Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsCauses of Oily HairHair Products to AvoidChoosing the Right Styling ProductsNatural TreatmentMedical TreatmentHow to Style Oily Hair
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Causes of Oily Hair
Hair Products to Avoid
Choosing the Right Styling Products
Natural Treatment
Medical Treatment
How to Style Oily Hair
Oily hair is hair that appears greasy or wet. It occurs when your scalp’ssebaceous(oil) glandsproduce excess oil.
This article covers causes and treatments for oily hair. It also explains the best way to style oily hair and which products can worsen it.
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Causes: Why Is My Hair Oily?
While common causes of oily hair includehair-washing routines, some medical issues can also lead to it.
Hormonal Fluctuations
During amenstrual cycle, the shift inestrogenand progesterone can result in changes to the skin.An increase in skin oil production is why people commonly noticehormonal acnearound their period. The same may be true for some people with oily hair. Pay attention if it occurs in a cyclic pattern. If so, your hormones may be to blame.
Skin Conditions
Some skin conditions that affect the scalp may result in greasy hair.Seborrheicdermatitis(a scaly condition of the scalp and face) affects oil-producing glands.In addition to redness, flaking, and crusting, you may also notice greasy hair.
Scalp Yeast Infection
Ascalp yeast infection(Candida) can include symptoms of moist skin and greasy patches. It makes sense then that those greasy symptoms would extend to the hair, making it appear oily.
Parkinson’s Disease
One of the common conditions associated withParkinson’s diseaseis seborrheic dermatitis.If you have Parkinson’s, you may be more prone to this scalp condition and oily hair. In addition, another related symptom is excess sweating. If you sweat on your scalp, you will also likely notice greasy hair.
Which Shampoo and Conditioner Makes Oily Hair Worse?
Shampoos and heavy or moisturizing conditioners can worsen your oily hair because they may tend to weigh your hair down. To keep hair from getting greasy, keep shampoo concentrated on the scalp to wash away the scalp oil. With conditioner, do the opposite—focus it at the mid-section to the ends and keep it away from the scalp.
Experts also recommend choosing a shampoo and conditioner made for your hair type.If you color your hair, choose a shampoo for color-treated hair; if you have dandruff, use adandruff shampoo.
Why Does My Hair Get Oily So Fast?Some people producescalp sebumfaster than others. This could be due to genetics. It could also be that you are washing your hair too infrequently, using the wrong shampoo for your hair type, or have other contributing factors, like skin or health conditions predisposing you to an oily scalp.
Why Does My Hair Get Oily So Fast?
Some people producescalp sebumfaster than others. This could be due to genetics. It could also be that you are washing your hair too infrequently, using the wrong shampoo for your hair type, or have other contributing factors, like skin or health conditions predisposing you to an oily scalp.
What About Styling and Texture Products?
Since many styling products are weighty to hold hair in place and create texture, you’ll need to be careful when choosing one if you have oily hair. The wrong product can make oily hair look greasy instantly.
Avoid weighty pomades, waxes, and gels. And steer clear of hair oils. Opt instead for lighter hairsprays and mousses.
Natural Treatment for Oily Hair
In addition to washing and conditioning correctly, there are some other things you can do to combat oily hair. These include:
How many days a week should you wash oily hair? It depends on your hair type. For those with African American hair, aim for every one to two weeks.
Straight hair, however, should be washed most frequently since it tends to show grease more readily than curly and coarse hair. One study found participants were most satisfied with their hair and scalp condition when they washed five to six times per week.
Medical Treatment for Oily Hair
If an underlying medical condition causes your oily hair, treating that condition is the best way to combat an oily scalp. For example, if you have a hormonal imbalance from your menstrual cycle or PCOS, some types ofbirth controlmay help control oily skin.
Over-the-counter (OTC) or prescription dandruff shampoos may resolve an oily scalp if you haveseborrheic dermatitis. If you have a scalp yeast infection,antifungal medicationto resolve the infection may also fix greasy hair.
Choosing the right style may be just the trick if you’re wondering how to make your hair look less greasy. Ponytails, braids, and buns are good choices if your hair is longer because they keep it in place and hide oily roots.
For any hair length, covering your scalp is another good option. Go for scarves, headbands, hats, and hair clips. Parting your hair on the side instead of the middle may also cover more of your oily roots.
