How to Stop Greasy Hair

What causes greasy, oily hair?

Your hair follicles are connected to glands that produce sebum, a natural oil that protects your skin from moisture loss. However, sometimes these glands can go into overdrive and produce excess oil. This is particularly common during those glorious teenage years, but it can also be triggered by other factors:

Harsh shampoos: Frequent washing with strong shampoos can strip natural oils, causing your scalp to overproduce sebum.

Environmental factors: Heat and humidity can trigger sweat glands on your scalp, and when sweat mixes with oil, dead skin cells and product residue, it can lead to an oily scalp buildup.

Oil-prone hair type: Some hair types are naturally more prone to greasiness. Particularly, straight hair tends to look greasier since sebum spreads more easily along the strands.

 

What are the signs of an oily scalp?

Your hair looks greasy around the roots, sticks to your head and feels heavy. The buildup on your scalp can be a mix of excess oil, sweat, dead skin cells and product residue. It should not be left untreated, as it can lead to dandruff, irritation and even hair loss as it weighs down your strands.
 

How to fix oily hair?

Dealing with greasy hair can be an uphill battle, as certain hair types are simply more prone to getting oily. But with the right hair care for oily hair, you can help reduce your scalp’s sebum production and keep your hair looking fresh.
 

Change your shampoo

Washing your hair with the wrong products for your scalp can trigger more oil production. If you’re finding that your hair feels greasy even after cleansing, try our shampoo for oily scalp, Dove Derma Scalp Oil Control Shampoo. Its sulfate-free formula with glycerin helps reduce sebum and product buildup, leaving your scalp clean and refreshed. It gently cleanses without stripping moisture, helping to hydrate and rebalance your scalp.
 

Don't avoid conditioner

Even if your scalp seems super greasy, conditioner is still really important to keep your hair nourished as well as moisturize the scalp. Just avoid anything labeled “intensive”—they might be great for dry hair, but a lightweight conditioner, such as Dove Derma Scalp Density Boost Conditioner, is a better choice for greasy hair.
 

Try dry shampoo

If your hair tends to get greasy quickly, dry shampoo should be your go-to. Sprayed in, it absorbs your hair’s excess oil and leaves it looking clean and refreshed—the perfect instant greasy hair fix. Try Dove Volume & Fullness Dry Shampoo and you might find you can make that blowout last a whole lot longer. 
 

Try a new hair washing routine

​​You might’ve heard that washing your hair less helps with greasiness, but trichologists (experts on the hair and scalp) disagree. They recommend washing every day or two if your hair gets oily quickly. But if you have oily hair due to overproduction of sebum, your skin barrier might be damaged. Consider adding our Derma Scalp+ Barrier Repair Scalp Serum to your routine to help regenerate your moisture barrier and keep your scalp healthy and balanced.
 

Get it checked out

If you’ve started washing your hair and scalp every day, but are still experiencing oiliness, have a chat with your doctor, who can rule out any medical causes for you.

 

Embrace Balanced, Healthy Hair

Healthy hair starts with a nourished, well-balanced scalp. By keeping your scalp clean but not over-stripped, you can prevent sebum buildup and oily hair. To keep your hair healthy and fresh, it's important to maintain a scalp skin care routine by choosing the right shampoo for oily scalp and protecting your moisture barrier.