Suddenly greasy hair

I have seen so many responses to this same problem, surely someone would have a solution already.
1 week ago I washed my hair to find it still greasy on the top, never happened before.
My hair dresser also suggested checking hormone levels, which Ihave done and they have come back as normal
Please let me know if anyone has found a solution.


This discussion is related to suddenly oily hair that won't correct.

[missnanny]

I suspect you are dealing with something autoimmune.  It does seem odd.  There are autoimmune issues related to follicles. The first poster commented on having perioral dermatitis & rosacea both of which are follicle disorders & probably autoimmune.

A couple of posters commented on having used epoxy spray paint or having paint / stain exposures.  I think the harmful component in those is the same as the harmful component in carpet cleaning.  So avoid BUTYL or 2-butoxyethanol.  Gamma globulin is given as a help to those with sudden onset Kawasaki disease, and I found that it also helps for autoimmune action on platelets (which is similar autoimmune action as that against the red blood cells).  So avoid this chemical & maybe symptoms will subside or back off.

I found some info on Seborrhea of the Scalp.  "Sebum is the oily substance secreted by sebaceous glands in the skin. This "skin oil" has a protective function of keeping skin from losing moisture and becoming excessively dry, and providing a layer of defense against potentially infectious micro-organisms. Seborrhea is the medical term for excessive production of sebum,"

"Because the largest sebaceous glands are on the face, scalp and groin, these areas are subject to become excessively oily due to seborrhea. All sebaceous glands distribute sebum through a connection to hair follicles, making sebaceous glands and hair follicles the functional units for dispensing sebum to the surface of the skin. The anatomical proximity of sebaceous glands and hair follicles explains why oily skin and oily hair usually occur together in seborrhea."

[JackieAnice]

ugh i have the exact same problem. it cant be menopause cuz im only 18 i guess it could be stress cuz im still in high school but im making straight A's and not trying that hard at all....i hate this i used a clarifying shampoo today and still my hair is the same! all of a sudden this happened and has for a week. idk what to do

[anonymous0108]

The answer is Herbal Essences Drama Clean!!!! I had the exact same problem when I used Loreal Vive Pro Hydra Gloss Shampoo, and then no other shampoo could clean my hair, but Herbal Essence really worked!

[Jersey_1]

jamo, I'm going to try that.

I'm dealing with the same problem.  Starting a couple weeks ago, the hair on top of my head became sticky, seperating into clumps and totally impossible to style.  I shampoo every day and hadn't changed products.  I've since tried every combination I can think of of different shampoos and conditioners, shampoo only (no conditioner), shampooing 2-3 times in one shower - nothing works.  It feels like I have hairspray in my hair that was wet, and when dried has a ton of build-up.

I wanted to add that I'm undergoing fertility treatments.  This initially presented a few weeks ago, when I was on the pill for the first time in about 15 years - put on for one cycle to control its timing.  Since then I've been on hormone shots.  I'm thinking that's the culprit - hormonal imbalance.  I really need a solution though.

[nichole7]

I have had the exact same thing everyone is describing for about a week now, my hair was progressively getting nastier and nastier. I decided yesterday to scrub my hair really good with 2 different shampoos and rinse really really really good. When I got out of the shower my hair was 10 times worse than before. I figured that if my scalp was producing excess oil for some reason I was going to give it a reason to stop! I re-wet my hair and loaded a TON of conditioner into my hair, making sure I really got it on the gross spots and then I combed it through my hair in a whole bunch of directions to make sure it got everywhere. I put saran wrap on my head and let it sit for about 10 minutes and then I rinsed really good, no shamoo or anything else though. I swear to God my hair is totally back to normal!!! That was yesterday, this morning I washed my hair with baby shampoo and conditioned it again, putting in a regular amount but making sure to get the crown of my head which is an area I normally avoid because my hair is so fine. It is over 12 hours later and my hair does not have a bit of waxy or greasy feeling to it! I know this sounds totally counter intuitive, but at least give it a try, you've got nothing to lose except icky hair!!!! Let me know if this works!!!!!!!!

[Owlingbird]

Hi, everyone -

I thought I'd post because I, too, woke up one morning with very greasy hair on the crown of my head. It began about three weeks ago. I'd shower, and my hair would just be greasier at the crown than before! I've never had greasy hair and hadn't changed my shampoo in a long time.

I tried EVERYTHING. The hair at the top of my head made it look like I hadn't showered in days! So, I went online and hunted until I found a remedy that the majority of people said worked.

LISTERINE! Odd-sounding, I know. I found a forum where women posted, having the same problem. What has worked for all of us has been to purchase Suave Daily Clarifying shampoo and original Listerine.
Wash your hair with the Suave and rinse. Then pour three to four capfulls of the original (the brown one) Listerine on the affected area. Some women reported having to do it twice, but the first time their hair was 90% better.