Summary
Oily hair occurs from too much scalp oil. This most commonly happens from washing too infrequently. But it can also occur from hormonal imbalances and some skin and health-related conditions. Using the right shampoo, conditioners, and styling products formulated for your hair type is often all that’s needed to correct the problem.
10 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.MedlinePlus.Oily hair.Ma L, Jiang H, Han T, et al.The menstrual cycle regularity and skin: irregular menstrual cycle affects skin physiological properties and skin bacterial microbiome in urban Chinese women.BMC Womens Health. 2023;23(1):292. doi:10.1186/s12905-023-02395-zPenn State Student Affairs.Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).National Eczema Association.Seborrheic dermatitis.National Organization for Rare Disorders.Candidiasis.American Parkinson’s Disease Association.Sweating and other skin problems in people with Parkinson’s disease.American Academy of Dermatology Association.Tips for healthy hair.MedlinePlus.Dandruff, cradle cap, and other scalp conditions.American Academy of Dermatology Association.Black hair: tips for everyday care.Punyani S, Tosti A, Hordinsky M, Yeomans D, Schwartz J.The impact of shampoo wash frequency on scalp and hair conditions.Skin Appendage Disord. 2021;7(3):183-193. doi:10.1159/000512786
10 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.MedlinePlus.Oily hair.Ma L, Jiang H, Han T, et al.The menstrual cycle regularity and skin: irregular menstrual cycle affects skin physiological properties and skin bacterial microbiome in urban Chinese women.BMC Womens Health. 2023;23(1):292. doi:10.1186/s12905-023-02395-zPenn State Student Affairs.Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).National Eczema Association.Seborrheic dermatitis.National Organization for Rare Disorders.Candidiasis.American Parkinson’s Disease Association.Sweating and other skin problems in people with Parkinson’s disease.American Academy of Dermatology Association.Tips for healthy hair.MedlinePlus.Dandruff, cradle cap, and other scalp conditions.American Academy of Dermatology Association.Black hair: tips for everyday care.Punyani S, Tosti A, Hordinsky M, Yeomans D, Schwartz J.The impact of shampoo wash frequency on scalp and hair conditions.Skin Appendage Disord. 2021;7(3):183-193. doi:10.1159/000512786
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
MedlinePlus.Oily hair.Ma L, Jiang H, Han T, et al.The menstrual cycle regularity and skin: irregular menstrual cycle affects skin physiological properties and skin bacterial microbiome in urban Chinese women.BMC Womens Health. 2023;23(1):292. doi:10.1186/s12905-023-02395-zPenn State Student Affairs.Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).National Eczema Association.Seborrheic dermatitis.National Organization for Rare Disorders.Candidiasis.American Parkinson’s Disease Association.Sweating and other skin problems in people with Parkinson’s disease.American Academy of Dermatology Association.Tips for healthy hair.MedlinePlus.Dandruff, cradle cap, and other scalp conditions.American Academy of Dermatology Association.Black hair: tips for everyday care.Punyani S, Tosti A, Hordinsky M, Yeomans D, Schwartz J.The impact of shampoo wash frequency on scalp and hair conditions.Skin Appendage Disord. 2021;7(3):183-193. doi:10.1159/000512786
MedlinePlus.Oily hair.
Ma L, Jiang H, Han T, et al.The menstrual cycle regularity and skin: irregular menstrual cycle affects skin physiological properties and skin bacterial microbiome in urban Chinese women.BMC Womens Health. 2023;23(1):292. doi:10.1186/s12905-023-02395-z
Penn State Student Affairs.Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).
National Eczema Association.Seborrheic dermatitis.
National Organization for Rare Disorders.Candidiasis.
American Parkinson’s Disease Association.Sweating and other skin problems in people with Parkinson’s disease.
American Academy of Dermatology Association.Tips for healthy hair.
MedlinePlus.Dandruff, cradle cap, and other scalp conditions.
American Academy of Dermatology Association.Black hair: tips for everyday care.
Punyani S, Tosti A, Hordinsky M, Yeomans D, Schwartz J.The impact of shampoo wash frequency on scalp and hair conditions.Skin Appendage Disord. 2021;7(3):183-193. doi:10.1159/000512786
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