Greasy hair can crimp your style and make maintaining your hair a frustrating process. While most of us are unimpressed with the notion of greasy hair, the reality is that greasy or oily hair can be quite beneficial. Nonetheless, most of us don’t want to wear our grease like a badge of honor every day. Here is an explanation for why your hair is greasy and what you can do about it.

Some people are more predisposed to have greasy hair than others. The “grease” we often refer to is actually an oil produced in our skin called sebum. Sebaceous glands reside within our skin and produce sebum to keep our skin healthy and hydrated. Indeed, its primary role is to prevent your skin and hair from losing moisture. It also has some protective qualities to help keep bacterial and fungal infections at bay.

Androgens, or male sex hormones (which both sexes have in differing quantities), regulate the overall amount of sebum your skin produces. If your androgens like testosterone are particularly active, you will naturally produce more oil. Progesterone is also thought to stimulate oil production, meaning that some women will have higher oil secretions during certain parts of their menstrual cycle when progesterone levels naturally rise.

Aside from your hormones, other factors can cause your hair to be greasy. Certain medications can boost sebum production, including hormonal medications like birth control. Your diet may even play a role in oil production as well. Additionally, some health conditions also can make your hair greasier, including Parkison’s. In general, it is important to note that some people are simply more predisposed to having oily hair, which may result from their genetics.

You now know that oil production on your scalp is a good thing because it helps keep your hair moist and may curb annoying skin conditions like Malassezia (a relatively common fungal infection that may lead to hair thinning). Yet, too much oil can make it difficult to style your hair and may also make you feel self-conscious, especially if you find an odor accompanies your greasy locks.

An excellent place to start is to look at your diet, as this is one thing you can control. If you know that something in your diet is likely worsening your oil production, try to eliminate it and see what happens. With that said, it can be hard to identify specific foods that may exacerbate your oil production, so an elimination diet may be beneficial. Foods that elevate your blood sugar levels or are high in saturated fats are a good place to start, as these are the very same foods that boost your oil on your skin and cause acne.

Many medications can cause oily hair as a side effect of their use. For example, because many oral birth control pills have progesterone, it may be beneficial to ask your doctor if you can try a different type of hormonal contraceptive.

Chances are, if you are prone to greasy hair, you probably wash it frequently. Most people shouldn’t wash their hair every day, but if you have excess oil production, you may need to in order to keep the oil manageable. No matter how frequently you wash, you need to make sure you use a sound shampoo system to keep your hair and scalp clean without drying out your hair.

Choosing a shampoo can be overwhelming because there are so many options. At DS Laboratories, we make it simple by making all of our shampoos and conditioners with the right ingredients to treat your hair type. People with greasy hair often struggle with dandruff. Contrary to popular belief, dandruff is not the same as dry scalp. Instead, dandruff is often caused by seborrheic dermatitis, which can affect any areas with a higher concentration of oil-secreting glands. If you struggle with grease and dandruff, the DANDRENE Exfoliating Anti-Dandruff shampoo and conditioner is an ideal cleansing system to help control dandruff and oil while keeping your hair shiny and hydrated.

Additionally, Revita.CBD shampoo and conditioner are also great choices for people with overly active sebaceous gland as they are infused with broad spectrum CBD which has been shown to regulate sebum production when used consistently.

Keep in mind, over-shampooing may actually increase your oil production, so along with using a good shampoo, you should trial spreading out your washes. If you are a daily washer, try to start washing every other day for a trial period to see if that helps curb grease production.

Not sure what the best shampoo and conditioner is for managing your greasy hair? Chat with a product advisor at DS Laboratories to see what options are best for you.