by Jennifer Summers
Greasy hair never seems to stay fresh and clean, and can look heavy and flat. Within a few hours of shampooing it refuses to stay full and light and it takes on a stringy appearance. Along with looking oily, greasy hair can appear lifeless, lank and dull. Does this sound familiar to you? Do you ask yourself “why is my hair greasy?” Even if they wash it everyday, others can judge that the sufferer does not wash their hair frequently and doesn’t have good hygiene. This can cause much social embarrassment.
The grease in hair grease is oil and is called Sebum. Sebum is produced by the sebaceous glands which lie immediately under the skin in you scalp and each hair has a sebaceous gland. Greasy hair is in fact healthy hair, and the oil protects each hair strand from dryness and split ends. Sebum lubricates hair skin and provides a protective barrier to prevent drying. This oil is your own built-in moisturizer.
Greasy hair is excess of sebum in the hair and comes as a result of an over production of sebum (oil) from over active sebaceous glands, stimulated by hormones called androgens. Androgens are male hormones that are present in both men and women, but are higher in men. Androgens do two things: First, they enlarge the sebaceous glands in the skin. Second, they cause these glands to increase oil production.
Because hormones play a role in the production of sebum, one of the causes of greasy hair is fluctuating hormone levels. Greasy hair is most commonly found in teenagers going through puberty, in women because of their monthly cycle or pregnancy, and older women going through the menopause. Stress is also known to affect hormone levels and can therefore be a contributory factor towards greasy hair. People with fine hair often find that they suffer from excessive greasiness, as they have more hair and follicles meaning there are more glands on the scalp, each producing sebum.
There are a number of external factors in that cause greasy hair. Washing your hair too often can increase the production of sebum as the sebaceous glands produce more sebum to combat the stripping of oils from the scalp and hair which can happen as a result of frequent washing. Vigorous hair and scalp scrubbing can stimulate hair grease. Touching hair can also over-stimulate glands, as can brushing vigorously which carry oil through your hair. Pollutants in the everyday environment can cause hair to look greasy, along with product build-up at the roots from over-use of hair styling products.
There are also several internal causes to greasy hair as well. Along with changing hormone levels, a major cause of greasy hair is the food you put inside of you, i.e. you diet. Western diets are usually much greasier, containing more fat. They are usually processed, containing many additives, and typically are higher in fat and sugar. The high fat content of the diet increases oil in the skin which can lead to greasy hair. The meat in a Western diet often contains some hormones, and these hormones can add to the levels of unbalanced hormones. Greasy hair can also be a sign of a diet that is low in vitamin B.
The key of how to avoid, stop, treat and cure greasy hair is approach it from the outside and inside. Starting with the outside: avoid brushing your hair too often, and avoid brushing your hair vigorously. As you wash your hair, massage your hair and scalp lightly instead of scrubbing them vigorously. The beast shampoo for greasy hair is a mild-ph shampoo that is extra cleansing or clarifying. Look for a shampoo that is specially formulated for greasy hair. To protect against dryness moisturizing shampoos can leave oil in your hair, these should be avoided.
When shampooing, leave the shampoo in your hair for approximately 5 minutes for a better clean. Rinse and shampoo again if necessary. It’s up to you as to how often you should wash your hair. Once or twice a week is the ideal but to find your own balance of washing and oil production start with washing once a day, reducing how often you wash as you find that balance. If you are going to condition your hair, use a conditioner designed especially for greasy hair, and apply the conditioner not to the roots but to the mid and ends of your hair. If you use a hair dryer to style your hair, heat will stimulate oil production, so don’t let it get too hot.
For the inside: do everything you can to reduce any stress that you may have in your life. For your diet, reduce the amount of fat and dairy products, and avoid fried, fatty and greasy foods as much as possible. Consider vitamin B supplements in your diet. Avoid sugar and sugary foods like cakes, biscuits and soft drinks. Reduce the foods containing white flour like bread, pasta and pastries. Be sure to eat lots of nuts, seeds and whole grains, and leafy & green vegetables, salads and fresh fish.
About the Author:
About the author: Jennifer Summers can help you achieve great looking hair. She is a well of information on
greasy hair shampoo and providing great
hair care tips advice.
Jennifer Summers Men's Issues Fitness, Hair Loss, Health, health and exercise, health and fitness, men's issues, skin care, Wellness, women's issues, womens interest, womens interests