Oily Hair

On this page:

• Definition
• Causes
• Implications
• What You Can Do

Definition

Oily hair are a result of overactive oil glands (sebaceous glands) in the scalp. Sebaceous glands are also associated with each hair follicle that produce an oily secretion to help condition the hair and the surrounding skin.

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Causes

• Touching your hair frequently
• Hot and humid weather
• Infrequent washing of the hair
• Stress and anxiety
• Hormonal changes
• Using shampoo and other hair care products that are not appropriate for your hair type.
• Frequent and vigorous combing or brushing of your hair

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Implications

These oil glands are usually triggered by factors such as stress or hormonal changes to produce excess oil. This causes the harmless bacteria that are normally found on your skin to multiply by feeding off the oil. Oily scalp usually produces a bad odor due to the presence of these bacteria in large numbers.

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What You Can Do

• Shampoo your hair daily
• Use a shampoo that is appropriate for your hair type and leave it on for 5 minutes before rinsing it off.
• Avoid brushing your hair too frequently or too vigorously.
• Imbalance in your hormones such as produced by taking oral birth control pills affect the oiliness of your hair. These products should be taken with caution.
• Try to minimize stress and your hair will be happy again!

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