Discover the causes of oily hair and how to treat it quickly and easily with the guidance of our experts
What is oily hair? When people talk about oily hair, they are usually referring to the amount of natural oil, called sebum, that is visible on the hair.
It happens to all of us, but some people produce more sebum than others, which is why their hair looks "greasier."
How much hair oil is normal? Sebum is produced by the sebaceous glands and its main function is to moisturize the scalp and hair to keep them healthy.
The areas with the highest number of sebaceous glands are the face, chest, and scalp. In fact, your scalp has between 200 and 500 of these glands per square centimeter.
Scientists believe that the function of these natural oils is to help protect the skin. It's possible that in the past they also helped our ancestors recognize each other by smell.
Your body continuously produces this oil, which can lead to oily hair and scalp. Oil is sticky and traps dust and pollution, making your hair look dull.
How to treat oily hair There is no "cure" for oily hair: you will always produce sebum. But you can keep it under control by regularly using a deep-cleansing shampoo.
That means you should wash your hair at least 3 times a week. If you wash your hair frequently, you can remove accumulated oil.
You will surely want to wash your hair more frequently in summer or during periods of high humidity, as heat and perspiration cause scalp oil to spread and worsen the problem.
More tips and tricks for oily hair:
- Is there a genetic link to oily hair?