Got Grease?
Why Your Hair Gets Oily So Quickly?
Do you find yourself having to wash your hair every day to control oil and shine, to make your hair soft and silky ?
There are a number of reasons why your hair may turn greasy within 24 hours after shampooing. Read on to understand the common causes and learn simple solutions to combat overactive sebum production.
Causes of Fast-Forming Grease
- Hair appears greasy when too much sebum is produced. Sebum is an oily substance secreted by tiny sebaceous glands surrounding hair follicles. It coats and protects strands while locking in moisture.
- In moderation, sebum smoothly conditions hair. But when glands are overstimulated into producing excess oil, strands quickly look limp and weighted down.
- Triggers causing sebum overdrive include hormone fluctuations, high stress levels, hot showers, harsh cleansers, and fatty and sugary diets. These elements place sebaceous tissues into inflammation, causing swollen overactivity.
- Additionally, product residue buildup prompts glands to jumpstart sebum secretion to compensate for perceived hydration gaps. Overwashing hair fools the scalp too, stripping away protective oils so glands immediately replenish even more to overcorrect.
- Finding balance controlling inflammation and external triggers allows sebum production to normalize again. Then with proper scalp health support and the right hair care routine, the natural ideal equilibrium of sebum for shiny, conditioned and grease-free locks can be maintained day to day.
Is overwashing a thing?
Washing hair too frequently disrupts the natural balance of moisture and oil on the scalp. It strips away protective sebum that keeps hair and skin healthy. This sends oil glands into overdrive, producing extra sebum to overcompensate.
Over time, overwashing trains hair to become reliant on constant removal of oil buildup. More washing is needed to address growing grease issues, fueling accelerated sebum production rates. Eventually a self-perpetuating cycle forms.
To retrain hair, the cycle must be slowly corrected. Begin extending times between shampooing by half a day or so between washes. Use dry shampoo to absorb excess oil in the interim.
As hair adjusts to longer wash intervals, continue gradually increasing duration while deploying oil control tools like clarifying shampoos or apple cider vinegar rinses periodically. These help restore proper scalp balance.
Within weeks, daily washing often becomes unnecessary. Sebum production self-regulates to more moderate rates as hair adapts to retain natural oils longer before needing removal. Hair both looks and feels healthier, with surges of oil and dryness stabilized.
Solutions for Keeping Oil at Bay
Luckily, there are simple solutions for keeping oil flow under better control between washes so your style withstands that crucial 24-hour mark.
Use a Clarifying Shampoo
A deep cleanse removes buildup so glands don’t go haywire replenishing what’s already there. Use a sulfate clarifying poo once a week to dissolve product residue, hard water minerals, and excess sebum.
Limit Hot Water
Stick to lukewarm rinses to avoid aggravating glands. Hot water swells already overactive tissues. Follow with a cool blast which helps tighten and minimize oil flow.
Apply Dry Shampoo
These waterless cleansers soak up excess grease between washes, refreshing hair with absorbents like starch or charcoal. Just avoid over-applying to scalp as too much residue can trigger rebound oiliness.
Switch Products
Skip conventional heavy stylers like pomades and gels. Opt for lighter leave-ins, sea salt or volumizing sprays. Only apply product to mid-lengths and ends instead of roots too.
Adjust Diet
Lower intake of fatty, sugary foods which signal glands to produce more sebum. Stay hydrated to help balance and flush oil flow as well.
Try Apple Cider Vinegar
With its clarifying and sealing properties, apple cider vinegar (ACV) makes an effective natural treatment for greasy hair when you’re in a time crunch. Being highly acidic, ACV helps close the cuticle and restore hair’s protective barrier to prevent moisture overload that worsens oil slick strands.
Consistency helps control causes of sudden heavy oil like hormones, diet changes and product adjustments too. But using clarifying shampoos and targeted oil-absorbers makes fighting the dreaded next-day grease easier.