How to deal with oily hair at home

Oily hair is a problem that many people face, regardless of gender and age. Everyone wants their hairstyle to stay clean and fresh for as long as possible. Oily scalp causes a lot of inconvenience, especially if there is no opportunity to wash your hair every day.

What does oily hair look like

Before you start to deal with the problem, it is worth determining whether it really is. Oily hair is easy to recognize by the following signs:

• If you run a hand over the scalp between the hair, a greasy mark will remain on the fingers;
• Hair quickly becomes dirty;
• Almost always, dandruff can be found on the head;
• The hairstyle retains its volume only a few hours after washing.

In addition, oily hair should be distinguished from combined hair. In the second case, the hair becomes oily only at the roots. This is important because some products that remove excess oil can damage dry tips.

Causes of Oily Hair

There is only one reason for this problem. The excess production of sebum is to blame. All people have sebaceous glands on their heads located next to their hair follicles. However, sometimes these glands begin to function stronger, producing more sebum, then the head quickly becomes oily. The disease in which such a picture is observed is called seborrhea. With seborrhea, a saprophytic fungus of the genus Malassesia begins to actively multiply on the scalp.

In addition to hair problems with seborrhea, one can observe an increase in the oily skin of the face, especially the T-shaped zone, as well as the deposition of sebum behind the ears. Also, white scales can appear at the roots, and acne along the hairline. The cause of seborrhea can be:

1. Hormonal disruptions. First of all, this is an increase in the level of androgens in the blood. Androgens are male sex hormones. In men, their amount in the blood is quite high, because a strong half of humanity is more likely to suffer from dandruff and increased oily hair. Women should have fewer androgens than female sex hormones, because the appearance of seborrhea is the first alarm bell of hormonal failure.
2. Endocrine diseases. Sex hormones are not the only reason for the increase in sebum. Pathologies such as Itsenko-Cushing's disease, diabetes mellitus, obesity, hypothyroidism - also lead to a malfunction of the sebaceous glands.
3. Pathologies of the central nervous system. Often, an increase in sebum secretion occurs in people prone to epilepsy. In addition, in adulthood, Parkinson's disease can be the cause of increased oily scalp. A completely rare pathology - lethargic encephalitis Economo - also leads to this problem.
4. Unbalanced diet. Addiction to sweet, fatty, salty and fried adversely affects the state of many body systems, it affects the skin. Such food enhances the secretion of the sebaceous glands. Also contributes to this lack of certain B vitamins.
5. Stress. Prolonged excitation of the nervous system can also lead to seborrhea. It occurs in conditions of chronic stress, as well as with frequent lack of sleep and vitamin deficiency.

Oily hair is sometimes not a sign of illness. Sebum secretion rises in hot weather and decreases in the cold season. So, if the hair becomes oily only in the summer, this can be regarded as a normal reaction of the body. The use of styling products, sprays and oils can also lead to oily content.

What to do if signs of seborrhea appear

There are several general rules to reduce the amount of sebum on the head:

1. Balanced diet. The principle is quite simple: as much protein and complex carbohydrates as possible, as little fatty, sweet, spicy and salty foods as possible. Such nutrition will not only favorably affect the condition of the scalp, but also relieve many health problems.
2. Proper care The use of funds affecting the hair should be minimized. An exception can only be special cosmetics designed for oily hair. You can not use products that remain on the hair and do not rinse off.
3. Head wash mode. It is worth choosing the optimal interval between washing your hair. It should be maximum, but you should not let your hair become too dirty. Decide how many days must pass before a certain amount of sebum appears on the head. Not too much and not too little. So that the general appearance of the hairstyle does not suffer.
4. The use of special tools. You can buy them at a store or pharmacy. There are whole lines of cosmetics for oily hair, as well as for the treatment of dandruff and seborrhea. One has only to choose the one that suits you.
5. Seeking help from a doctor. Dermatologists are involved in scalp problems. They diagnose seborrhea and choose a method for its treatment. In addition, hormonal profiles should be tested, and an endocrinologist will help you figure this out. If the cause is stress, you should consult a therapist.
6. Hygiene of surrounding objects. Everything that comes into contact with the scalp should be clean. You should regularly wash combs, wash pillowcases and hats. In addition, you can not use other people's things, which may contain the remains of the sebum of another person.

Homemade Oily Scalp Treatments

The best makeup is the one that is made with your own hands. Natural remedies are much cheaper and more effective than those offered by the chemical industry. You can cook masks, such as:

1. Mustard. For its preparation, it is necessary to dissolve 200g of mustard in warm water to a creamy consistency. Apply the resulting mass to the scalp and distribute along the entire length of the hair. Please note: such a mask can bake quite strongly, but it is worth waiting at least 20 minutes, and then rinse. Repeat twice a week.
2. Alcohol Alcohol dries the skin, including the scalp. You can buy any alcohol tincture at the pharmacy and apply to clean scalp for 30 minutes, and then rinse off. In addition, you can mix aloe juice with alcohol or vodka, let it brew for several days, and then use it like any other tincture. However, do not apply such solutions to the ends of the hair, otherwise they will dry out and begin to split.
3. Egg-brandy. Take two yolks, mix with a tablespoon of brandy and a teaspoon of honey. Apply to scalp for 20 minutes before washing hair.
   Kefir. Sour milk bacteria normalize the secretion of the glands of the scalp. Kefir or sour milk can be applied over the entire length of the hair for several hours or even all night, then rinse with shampoo.
4. Henna and clay. They are sold in the form of powders in pharmacies, cosmetics stores and Ayurveda. It is better to buy henna colorless so as not to tarnish the natural color of the hair. Clay should be taken in green, it will not affect the shade, but it will do better with oily hair than others. Dilute the powder to the consistency of thick sour cream and spread over the entire length of the hair. Rinse off after 15-20 minutes.
5. In addition to the above funds to give hair volume and reduce the production of sebum, you can rinse your hair with natural decoctions and solutions. Such as:
6. Nettle broth. Pour 100 g of dry nettle leaves with 1 liter of water, put in a water bath and cook 15 minutes after boiling. With cooled nettle water, you can rinse your hair after washing.
7. Vinegar. It is better to take apple or wine, but in extreme cases, 9% is also suitable. Add it to warm water at the rate of 1 tablespoon per liter of water and rinse your head after washing. This method will also add shine to the hair and prevent tangling.
8. Essential oils. It is better to take conifers or citrus fruits. Just add a few drops to the water you are going to rinse your hair after washing.

It can be concluded that oily hair should be treated comprehensively. It is important not only to influence the cause of this problem, but also to apply comprehensive care for the scalp. To forget about oily hair, you must use all means and methods of struggle regularly.

Video: care for oily hair and hair roots