My hair is now perfectly balanced, soft and healthy looking. It feels back to normal and better! NO.MORE.GREASE.

I'm so relieved, and I really hope this works for the rest of you, too :)

[YumCherries]

Same thing happened to me: nice hair all my life, not oily or dry, then one day I got out of the shower and the top of my head was greasy to the point where my hair was literally in clumps! I tried shampooing multiple times, conditioning, scrubbing, you name it..

After searching all over the web, I found this website and found the remedy Owlingbird posted (it's also posted on a few other threads on this site). Its truly amazing that no doctors have addressed this issue and that this was the one and only place I saw any solutions.

Desperate, I went out and bought Suave Daily Clarifying shampoo and the original brown Listerine. (I actually used the generic version of it made by Kroger, which had all the same ingredients but for cheaper.)

Came home, shampooed twice, then poured 3 capfuls of the Listerine over the spot - did not use conditioner. The oiliness was 75% gone! I repeated the process the next day but conditioned at the end. It WORKED!! I went back to my normal shampoo the third day (Pantene) and 2 weeks later it hasn't returned!!!

If any of you have this problem, I HIGHLY recommend this remedy. I was doubtful at first (I don't usually try home remedies), but its made me a believer!  :)

[pikagirl]

I was a skeptic, but the Listerine solution works! I bought the generic brown Listerine and a basic cleansing shampoo. I have a ton of hair, so after shampooing thoroughly I rinsed my head with about 6 capfuls of Listerine and did not condition. I have a slight Listerine smell to my hair, but it definitely worked!!! The greasy spot at the roots of my hair is still gone after two days.

[goldilocks2010]

Thank goodness I found this forum. I have been experiencing this disgusting greasy hair problem for two whole months now.
Its so strange and I dont understand how it happened. I have always had normal balanced hair. I only use professional salon brand shampoos and conditioner and I have tried switiching brands, rinsing extra well, skipping conditioing and it just wont go away.
Its a large area at the back of my head more to the right side. its gross and thick and greasy and feel wet and looks terrible.
I was in tears today it felt so disgusting. I was ready to hack my own hair off.
I am going to buy the sauve and the listerine tommorow.
Fingers crossed it will work for me also.
Keep me posted out there if anyone can find the true cause.

[jessicaanne35]

WOW!  Who knew googling "greasy patch on crown of head" would reveal so many women experiencing the same thing as me!  This is a real phenomenon - sudden onset, crown of head only, washing with shampoo totally ineffective.  Thank you SO MUCH for the cure!  I was going NUTS and after finding this forum, mixed listerine (the blue kind works great) with some baking soda to make a watery paste, massaged it into the problem area, left it on for about half an hour and then washed with clarifying shampoo.  This was 3 days ago, and my hair is back to its beautiful, oil-free shine - even better than before, actually.  By the way, ladies, I'm pretty sure this is hormone realted.  We all go through bursts of hormones, but I'm 9 weeks pregnant, and so many comments on these boards have mentioned birth control changes, pregnancy, preimenopause, etc.

[loriface]

So it wasn't an alien that came down and licked the top of my head in the middle of the night.

The same thing happened to me last Sunday I've washed it loads of times and its still oily by Wednesday.

One thing I've noticed from this page is that everyone is talking about it happening to them in the last week or two so maybe that means it only lasts a couple of weeks and once it washed out they never came back here to update us.

:(

[loriface]

So it wasn't an alien that came down and licked the top of my head in the middle of the night.

The same thing happened to me last Sunday I've washed it loads of times and its still oily by Wednesday.

One thing I've noticed from this page is that everyone is talking about it happening to them in the last week or two so maybe that means it only lasts a couple of weeks and once it washed out they never came back here to update us.

:(

[Belbelbel]

Ive

[Belbelbel]

ive

[Jenn434]

Same thing on my head.  It's been going on for over a month and I was about to call my doctor because I was worried this was related to something... I am going to try a variety of these methods (washing with a grease cutting dish soap, applying brown listerine) and hopefully it will work.  I am a nursing mom - have been nursing for almost 9 months.  Maybe hormone related?  Just sick of the grease and ready to have my normal hair back.  Thank you for all the suggestions!

[deetay1028]

Glad I googled to find a remedy for my suddenly greasy spot in just one section of my hair.  Cannot believe so many women having the same problem.  I have really long fine hair, and this greasy spot was just to the right of my part and would not go away.  I had used Pantene for years, im 42 years old.  I'm torn between the cause being hormonal or it being a result of the chemicals Pantene puts in their shampoos and conditioner.  I tried the clarifying shampoo with the brown Listerine.  I was skeptical, but oh my god, it really does work.  One use and was pretty much back to normal.  Didnt wash my hair for 2 days, and then repeated with the Listerine and clarifying shampoo.  Very happy!

