What is Greasy Hair? – This hair type is oily and looks dark and lank. It needs frequent washing to look its best as the oil quickly coats the hair, sometimes in a matter of only a few hours.

Greasy Hair Causes – This is when the sebaceous glands produce far too much sebum and is and made worse by several factors including: an imbalance of hormones, nutritional deficiencies, high saturated fat diet, stress, excessive brushing, perspiration, hot, humid climate and constantly touching the hair.

Greasy Hair Advice – Greasy hair should be washed using a gentle, non-aggressive shampoo that is also designed to add volume to the hair.

Diet can play a huge part in solving greasy hair problems and the starting point is reducing the amount of saturated fat that is being consumed. This means avoiding or reducing intake of fatty meat, fried foods, full-fat dairy products.

These foods should be replaced with oily fish, nuts and seeds as they supply beneficial fatty acids that are essential for normal hormone health. More fresh fruits and vegetables should be eaten to provide key nutrients and plenty of pure water should be drunk to keep the scalp healthy.

Some hairdressers recommend that clients with greasy hair have a light perm to lift the hair off the head to reduce the spread of sebum.

In addition colouring can also combat greasiness as it makes the hair more porous and therefore more able to absorb greater amounts of oil.

Greasy Hair Treatments

Hair treatments based on aromatherapy oils can be used to overcome the problem.

A good remedy is to add 6 drops of lavender and 9 drops of bergamot to 30 ml (2 tablespoons) of vegetable oil. This mix should be applied to wet or dry hair and massaged into the scalp. This should be left for up to 5 minutes and followed by a shampoo and rinse.