In trying to deal with my oily scalp (and well, hair loss perhaps due to it), I have check the Internet but think perhaps some Dopers have deal with this problem too. As this somewhat borders on medical advice, here is the usual disclaimer : I will seriously research anything I am going to do and will consult a doctor if necessary.
I guess the problem with me is that I live in a tropical area, and it’s really humid. I tend to sweat a lot and have to wash my hair twice per day. And every time I massage my head with the shampoo there is this slick slimy oily feeling, and five or six strands of hair would come off.
Yah, for the records, I’m a male, currently age 27 now, going to be 28. Can anything be about the condition of my scalp?
RE: Oily Scalp Tips
By Lynn from Calif. (105) Profile Contact
I’ve battled oily hair and skin all my life; here are the things I’ve learned over the years that help:
- Always wash and rinse your hair with lukewarm water, NEVER hot or cold. Extremes in water temperature overstimulate the oil glands in your scalp. (Same holds true for washing your face if it’s oily too: always use lukewarm water.)
- Lather and rinse twice, no more, no less. (Doing it only once is not enough to get rid of the oil, and doing it more than twice will overstimulate the oil glands.)
- Lather gently and don’t “scrub” at your scalp; doing it vigorously will overstimulate the oil glands.
- If possible, leave the shampoo from the 2nd lathering on for at least 10 min. before rinsing.
- If you towel-dry your hair, don’t rub vigorously, just try to gently “pat” it dry. (And I’ve found that using a blowdryer or not doesn’t seem to matter one way or the other about making my hair oilier. You might find differently, though. I’ve heard some people say that using it too hot makes their hair oilier.
- If you can find them, use shampoos made for oily hair–hard to find these days, I know–or extra-body or “anti-flat” shampoos; and try to find at least 2 different brands that you like and alternate them. Believe it or not (I read this in Popular Science magazine and have found it to be true for me), oily hair sort of becomes immune to the same brand of shampoo if used twice or more in a row.
- To each of the shampoos you buy, add peppermint extract (NOT the oil but the EXTRACT); about 1/4 teaspoon to a 16 oz. bottle of shampoo. (It’s the peppermint in the extract that works, not the alcohol; I tried years ago adding a little rubbing alcohol to my shampoos to help dry the oil, what a mistake: it just overstimulated those darn oil glands!)
- If possible, always use a comb on your hair rather than a brush; brushes can stimulate…you guessed it: the oil glands!
- Depending on the color of your hair, you can use baby powder on it between shampoos to comb out some of the oiliness.
- I know straight hair still seems to be the prevailing style; but if you can handle the idea of getting maybe just a “body” perm, that might help too. My hairdresser told me that the reason it helps is the perm kind of makes your hair shaft like it’s thicker by crinkling it up, therefore it can handle more of the oil before it’s noticeable. (Same thing goes for coloring your hair: it coats the hair shaft, actually making it thicker.)
Good luck; I wish you well, I know what you’re going through!
It’s considered normal/average to lose 50-150 strands of hair per day. I’ve always lost close to the upper limit (yes I’ve counted), I’m a woman, and I have no signs of thinning/balding yet!
I keep my hair very short (#1.5 or #2) and wash it almost every day with Head & Shoulders “Intensive.”