[cherryxcrush]

just to be clear before i go ahead and try this:
do you put the listerine on in the shower and then rinse it out?
(and, if so, do you massage it right into the hair and scalp?)
or do you put the listerine on after you get out of the shower and just leave it in?

[Shem88]

I FOUND A SOLUTION!!!!
i had the same problem. Sudden appearance of greasy oily hair on the crown area.. And no matter how much i tried washing it and with 4 different types of shampoos, it would not go. i had this once a year ago, i washed it with Johnson's shampoo and it went. However, this time when the greasiness appeared i tried Johnson's shampoo and it dint help. I put egg white on my hair and some of the greasiness went and some still remained. then i decided to try one last thing and then give up. I used henna mixed with beetroot juice and black tea. I used to use this earlier to color my hair. i thought i could help this time because henna dries your hair. I put it on, left it for 4-5 hours. washed it with water alone and no shampoo. After i dried my hair with fingers crossed, to my surprise the grease was completely gone! My hair was entirely clean and soft and shiny as usual! I dint want to shampoo my hair the next day out of fear. So, 2 days later i shampooed it with Johnson's shampoo and did not use any conditioner. My hair is still clean and clear. I am so thankful that the problem went away. I still dnt know wat caused it. Although i think it could be over sweating that might have caused the scalp to become oily since I've been livin in a very hot country for a month with temperatures that go upto 44 degree Celsius. Anyway, it is just an assumption. i understand what you all must be going through because i felt the same for 2 weeks. So, when i found my solution, i thought i must tell you all to try. all the best and I hope it helps everyone!

[cutecute_apple]

hm... I thought I'll post too.
Woke up with sudden greasy hair. Desperately washed my hair everyday. Grease was there before wash, it wasn't there during wash, but came back RIGHT AFTER WASH.
Really embarrasing moments going to work. Hair appeared so dirty and grimy. Combing the hair was an ordeal. The grease and hair condition just got nastier! Was soooooooooooooooooooo desperate!
Then thanks to all the awesome ppl on this forum who shared the remedy.
YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!! LISTERINE!!!! I bought a common clear shampoo...and ORIGINAL LISTERINE! washed thrice consecutively across 3 days across affected areas (made sure I flipped my hair here and there, ALL GREASE GONE.
It's been 3 weeks now.
NO PROBLEMO!!!!

[BBrady]

Another solution that worked for me....I believe it was also posted on here somewhere....was a combination of original Palmolive (dish detergent), apple cider vinegar and lemon juice. I combined a little of each and made a sort of paste and applied it to my crown. Make sure to really lather it in. Then let it sit for 10-15 minutes before you rinse it out.....no conditioner. This helped my hair with one wash. It's been a week now and no problems whatsoever. Yay!!!

[julsrenee]

I too have had the same problem for the past three years. Like everyone I tried everything. I was using Pantene when it started, changed shampoos, tried dish soap, changed my diet, tried vitamins etc...   I don't take any medications so I don't think its a reaction to meds.  One day it just stopped and my hair was back to normal. I thought it was over but every three months or so it comes back and last for a couple of weeks then stops. My hair is doing it again but the spot seems to be getting larger. I am to the point where I have to wear my hair pulled back. I havn't tried the Listerine yet but I'll let you know the outcome. I hope it works.

[LindaLeene]

Thanks to your Listerine advice, my hair became normal but that was like in February 2011. And now it's November and my greasy hair is back for no certain reason. And I am going to try the brow color Listerine instead. Inshallah, it will work for me too. And thanks to all of you other ladies for this updating info.

[dannynick]

T-gel shampoo worked for me this morning. The oily spot is completely gone. I'm not sure what will happen when I don't use it because it is too harsh to use everyday. I would like to know why this happens but for now I found something that takes the oil out. T-gel is made by neutrogena and contains coal tar extract.

[dannynick]

T-gel shampoo worked for me this morning. The oily spot is completely gone. I'm not sure what will happen when I don't use it because it is too harsh to use everyday. I would like to know why this happens but for now I found something that takes the oil out. T-gel is made by neutrogena and contains coal tar extract.

[nastyhair]

I'm 47 and this just started out of no where.  I've read this blog and I don't know if it means anything but almost everyone seems to be using Pantene.  I also alternate the Pantene with Head & Shoulders.   I don't know what to do.  Toward the end of this thread, everyone seems to be saying Listerine works, but I can't find where anyone actually says what kind of Listerine or how to use it.  

