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Oily hair, help!

velvetsailor23 · 2005-02-10T13:37:14+00:00

Dear forum members, 👋 A dear friend of mine—honestly one of the kindest souls you’ll ever meet, though currently single (and looking to change that soon if any…

Started by velvetsailor23 · Feb 10, 2005 · 👁 5 views · 44 replies

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Bradley Ramos11 Active Member

50 messages
joined Jun 2003

#21 · Feb 14, 2005

The issue isn't how often I should wash my hair; it's whether there's actually an effective way to control oil production at the source.
If anyone has some genuine, practical advice, I would truly appreciate it.
Also, a quick request for the experts out there: please spare me the "just wash it every day" suggestions. I’m already well aware of that approach, and frankly, it doesn't solve the underlying problem.
Thanks.

rustymoose54 Active Member

182 messages
joined Jun 2006

#22 · Feb 14, 2005

Bradley Ramos11 said:Also, can all you geniuses out there with the "just wash your hair every single day" advice please just... chill? Like, I get it, I know, but honestly, it doesn't really do much for me.
Thanks.

So, what are you saying—your hair gets greasy in like, ten hours flat?

If that’s actually the case, go see a dermatologist.

Bradley Ramos11 Active Member

50 messages
joined Jun 2003

#23 · Feb 14, 2005

rustymoose54 said:Are you telling me your hair gets greasy within ten hours?

If that's the case, go see a dermatologist.

Bradley Ramos11 said:The issue isn't about how often I need to wash my hair; it's whether there is actually a way to reduce the oiliness.

nimbleskipper17 Member

34 messages
joined Mar 2005

#24 · Feb 14, 2005

Bradley Ramos11 said:The real issue here is: sure, dry shampoos exist, but every single one I’ve stumbled upon smells like a heavy-duty hairspray. Does anyone actually know if there's an unscented version out there? And more importantly, where can I find it? I really don't feel like heading back to the barber for a trim just because my hair looks greasy...🙂 🙂

Honestly, I’d suggest you skip the headache of those dry shampoo gimmicks altogether. I was forced to deal with them once when I couldn't wash my hair for about ten days following a surgery—had to keep the stitches from getting soaked, you know? And let me tell you, it is much faster and less of a chore to just give your hair a proper wash than it is to turn the entire bathroom into a cloud of powder. Plus, I always ended up feeling like that stinky crap was still stuck in my hair... it makes you feel even filthier. It might look slightly more presentable than a greaseball at a glance, but that's about it.

Besides, those products aren't a long-term fix for oily hair anyway. Seriously, if your scalp is getting so greasy that it's becoming a genuine struggle, go see a dermatologist to figure out what's actually going on.

rustymoose54 Active Member

182 messages
joined Jun 2006

#25 · Feb 14, 2005

Look, Bradley Ramos11, I’ll be the first to admit I’m pretty clueless about this stuff... so just give me a straight answer: is it actually true that my hair gets super greasy in like, ten hours flat?

And hey, don't get all worked up about it.

Kenneth Hernandez67 Regular

351 messages
joined May 2005

#26 · Feb 14, 2005

dermatologist
endocrinologist

and even hair washing 😈

Megan Morales5 Active Member

86 messages
joined Dec 2004

#27 · Feb 14, 2005

Bradley Ramos11 said:The issue isn't how often I should wash my hair—it's whether there's actually a way to stop it from getting so greasy in the first place.
If anyone has some actual, intelligent advice, please share... I'd really appreciate it.
Also, to all the geniuses out there suggesting I just "wash it every day"—please spare me. I'm already aware, and frankly, it doesn't do much to solve the root problem.
Thanks.

Well, you could try those specific shampoos designed for oily hair—not sure how effective they really are—or maybe something lemon-based, or even certain herbal ones. Also, do you find yourself running your hands through your hair constantly while you work? If your palms are damp or have any kind of residue on them, that’s an easy way to end up with greasy hair by the end of the day...

Bradley Ramos11 Active Member

50 messages
joined Jun 2003

#28 · Feb 14, 2005

rustymoose54 said:Look, Bradley Ramos11, I'm clearly just being dense here. Just answer a direct question: Is it true that your hair gets greasy within ten hours?

Don't get so worked up about it.

I'm not worked up at all. Okay, maybe a little. 😁
My hair doesn't get oily in 10 hours; it lasts one day, but by the next, it looks more like spaghetti than actual hair.
What worries me more than the look of it is the hair loss. Greasy hair just makes that issue worse (at least, that's what the older, more experienced ćelavac told me 😁). I've heard all kinds of advice: rub rubbing alcohol on the scalp (not sure if they count that as drinking, though), rub garlic juice on it 😲, and all sorts of other nonsense. The lady at the CVS pharmacy told me that washing it more often will actually make it get greasy faster.
Right now, I'm testing out some lemon-based shampoos. The next step is a haircut. Honestly, I'm thinking about getting dreadlocks while I still have enough hair left to pull it off... 😁

Jessica Doyle8 Newcomer

1 message
joined Feb 2005

#29 · Feb 14, 2005

Rosemary oil is definitely worth looking into—it really does make a difference. Alternatively, you could try finding a high-quality shampoo infused with rosemary extract; generally speaking, the more natural the ingredients, the better the results.
The problem with those overly aggressive shampoos is that they tend to strip the scalp of its essential moisture and throw off the natural pH balance—which, frankly, only makes things worse.
I wouldn't recommend washing your hair every single day, either. The constant massaging of the scalp that comes with the washing process inevitably stimulates oil production, which can lead to more issues down the line.

rustymoose54 Active Member

182 messages
joined Jun 2006

#30 · Feb 14, 2005

Bradley Ramos11 said:It doesn't get greasy within 10 hours—it holds up for a day, but by the next morning? It looks more like spaghetti than hair...

