabolism, help regulate sebum secretion, and improve hair structure from the inside. Nutrients are indispensable in the treatment of many ailments that cause oily hair. To achieve a noticeable result, vitamins need to be taken for several months - from 1 to 6 (depending on the specific product). The first positive changes can be observed 3-4 weeks after the start of the course.
Pastes, ointments and creams
Not only the hair, but also the scalp suffers from increased oiliness. Often it flakes, itches, and the hair becomes covered with dandruff. Special medications will help correct this. Some pharmaceutical products cost literally pennies, but this does not prevent them from effectively regulating the activity of the sebaceous glands:
- Salicylic ointment. Destroys fungus that causes peeling and irritation of the dermis. Cost - from 20 rubles.
- Sulsena. The shampoo paste suppresses pathogenic microflora, which causes problems with hair and skin, and eliminates excess sebaceous secretions. Available in bottles of 40 and 75 ml, cost - from 80 rubles.
- Zinc ointment. An antiseptic that dries out the skin. Price - from 15 rubles. To prevent oily hair from becoming too dry, the product is combined with essential or other oils.
Aerosols
Sprays, serums, lotions and other preparations for oily hair are sold in convenient bottles with a sprayer. They can be washed off or indelible, depending on the purpose. Some products can be bought not only at the pharmacy, but also at a store that sells cosmetics for hair strands.
- MiKo, Conditioner Juniper, regulating hair oiliness. Contains essential oils of juniper and cedar, honeysuckle extract and other useful components. Normalizes the functioning of the sebaceous glands, strengthens the roots, fills the curls with strength and energy. The product is applied to clean, damp strands and washed off after 2-3 minutes. Price - about 500 rubles per 200 ml.
- Vitex, Oil Control Spray. Does not require rinsing. Regulates the functioning of the sebaceous glands. Normalizes the fat balance of skin and hair. Refreshes and makes the intervals between shampoos longer. Eliminates dandruff. The result should be expected after 10 applications. Price - approximately 130 rubles for a 100 ml bottle.
- Home doctor, Multivitamin spray for hair that requires frequent washing. Contains green tea and ginger extracts. The product makes strands manageable and shiny. Slows down the process of hair contamination. Controls the functioning of the sebaceous glands. Cost - from 80 rubles per 300 ml. There is also a similar balm for oily hair in the same series.
Everything for your hair
Care and health
First, it’s worth understanding the terms. Hair itself does not produce oil. Therefore, oiliness is a characteristic not of curls, but of the scalp. Most often, hair roots suffer from increased activity of the sebaceous glands, but as a result of improper care and regular combing, the fat often spreads, if not over the entire length, then at least half.
Very oily hair needs treatment. Firstly, it is impossible (and also harmful) to wash them every few hours, and without washing, your hair always looks unkempt. Although in reality there is no question of hairstyle: it is very difficult to style and fix the hair beautifully, since the skin secretion that envelops it prevents varnishes and foams from doing their job.
Secondly, using special shampoos does not solve the problem. Once you stop using them, the sebaceous glands begin to function with a vengeance.
Thirdly, the higher the fat content, the worse the scalp breathes, the slower the cells are renewed and the more often inflammation occurs. Hair follicles do not receive enough nutrients, as a result of which the strands begin to grow worse and fall out.
So increased fat content is not only a cosmetic drawback, but a serious threat to hair health. But it’s easier and faster to deal with it than with their fragility or split ends.
Proper care is the first step to victory
Below are recommendations that, if followed, will help improve the condition of your hair and consolidate the effect of treatment:
- Limit your consumption of unhealthy foods (flour, salty, fatty, fried, sweet).
- Avoid alcohol and smoking, move more and be outside more often.
- Choose the right shampoo: it should not contain lipids
complexes, silicone, oils and proteins. Liquid, transparent shampoos are suitable, although there are some good ones among thick ones. It is advisable that the shampoo contains clay (it adsorbs fat well) and/or zinc. If you want to be sure of the right choice, buy medicinal shampoos at the pharmacy or try making them yourself. - Do not use conditioner. If your hair is hard and tangled after washing, choose a lighter product for it - for example, a spray conditioner, but when applying it, do not treat the hair roots.
- Don't wash your hair too often. Still, fat protects hair from external influences and dehydration. And when you wash it off every now and then, the sebaceous glands begin to work especially intensively. If you take care of your hair correctly, you won't have to wash it every day. By the way, it is better to do this in the morning, since the skin produces oil mainly at night. It is very important that the water is not hot: you should not irritate the glands again.
