Natural forms of hair care such as water-only washing and Indian herbal hair care are coming back into vogue, popular for being eco-friendly and light on chemicals and allergens. But a lot of people dismiss the idea, on the grounds that their hair “needs” to be washed every day. While some people’s hair definitely stays cleaner than others’ for a variety of reasons, daily shampooing can actually cause perpetually greasy hair.
Shampooing and Sebum Production
The “grease” that makes hair look oily is in fact sebum, the same substance secreted by the skin on the face. Skincare companies are now admitting that stripping away the sebum with harsh cleansers actually causes the skin to overcompensate and produce more sebum to protect its now dry surface. As a result, even cleansers for oily and acne-prone skin advertise their mild properties.
Less well-known is the fact that the skin on the scalp reacts the same way to harsh cleansing. The squeaky-clean feel of a newly-shampooed scalp is not seen as beneficial by the scalp – the surfactants in shampoo strip away the skin’s acid mantle, disturbing the pH, which can lead to scalp conditions. In response the sebaceous glands produce a large quantity of sebum to compensate. Over time, the scalp “learns” that it needs to maintain a constantly high level of sebum production in order to protect the skin and hair.
How to Train the Scalp to Produce Less Sebum
Washing the hair less frequently or less aggressively (using gentler methods) will eventually cause the scalp to adjust its sebum production. The transition period can be irksome, and many people are put off by the prospect of sporting greasy hair for six weeks. It can be advisable to start a more natural hair care routine during a holiday or hat season!
Some gently-cleansing hair care methods include conditioner-only washing, water-only washing and Indian herbal hair care. Herbs can be drying, which encourages sebum overproduction, so any herbal hair care method should include plenty of moisture from mucilaginous herbs like fenugreek or oils and butters.
A more mainstream approach is simply to use less shampoo. A diluted mix will clean hair perfectly well, not to mention save money. For ease of mixing keep a squirty bottle in the shower: add a very small amount of shampoo and a few tablespoons of water and shake to mix. For people with dry ends, this method can help to avoid overcleansing the length. Squirt the frothy shampoo directly onto the scalp and try to avoid the length of the hair – the soapy residue will clean the ends as it runs down, without totally stripping the hair. Some people like to alternate a diluted shampoo wash with a conditioner-only wash.
The transition period varies from person to person, depending on the quantity of sebum produced and the washing and conditioning methods used. Using a boar bristle brush can help spread the sebum from the root of the hair to the length, where it acts as a natural conditioner instead of looking greasy on the scalp.
Sarah Tennant - Sarah Tennant is a onetime English major who lives in New Zealand with her husband and two small children. Her interests range from ...
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