Exactly. And then the best part is when you wash it the next day... everything feels clean and smells great until the following day hits again.

Bradley Ramos11 said:What actually worries me more than how the hair looks is the shedding. Greasy hair just makes that whole issue worse—or at least that’s what some of the older, experienced ćelavacs told me... 😁 So I've heard all kinds of "advice" floating around: rub rubbing alcohol on your scalp (not sure if they even count that as ingesting alcohol, lol), rub garlic juice on it 😲, and who knows what other nonsense. Even the lady at the CVS told me my hair would actually get greasier if I washed it more often.

Hair loss is mostly genetic, man. It's hard to stop it just because you're washing your hair less frequently than you probably should.

And whatever you do, do NOT put alcohol on your scalp. Alcohol dries out your skin like crazy. Seriously, try putting it on your arm and see what happens.

That lady at the pharmacy doesn't really have a leg to stand on there. That theory was basically a thing back in the day when shampoos were super alkaline and actually stripped the moisture right out of your skin. Then the dry skin overcompensates by pumping out oil, and boom—you end up with grease-soaked strands.

In most of the US, the habit of washing hair daily has been around forever, and people here aren't any more bald than the folks who still cling to those old-school theories about washing being bad for you.

If you're gonna wash every day, just grab a shampoo that specifically says "for daily use" on the bottle.

nimbleskipper17 Member

34 messages
joined Mar 2005

#31 · Feb 14, 2005

Kokić, if you’re already losing the battle with your hairline, just lean into it—shave it all off. Honestly, it’s a win-win: you kill two birds with one stone by ditching the maintenance and looking sharper at the same time. Besides, the bald look is actually pretty trendy right now. 😉

Bradley Ramos11 Active Member

50 messages
joined Jun 2003

#32 · Feb 14, 2005

I'm basically like Samson: my strength is tied directly to my hair. 😁
But what happens if long hair becomes the big trend again in five years?

p.s. Thanks for all the advice, especially from rustymoose54 😘

p.p.s. And thanks to velvetsailor23 for starting this thread. 😘

velvetsailor23 MemberOP

18 messages
joined Feb 2005

#33 · Feb 15, 2005

Frank Alvarez8 said:If you wash your hands occasionally, brush your teeth twice a day, and scrub your feet and everything else at least once daily, why on earth would anyone find it strange to wash their hair every single day?🙄
The truth is, your hair acts like a magnet for every bit of grime out there, and then by evening, you're tossing that dirty hair right onto your pillow... how lovely...🙂 Or even better, imagine your partner kissing you right in that hair... 🙂 🙂

Oh boy... 🙄 skin structure isn't the same on your hands as it is on your scalp, silly. 😛 Over-washing your hair irritates the sensitive skin on your scalp, which leads to dryness and dandruff, or it triggers an overproduction of oil in short order...

And I think I’ve finally pinpointed the root of our disagreement: my dear partner happens to be an IT professional... 👋

Bradley Ramos11 Active Member

50 messages
joined Jun 2003

#34 · Feb 15, 2005

Hey there! Why is the phrase "my dear friend" wrapped in quotation marks? 😁
You’ve identified the root cause; now it's time to track down the fix...

velvetsailor23 MemberOP

18 messages
joined Feb 2005

#35 · Feb 16, 2005

just because it’s a quote, you silly 😛

Frank Alvarez8 Member

43 messages
joined Jun 2005

#36 · Feb 16, 2005

velvetsailor23 said:Oh boy... 🙄 skin texture on your hands isn't the same as it is on your scalp, silly. 😛 Washing your hair too often irritates that sensitive scalp skin, which leads to dryness and dandruff—or it just gets way oilier really fast.

And doesn't it feel gross if you go a few days without washing? 😲

velvetsailor23 MemberOP

18 messages
joined Feb 2005

#37 · Feb 16, 2005

Frank Alvarez8 said:Doesn't it gross you out when your hair stays unwashed for a few days?😲

Look, the feeling of being "gross" depends entirely on how quickly your hair gets oily. For some people, it feels dirty the very same day they wash it; for others, it holds up for four or five days. Because of that, "a few days" is a pretty subjective timeframe.😉

Frank Alvarez8 Member

43 messages
joined Jun 2005

#38 · Feb 16, 2005

velvetsailor23 said:look, some people hate having dirty hair, while others find it greasy the same day they wash it, and for some, it lasts 4 or 5 days... so "a few days" doesn't mean the same thing to everyone.😉

It’s absolutely the same for everyone! Dirt isn't just about what you can actually see.🙄
My hair never gets oily; it’s so dry I could go a month without anyone even noticing it's dirty.
It’s like sitting on a toilet in a public restroom—if there's no visible mess, you aren't going to be grossed out by it, right?😲 😲

Bradley Ramos11 Active Member

50 messages
joined Jun 2003

#39 · Feb 16, 2005

Yeah, it's exactly the same thing. 🙄

velvetsailor23 MemberOP

18 messages
joined Feb 2005

#40 · Feb 16, 2005

velvetsailor23 said:Of course it applies to everything! It isn't just about what you can actually see. 🙄
For instance, my hair never gets oily; it’s incredibly dry. I could go a month without washing it and it wouldn't even look dirty.
It's the same logic as walking into a public restroom and sitting on a toilet without feeling gross, simply because there isn't any visible urine left behind. 😲 😲

You're being quite stubborn, lady. 🙄

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