- Replace the massage brush with a comb and don’t rush to comb your hair
immediately, as soon as it seems to you that they are a little disheveled. Massaging the scalp and generally touching it too much is also not worth it: this promotes the spread of fat along the entire length of the hair. - Avoid products and devices that irritate the skin: foams and styling gels, elastic bands, hairpins, as well as tightly braided braids and tight ponytails.
- Don't get carried away with masks: some of their components (for example, egg) tend to accumulate on the surface of the hair over time.
- Do not walk in winter without a hat (temperature changes also affect
on the vessels of the scalp, and on the intensity of the glands). By the way, the hat needs to be washed from time to time, and it should not be too tight. - Avoid using a hair dryer, curling iron or straightening iron. A local increase in temperature stimulates the sebaceous glands to secrete more oil.
- Use natural coloring agents (they slightly dry and heal the skin), but do not get carried away with chemical ones.
- Finally, be less nervous, since stress is one of the factors causing the problem.
Proven pharmaceutical products
Of course, the choice of medicine depends on the cause and nature of the disease. For seborrhea, dandruff (which usually accompanies oiliness) and fungal infections, Sulsen paste is used. It is applied to clean hair roots for 15 minutes and then washed off with warm water. In total, about 10 procedures are necessary, 2 per week.
Good results are obtained by using products with zinc pyrithione (creams, shampoos) and selenium sulfide. Sulfur-salicylic ointment helps. They all act approximately the same: they dry, soothe the skin and remove dead particles of the epidermis, and also have an antiseptic effect.
One of the most popular means for eliminating oiliness is tar. Soaps, shampoos, and ointments are produced on its basis.
In addition to medications intended for external use, your doctor may prescribe vitamins, retinoids (drugs for skin rashes), or tablets that slow down the production of sebum.
Natural shampoos and masks
Homemade cosmetics are very easy to make and use. Please note that they are applied to dirty hair!
- Mustard shampoo. 2 tbsp. spoons of mustard powder are diluted with 200 ml.
hot water and stir well so that there are no lumps left. Then add another 800 ml of water, now slightly cooled, and wash your hair with this solution, lightly rubbing it into the hair roots. It is important that it is not hot, but warm. Wash off the mustard with cool water, preferably with the addition of lemon juice (2 tablespoons per 1 liter). - Rye shampoo. The crumb of black bread is poured with a small amount of warm water. When it gets wet and turns into a homogeneous paste, it is rubbed into the hair (mainly into the roots). The remaining crumbs are washed out with warm water.
- Low-fat kefir, yogurt, whey. Any of these products
applied to hair along the entire length. Then a plastic cap is put on. After 15 minutes, you can wash your hair as usual (with mild shampoo). - Kefir - potato mask. Two medium-sized potatoes are grated. The pulp is squeezed out and the juice is poured into a separate container, after which 100 - 150 ml of low-fat kefir is added to it. The mask is applied to the hair along the entire length. Since it is liquid, it is better to wrap your head in cling film. After 30 - 40 minutes, the composition is washed off with water without shampoo.
- Mask made from medicinal henna. For its preparation, colorless
henna and whey slightly heated in a water bath. The consistency of the composition should be close to sour cream. The mask is applied along the entire length of the hair, excluding only the very ends, the head is wrapped in cling film and left for about an hour, then washed off without shampoo. - Clay based masks. Any cosmetic clay will do. It is customary to mix white with still mineral water, green with olive oil, blue with warm water and 1 tbsp. spoon of apple cider vinegar (6%). The amount of ingredients should be such that you get a paste that would be enough for the entire length of the hair. The mask is left on the curls (under polyethylene) for 20 - 30 minutes, and then the hair is thoroughly washed with shampoo.
Masks should be used immediately after preparation.
Rinse
It is highly advisable to use them after each hair wash or after applying masks. The rinses are prepared according to the same recipe: 20 g of dry raw materials (herbs) are poured with a glass of boiling water, and then infused for 30 - 60 minutes. This is how chamomile, nettle or wormwood rinses are made. You can add clay powder or bread crumbs to the prepared decoctions, but then after using them, your hair will have to be washed again.
This remedy has long been used: 20 g of crushed oak bark (sold in a pharmacy), pour 400 ml of boiling water and boil for 15 minutes. Wash your hair with the cooled liquid twice a week.
Professional help
If self-medication does not help, you have to contact a specialist - a trichologist. As a rule, he prescribes complex treatment, including specific procedures, including ozone therapy, mesotherapy and plasma therapy. All these techniques involve injections that suppress the activity of the sebaceous glands. There are other options for physical therapy: darsonvalization, laser shower and cryotherapy.
All these methods, unfortunately, will not help change your hair type and get rid of excess oil forever. Courses of treatment will have to be repeated from time to time. Sometimes proper care and regular use of home and pharmacy remedies give better results than salon procedures.