Is An Oily Scalp Holding Your Hair Back?

There are few bigger bummers in the world of hair than a chronically oily scalp. Sure, it may sound better than say, an oily T-zone—it’s hidden beneath your hair. However, when it begins to creep up your roots making your morning shower look like a little white lie, a solution is in order. If an itchy oily scalp has you hiding your head in the sand, read on to learn about causes and solutions.

BLAME YOUR PARENTS

We have a lot to thank our folks for, but an oily scalp isn’t one of them. Chances are, if you’re suffering from an excessively oily scalp, Mom and Pop are in the same boat. Before you start kicking yourself, consider that they may just have some parental advice about how to combat the problem that you never would have thought of.

RECOGNIZE THOSE RAGING HORMONES

Whether you are or were a teenager, we’re all familiar with overactive oil glands. We admit, we were much too distracted by our serious case of pizza-face to notice how greasy our roots were, but it turns out the same oil clogs found on our pubescent mugs were taking over our scalps. In adulthood, an oily scalp can be a sign of a hormone imbalance which can be treated topically.

MIX UP A MEDICATED LATHER

The simplest solution to combat oil is to wash with a specially formulated shampoo before you start your day. A shampoo containing coal tar, selenium sulfide, zinc pyrithione, or salicylic acid such as Head and Shoulders or Denorex will help cut down on the excess oil production on your scalp. Use it on the roots only to avoid drying out the rest of your ‘do.

BREAKUP WITH BUILDUP

Styling products make our mane look great by day, but they have a bad habit of sticking around causing even the healthiest scalp to get greasy. Cut down on using product at the roots, or take extra time in the shower to wash away any build up left over from spray cans, gels, and pomades.

LOSE THE CONDITIONER

Cutting down on conditioning may be just what your scalp needs. If you have long hair, try applying conditioner just to the ends to fight damage only where it’s needed. If your hair is short, try skipping the conditioner all together.

WHIP UP A HOME TREATMENT

Combat oil production is easy with items you already have around the house. A couple tablespoons of lemon juice, eucalyptus oil, or apple cider vinegar will control oil production while fighting pore-blocking bacteria. Alternately, you can apply a mixture of equal parts witch hazel and mouthwash pre-shampoo to disinfect, neutralize, and calm greasy roots. No time for a kitchen cook up? Dust off with a sprinkle of baby powder– a DIY dry shampoo that will leave you feeling–and smelling– fresh!

POWDER OFF AND CHEER UP

Carry a pack of hair powder with you to sop up oils throughout the day. An elegant brand like the Shu Uemura Volume Maker Invisible Texturizing Powder will make trip to the powder room seem like more of a cute spruce-up than an oily chore.