Why Is My Hair So Oily?

Healthy hair produces a certain amount of sebum, or oil, as a way to hydrate your scalp and protect your hair. The amount of oil you produce varies depending on your hair type, your hygiene habits, and other lifestyle factors.

Sometimes this natural oil can collect on your hair, especially at the root. This gives your hair a slick appearance that some people feel looks dirty.

If you feel your hair may be oilier than it should be, keep reading. This article will cover the causes of oily hair, products that can control oil production, and some home remedies for when your hair looks too oily for your liking.

Causes

The oil in your hair is part of your body’s defense system for the sensitive hair of your scalp.

This oil mixes with sweat and dirt, coating your scalp and sometimes the top of your head. This is normal and, for the most part, unavoidable.

Practicing good hair hygiene by washing your scalp often and well with a shampoo cleanses the oil and gives your hair a fresh start.

But some hair types are prone to oil buildup. Oil can build up to a visible level in less than a 24-hour time span. Sometimes intense exercise, overuse of hair products, or even going outside in excessive humidity or heat can trigger an oily hair day.

Overwashing

One somewhat unexpected cause of oily hair is overwashing. That’s right, it’s possible to wash your hair too often.

Every time you wash your hair with shampoo, it sends the scalp the signal to produce more sebum. If you’re washing your hair too often, your scalp gets the message that it needs to be in oil production overdrive.

This can result in oily buildup on your scalp.

Hair type

Straight hair is especially prone to collecting oil.

That’s because the hair shaft doesn’t have any texture or wave to it, so oil slides straight down the hair shaft and collects all over your head. It also makes oil in your hair more visible when hair hangs straight down.

Products

Another cause of oily hair is the type of products you use.

Sebum is a type of oil, which means that simply washing it with water doesn’t break it up. Rinsing your hair with just water or skipping the shampoo step and using only conditioner can allow oil to build up.

While it might not be easy to spot the oil when your hair is drying, it quickly appears oily again only a few hours or so later.

That’s because only certain ingredients, found in most shampoos, can break down the oil that builds up on your hair.