Why your hair gets oily so quickly: 3 habits to blame
Habits that make your hair greasy fast (photo: Freepik)
Everyday habits can cause your hair to quickly lose its freshness and shine, making it look oily as soon as the next day after washing. Here's what to avoid, according to Southern Living.
Frequent touching of your hair
Constantly touching your hair can really make it oilier. Here's why:
- Transfer of scalp oils. Sebaceous glands on your scalp produce sebum (a natural oil that protects hair). When you touch your roots often, that oil gets spread along the hair shaft, making it look dirty
- Oils and dirt from your hands. Hands naturally carry sebum, lotion residue, sweat, or dust. All of this transfers to your hair when you touch it, adding to the greasy look
- Stimulating oil glands. Frequent touching can irritate the scalp, causing oil glands to produce even more sebum
- Spreading oils. If you run your hands through your hair, the oils move from the scalp down the strands, making it look "not fresh" faster.
What to do:
- Avoid touching your hair too often
- Wash your hands before adjusting the hairstyle
- Clean your brushes regularly since they also collect oils
Wearing ponytails too often
When you frequently fix or adjust a ponytail, sebum spreads more quickly along the strands. Pulled-back hair also gets less airflow, so that the roots can feel heavier.
Hair ties and tight hairstyles can irritate the scalp and stimulate oil glands. Plus, in a ponytail, hair sits close together, making any greasiness more noticeable.
To reduce the problem:
- Use soft scrunchies or gentle ties
- Avoid pulling hair too tightly
- Leave it down from time to time
- Limit touching the roots with your hands
Over-brushing your hair
Every time you brush, oils from the scalp are spread through the length, making hair greasy faster.
Frequent brushing also massages the scalp, increasing circulation and stimulating oil production. If the comb is hard or metal, it further irritates the skin, which also affects sebum secretion.
It's best to brush just 1-2 times a day (morning and evening). Use soft brushes with natural bristles or wide-tooth combs.
How to keep your hair from getting greasy too fast
• Use a gentle shampoo for oily or combination hair, free of silicones and heavy oils
• Avoid washing every day. Daily washing can trigger more oil production. Aim for 2-3 times a week (depending on your hair type)
• Rinse with cool water. Hot water stimulates oil glands
• Don't apply conditioner to the roots, only mid-lengths and ends
• Avoid over-brushing to prevent spreading scalp oils along the strands
Earlier, we revealed the truth about keratin and Botox treatments for hair.
