Oily Hair — What Can I Do?
Oily, greasy hair is a frustration plenty of people deal with — hair that looks flat and lank within a day of washing, no matter what you do. The good news is that once you understand what’s causing it, there’s a lot you can do to manage it. Here’s an honest guide, from the team at Wisteria Avenue in Abingdon.
Why is my hair oily?
The cause is your sebaceous glands. These sit at the base of each hair follicle, and their job is to produce an oily substance called sebum that protects and conditions the hair — even if it doesn’t always feel like a good thing. The right amount of sebum is genuinely healthy. The problem is simply when the glands produce too much of it — that excess is what leaves hair looking greasy.
How much sebum you produce is influenced by a range of things: genetics, hormones, the weather, and — importantly — your hair-care habits. The first two you can’t change much; the last one you can.
Don’t over-wash
This is the most common mistake with oily hair, and it’s a genuine catch. It feels logical to wash greasy hair more often — but washing too frequently can strip the hair and prompt the sebaceous glands to produce *more* sebum to compensate. That turns into a cycle: more washing, more oil, more washing. Easing off the wash frequency, rather than ramping it up, often helps in the medium term.
Be careful how you condition
Conditioner matters too. If you have oily hair, keep moisturising conditioner away from your roots and scalp — applied there it only adds to the greasy feeling. Concentrate conditioner through the mid-lengths and ends, where hair actually needs it, and leave the root area alone.
Watch what you’re putting on your hair
Heavy styling products, and even your shampoo, can contribute. Some products build up on the hair and weigh it down, making it look greasy faster. The right shampoo for your hair type makes a real difference, and it’s worth being mindful of how much product you’re using day to day. A stylist can recommend something suited to oily hair rather than working against it.
Try not to touch and brush so much
Every time you run your hands through your hair or over-brush it, you’re moving sebum from the scalp down the hair. The more you touch it, the quicker it looks oily. Brushing is necessary — just be aware that constant fiddling doesn’t help.
Ask us for advice in Abingdon
If oily hair is a persistent problem, our stylists are happy to talk through what would genuinely help — the right products, the right routine, and ruling out anything else going on. Book in for a chat, and have a look at our price list to see what’s involved.