Has anyone tried this and does it really work.  Desperate

[Cinderella1118]

I too have the same problem... My doctor stated either hormonal change (although I am only 36) or hyperthyroidism.  I'm going to try Listerine tomorrow.  I just wanted to add that I too have been using Pantene for years ... Interesting commonality.  

[Cinderella1118]

It worked! The clarifying shampoo and Listerine worked! I had to do it two days in a row but my hair is back to its glorious shiny self!!

[Mrsburmo]

I an so glad I found this forum!!! I have been going through hell and back trying to work out what was wrong! Going to get listerene tomorrow, I so hope it works for me! Does anyone know if this will help my skin as I habr terribly oily skin on my neck and back and I'm 31!!!

[madhu17]

I am so worried about this problem.. I checked some of the posts. it seems stress is a common factor and the age group too. I am going to try Listerine and see the results.

[skincare_obsessed]

Alot of shampoos contain way to many moisturizers and they also strip the hair of natural oils. Wash your hair in warm or cold water, but make sure you definitely rinse in cold. Also, you could have had an allergic reaction to the shampoo. I sometimes have this problem when I use too much conditioner or too much spray, it dries out the scalp and your scalp overproduces oil. Also massage the top of your scalp when you wash your hair

Mrsburmo get clean and clear acne control face wash in a silver and purple container. It will kill whatever acne you have.

[AWR0207]

I am online researching the sudden increase of oily hair myself. I do believe it is related to hormone levels. I am currently 8 months pregnant and should be experiencing lush thick locks but it has been just the opposite. I have been losing tons of hair and now recently it is constantly greasy. I have never had this problem before in my life and I am convinced that its due to hormone flux.

[rocknink]

I had the same greasy spot issue - just 4 days ago! I am thinking hormonal change as I just got off the pill 1 month ago - and i'm 25 years old... This is my story...I took a shower one evening, and when i was drying my hair, i noticed a spot near the front of my scalp felt a little different than usual; so i jumped back in the shower thinking i somehow didn't rinse it all out (even though i've been washing my hair the same for the last 24 years!) when I got out the second time - it was the same feeling - as if it wasn't clean. The following moring before going to work - the same spot of hair felt like i had dumped it in a pail of grease! I had no idea what was going on with that one spot on my head!?? so i came into work (pony tail that day!) and googled all of a sudden greasy hair... wow surprised there were other people that had the same problem. I went home that night and used a cleansing shampoo and rinsed my hair with listerine (blue), next night regular conditioner.. and the 3rd night listerine again.. just to make sure!! My hair seems to be back to normal since!! SUPER HAPPY TO HAVE FOUND THIS SITE!!

[Shootinstar]

I can't find the original post of the person that came up with this, but I'd love to be able to and thank them for it.  I suddenly had a VERY oil scalp and couldn't even get my hair dry after shampooing and it was already oily.  I tried the Suave Clarifying shampoo/Listerine concoction and it worked like magic!  Never mind that my hair smelled a little like Listerine, I had my nice soft, shiny hair back.

[hair608]

I felt CRAZY when I woke up one morning about five days ago, took a shower, dried my hair, and my hair was STILL greasy.  This lasted for days. I looked online and saw that stress levels, hormones, over-washing could all be factors contributing to this.  I was stressed, but not any more than usual, and simply could not explain why my hair was greasy/sticky.  
I tried taking the advice of not washing to see if my hair could "re-coop" the ends were softer, but my hair definitely looked disgusting.
My boyfriend and I even started to wonder if I was pregnant and had a sudden rush of hormones!
After reading a lot of these posts, today I bought ORIGINAL LISTERINE and SUAVE CLARIFYING SHAMPOO.  
- step one: wash with clarifying shampoo -- scrub the heck outta the scalp!
- step two: rinse, repeat
-step three: pour a few capfuls of Listerine on scalp. Massage in and scrub!
- step four: wash once more with clarifying shampoo.
Voila!!! My hair is back to its shiny, soft goodness!  Phew. (also, I'm not pregnant!)

** a note: I'd gotten my hair cut at my usual hairdresser last Friday -- just a few days before the "problem" started.  I think that I might have picked up a bacteria or fungus there. This might explain why Listerine (an antiseptic) was an effective cure!

[nameme88]

I too am nursing... my little one is almost 10 months old... and about a month ago i had the sam thing happen to me... I have never had any problems with oily skin or hair then all of a sudden out of nowhere my skin and hair started getting SO oily. EW!!!
Maybe its hormone related?
Just wondering... have you started back up with your cycles yet? I haven't and I wonder if it is something hormonal related to that.