7 ways to treat an oily scalp to help reduce greasy, smooth hair despite the hot sun

Although you wash your hair every morning, but by the end of the day, your hair starts to become sticky due to sweat from the scalp. Let’s learn about the causes and remedies for oily scalp with B&S to help your hair maintain its softness and shine for a long time!

Causes of oily scalp

The scalp has tiny pores underneath called sebaceous glands. Sebum is a natural oil that is important for maintaining the health of the scalp and hair. An oily scalp is the result of overactive sebaceous glands. Sometimes, a number of factors can contribute to the overproduction of sebum on the scalp, which in turn makes hair sticky. The main causes of an oily scalp include:

Genetics

Regulatory genes almost play a major role in determining whether you have an oily scalp. If your family members also have the same condition, there is a high chance that you also have an oily scalp type.

Washing your hair too often or using too much force

Scrubbing your scalp too hard or over- washing your hair can strip away the natural barrier that protects hair. This results in the sebaceous glands working at full capacity trying to keep the scalp hydrated and moisturized.

Not ensuring hygiene for the scalp

If you do not wash your hair for a long time or sleep on the bed sheets, pillows that have not been cleaned for a long time, there is a high risk that your scalp will be full of dirt and impurities. Besides, if the hairdressing tools are not thoroughly cleaned, when applied to the scalp, you may face a sticky, greasy scalp.

Unhealthy diet and living habits

High- carb diets, spicy foods, greasy foods, and nutritionally poor foods are often associated with oily scalp problems. In addition, if you often experience stress, it is likely that the activity of the sebaceous glands is also increased, thereby making the scalp significantly oily.

Hair care products

Using poor quality hair care products can damage the scalp’s protective barrier, leading to the loss of essential oils, causing the sebaceous glands to overproduce.

Strawberry scalp due to hormonal changes

The body of pregnant women, irregular menstrual cycles, menopause or going through puberty all have hormonal changes. This can cause an oily scalp.

Seborrheic dermatitis causes oily scalp

Seborrheic dermatitis tends to occur in areas of the scalp that have a lot of oil glands, leading to scalp flaking and itching. Seborrheic dermatitis can be the result of an allergic reaction or a symptom of an autoimmune condition. This is not a serious illness and home remedies for dandruff can help control it.

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How to treat oily scalp, reduce greasy hair effectively

An oily scalp can clog pores, accumulate more and more dirt and cause hair loss . However, there are a variety of ingredients to help you minimize this, including:

1. Tea tree oil

With antibacterial properties, tea tree oil works to prevent the growth of fungi and bacteria, thereby helping to reduce an oily scalp and limit the production of dandruff. To use tea tree oil, dilute tea tree oil with other essential oils such as coconut or olive oil . Apply a few drops to the affected scalp, combine with hair massage for 5-7 minutes and then rinse.

2. Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar has long been proven helpful in reducing product residue, leaving you with soft, frizz-free hair. To treat an oily scalp with apple cider vinegar, apply a few drops to your scalp and leave the apple cider vinegar in your hair for a few minutes before rinsing your hair.

Note, people with eczema should not apply apple cider vinegar to reduce scalp oil, because it can cause irritation.

3. Witch hazel

Witch hazel is extremely helpful in removing excess oil from your scalp and hair, thereby improving scalp itching effectively. If you have a sensitive scalp then witch hazel will be a perfect choice for you.

To reduce excess oil, dip a cotton ball in this mixture and apply it to your scalp. Leave the witch hazel mixture on your hair for 20 minutes, then rinse your hair with warm water.

4. Green tea

Green tea extract is often effective in inhibiting sebum production due to its antioxidant properties. You can apply green tea topically or use it to rinse your hair after shampooing to help improve the problem of an oily scalp.

5. Baking soda

Baking soda works great at removing dirt from the scalp, and also offers gentle exfoliating properties. This helps control the oil secretion of the scalp and stimulates hair growth.

You can make this paste by mixing baking soda with water, and then applying it to your hair and scalp. Then, wash your hair after incubating for about 20 minutes.

6. Lemonade

Lemon contains natural acids that help control oil and prevent dandruff problems. To use lemon for greasy hair, mix 2 tablespoons of lemon juice in 1 cup of water. Then, wash your scalp and hair with a gentle massage for a few minutes before rinsing your hair again.

7. Egg Yolk

Egg yolks are rich in sulfur and protein, which has a beneficial effect on oily scalp. At the same time, egg yolks also help strengthen hair, maintain the balance of pH to reduce excess oil secretion. First, you need to prepare a hair mask with 1 egg yolk + 1 teaspoon of coconut oil + a few drops of lemon juice. Apply this mixture evenly on the scalp and keep it for about 20-25 minutes. Then, rinse your hair thoroughly with cold water.

Even if you try any of these greasy hair treatments , always test the ingredients for a reaction by testing them on a small area of skin to make sure no scalp irritation occurs.

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Reasonable frequency of shampooing

You need to pay attention to the cause of your oily scalp to determine how many times you should wash your hair. Washing your hair at a reasonable frequency helps keep your scalp clean and promotes healthy hair growth.

Therefore, you should wash your hair at least 3 times a week to keep your hair clean and limit the appearance of excess oil. On the contrary, if you wash your hair with a dense frequency, it can make your scalp feel greasy, because it has to compensate for the lost oil and moisture on the scalp.

Diet helps smooth hair, prevents hair stickiness

Diet plays an important role in maintaining the health of the scalp. Therefore, you need to avoid greasy and fried foods. Also, try adding foods rich in Omega-3s to your diet to promote scalp health and reduce oil secretion. Incorporating more green vegetables and fresh fruits will help maintain the hair and scalp in a healthy state.

Improve oily hair with 5 hair care habits at home

• Wash your head properly. Only when you know how to wash your hair “standard”, shampoo will promote the effect of removing dirt and dead cells from the hair. First, take a small amount of shampoo and massage it into your scalp. Limiting the use of nails rubbing the scalp can cause loss of the skin’s protective barrier, leaving the scalp with no oil and moisture. Besides, you can find shampoos that contain these ingredients to effectively control oily scalp conditions: Benzoyl peroxide , Sodium lauryl sulfate, Selenium sulfide, Sodium sulfacetamide, Ketoconazole . Avoid using shampoos that contain silicone, which can build up on your hair and make your hair more oily.
• Rinse hair thoroughly. Not rinsing your hair thoroughly after shampooing can make the condition of an oily scalp worse.
• Clean hair products. Dirt and excess oil often stick to hairbrushes, rollers, etc., if not cleaned regularly. Therefore, you should clean them to minimize the amount of oil on the scalp about once a week.

• Do not use a comb that is too strong, limit stroking hair. Harsh impact on hair and scalp can strip away natural oils, contributing to greasy hair and scalp. If your hair is dry , you should brush your hair regularly, and if you have an oily scalp, you should only brush it up to 3 times a day.
• Avoid using heat devices to style your hair. The heat from styling products not only makes your hair brittle, but also strips the scalp of its natural oils. This will stimulate the scalp to produce more oil, make your hair greasy and also make the scalp feel heavy.

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When should I see a doctor?

If you’ve tried all of the above but still don’t notice any significant improvement, consult your doctor. Your doctor can recommend a special shampoo, which helps regulate sebum production on the scalp effectively. In case this is a chronic scalp disease, you can ask your doctor to prescribe other medications.

An oily scalp is not necessarily a bad scalp condition. A small amount of excess oil will benefit your hair, but excess oil can make your hair greasy and greasy. And if you think there’s an underlying condition that’s causing an oily scalp, consult a dermatologist for timely detection.