A common misconception about oily hair is that it is caused by an oily scalp. The exact opposite is usually true. A dry scalp causes the oil glands in the scalp to produce more oil, and once on the scalp, this excess oil transfers to the hair itself. Therefore, to treat oily hair, one of the best things to do is focus on the dry scalp.
Below, you will find some hints and tips to help manage and care for oily hair:
- Use a mild shampoo, shampoo for oily hair, shampoo for dry scalp, or a baby shampoo
- Wash oily hair daily, but concentrate the shampoo on the hair away from the scalp to remove the excess oil from the hair, not on the scalp itself, because this can dry the scalp even more
- Always rinse your hair thoroughly with cool or lukewarm water, because soap residue can make oily hair worse
- Use a hot oil treatment directly on the scalp itself, gently massaging the oil into the scalp and then rinsing the oily hair thoroughly afterward
- If hair is very oily, do not use conditioner at all, or use conditioner only on the tips or ends of the hair
- Oily hair is likely shiny enough, so avoid using hair gloss gel or shine hair care products on oily hair
- For extremely oily hair, a vinegar rinse, comprised of one (1) part vinegar to four (4) parts water can help remove oil from your hair, but be sure to avoid using vinegar on the scalp
- Don’t brush oily hair frequently, because brushing oily hair can actually cause the scalp to produce more oil
- Don’t rub or scratch your scalp when you have oily hair, because stimulating the scalp like this can produce more oil
- Diluted lemon juice can provide similar results to the vinegar rinse for oily hair with a much more pleasant scent
Shampoo that contains tea tree oil can work well for alleviating dry scalp, if dry scalp is the primary cause of the oily hair. While diet has little affect on hair itself, eating a healthy diet and drinking plenty of fluids can help with dry skin and scalp too, and since dry scalp causes oil product that can lead to oily hair, diet can affect how much oil your scalp produces. Drinking water is not only good for your oily hair and dry scalp, but it's also great for your skin health too.
If you follow these tips for managing oily hair, your hair should improve almost immediately, but it may take several weeks of regular hair care to see more permanent results.
