Acne and Greasy Hair

Woman with short greasy hair seen from the back
Photo: In Green/Shutterstock
Q: I try to wash my hair every other day but since I recently cut it short my hair has been getting really greasy within a day. So now I have to wash my hair every day, or my face gets greasy and causes acne.
 
I have no idea what to do I have tried many different shampoos, Head and Shoulders, Garnier, Suave. But none seem to work. Please help me.
 
A: Most likely you are having this problem because your hair is now short, and you no longer have as much hair to absorb the oils your scalp is producing. This is a common problem, and fortunately there are some simple tips that will help you to cope with this.
 
First of all, make sure your shampoo is one that is formulated for oily hair. The brand doesn't matter as much as the formulation. You need a shampoo with sufficiently cleansing surfactants to remove the excess oil from the hair. You will also want to switch from using a rinse-through conditioner to a light, leave-in conditioner (preferably a spray-on formula) so as to prevent adding more oils to the hair and scalp. This should help your situation, but there are more things to do as well.
 
Use witch hazel on a cotton pad and apply it to the scalp area to remove excess oil. You can also use the witch hazel as a "final rinse" in the shower after shampooing. This will cut through any residual oil from the scalp and also adds body to the hair when styling. Be sure to use the witch hazel on your wet hair before towel-drying. Your spray-on conditioner can be applied to the ends of the hair where it is most needed after toweling the hair.
 
Another tip that will help to slow down the oil production of the scalp is to use a cold water rinse after shampooing. Use water that is as cool as you can tolerate and perform the cold rinse before applying the witch hazel to the hair. The cool water helps to tighten the pores and follicles and will slow down the production of sweat and oil by the scalp.
 
Finally, brush your hair every night with a natural bristle brush - boar's hair or similar. There is no specific number of strokes to perform, simply start at the front and brush the hair working your way back across the scalp, then reverse direction and work your way back to the front of the head. The brushing will massage the scalp, stimulate the circulation in the scalp's blood vessels and will help to regulate the oil and sweat production.
 
All of these are effective ways to help you combat overly oily hair.
 
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See also:
 
Causes and solutions for greasy hair
 
Brush strokes to massage the scalp
 
Breakouts when wearing hair around the face
 
Shampoo and hair shine causing pimples near the scalp
 
Hair care