How to stop my hair getting oily so I don't have to wash it so much?!

[Sasha]

My hair gets so oily that the longest I can go without washing it is a couple of days. Otherwise it is visibly dirty. I don't always have the energy to do that - I'd much rather it produced less oil in the first place!

I know there are dry powder shampoos that you can spray in but they make my head itch.

My hairdresser has recommended various "treatment" shampoos that claim to rebalance the scalp but all they seem to do is leave my hair greasy (presumably the idea is to discourage your scalp from producing replacement oil). Having used these before, I didn't find that my hair stopped producing oil - after several weeks of use I ended up with hair so greasy that I could scrape the oil off with my fingernails (TMI there, but this is the extent of the problem!).

My hair has been like this for as long as I can remember - I don't think it's an ME thing.

Any suggestions?

 

[adreno]

I believe it's hormonal. High DHT levels will cause greasy hair. Something like saw palmetto might help.

 

[Sasha]

Yikes - thanks, that's useful to know it's probably hormonal. I don't want to muck about with my hormones on top of everything else I'm doing at the moment, though - I've just started MAF, I'm doing some other stuff and don't want to throw in another variable - was hoping for some topical treatment or non-drug/supplement strategy. Maybe I'm on a hiding to nothing if it's hormonal, though.

 

[peggy-sue]

Before I got ill I washed my hair every day. I'm now down to every 5 days for shower and hair washing.

The only way I've found to reduce the greasiness is to simply persevere with not washing it. You do have to suffer ghastly grease for a bit, but it won't be so bad the next time.

So the easiest way to accomplish it, is to extend the non-washing by a day each time.

When I washed it every day, it was greasy enough to need washed the next day, all stringy rats tails.
Now, it looks fine for 4-5 days.

Stripping the grease off encourages more to appear.

 

[adreno]

You could try a saw palmetto containing shampoo, like this one:

http://www.iherb.com/Avalon-Organic...erapy-Thickening-Shampoo-14-fl-oz-414-ml/3477

 

[Sasha]

Hi peggy-sue - I tried that before but I wonder if I maybe just didn't give it long enough. How long did it take your scalp to adjust? For example, when you went from washing every day to every other day, how long before your hair looked OK on the second day? I try to go out every day for a coffee and don't really want to be seen with dirty hair!

Hi adreno - that's a thought, although I suppose it would be like taking low-dose saw palmetto - maybe I had better not, with all the other things I'm trying.

 

[peggy-sue]

From every day to every second day, perhaps a couple of times before it settles, before extending it a bit?
I imagine things like temperature and your own personal individual foibles will affect it.

Dirty hair is easier to style than clean hair - is there something you could DO with it to make it look better until it does settle?
(I can't do anything with mine, dirty or clean. It's completely unco-operative)

Sometimes, I just wash my fringe at the front.
Or I just bite the bullet and go out with it looking awful, if I have to. I'm old (and ugly) enough that I have the confidence now.
Or put a hat on.
I don't get out every day though, and I have sometimes waited until Michael has gone on holiday before I embark on a 6 day period of non hair-washing.

 

[Sasha]

Thanks, peggy-sue - that's useful info. At least I live on my own so I don't have to worry about someone having to look at me all day! But I don't want to look like I've let myself go if I'm having a coffee with friends. That's a good idea about just washing the fringe - but the longer hair at the sides tends to separate out when it's oily and just looks dirty. I'll just have to do my best!

 

[Esther12]

I only wash with water - no shampoo. Apparently this encourages hair to 'self-clean'.

It seems to work for me, but my partner tried it, and it didn't for them. It could be worth seeing how it goes for you? For me, it makes washing a lot easier as I can just close my eyes and lie underwater for a while.

 

[peggy-sue]

Heehee, you simply can't give up on the notion of appearing "normal" can you?

 

[Sasha]

Heehee, you simply can't give up on the notion of appearing "normal" can you?

 

[Sasha]

I only wash with water - no shampoo. Apparently this encourages hair to 'self-clean'.

It seems to work for me, but my partner tried it, and it didn't for them. It could be worth seeing how it goes for you? For me, it makes washing a lot easier as I can just close my eyes and lie underwater for a while.

Wow, that would be a lot less effort. I've been under the weather for the last few days (MAF!) and unable to wash my hair but I'm having it cut today so I washed it last night in preparation and even after four applications of shampoo, it still felt greasy - just gave it another couple, still feels greasy - I've got a neck problem so can't have it washed at the hairdresser's at their awkward sink so have to do it myself first. Anyway, she sold me the shampoo!

 

[Esther12]

Sorry to hear you've had a bad period.

I found washing my hair with only water to be a really good energy saver. It allows me to just let my mind wander while washing, as I really don't need to do anything anymore. It does mean that my hair is constantly a bit oily... but it seems to then get much less oily over time. This is what's meant to happen, as apparently stripping the oils from our head encourages the production of more, but what actually happens seems to vary from person to person.

Quite a while back, I started washing my face with no soap, only water, and that seemed to improve my skin too. Maybe I just don't get on with soap!

Good luck with it.

 

[Sasha]

Sounds worth a go, Esther! Thanks!

 

[Sushi]

I also think that there are some "new generation" dry shampoos that are better, though I haven't tried them, I have read some patient reports. I could try to hunt them down if you are interested.

Sushi

 

[Sasha]

I also think that there are some "new generation" dry shampoos that are better, though I haven't tried them, I have read some patient reports. I could try to hunt them down if you are interested.

Sushi

Thanks, Sushi - it would be good to know if there are some good ones out there now.

 

[LaurelW]

I tried adding more time in between washes for about a year, and it never got any better. As far as dry shampoos go, you can use something innocuous like corn starch and it seems to work pretty well.

 

[maryb]

I use a dry dog shampoobut don't rub it into my scalp as you're right it does make it itch, just put it on my hands rub it in and then onto the hair about 1/3 of the way down, with a good combing it usely looks okay, I wash my fringe every day, have a wide hair band, very soft and not tight which I use to keep the rest of my hair off my face, especially when putting moisturizer on. I wash my hair ever 6/7 days, I couldn't do it more often, I bought the no water shampoo/conditioner that people use when at festivals etc, but don't like the feeling on my hair.

 

[Sasha]

Hi maryb - wow, that's creative! I hadn't thought of only applying the dry shampoo away from the scalp.

Hi Laurel - that's interesting that the spacing-out-washes method didn't work for you. Corn starch! Maybe worth a go.

These are all great tips everyone is giving me - quite excited about trying all this out now! I will have to choose which one to try first!

 

[Esther12]

Sounds worth a go, Esther! Thanks!

Oh... I should add that there is a period at first when things do just get greasier. It wasn't too bad for me, but it is for some people. There are some really committed proponents of 'no poo' on the internet, and they seem a bit carried away with it imo, so I'm a bit worried that I'm inducting you in to a cult, but it's just something which I've found has worked for me. Good luck.