Weird oily hair - started suddenly!

[Jen1181]

I have always had semi oily hair. More oily at the roots and dry ends. Just recently I have had a new problem. My hair is long (middle of my back) and the crown and underneath in the back are this weird greasy. It just started one day. I have not used anything new. Same things I always use. I have tried washing my hair in everything to get rid of it and nothing works. I used laundry soap, dish soap, tea tree oil shampoo, clarifying shampoos, vinegar, bakingsoda, lemon juice, and that just a few!! I even bought a new hair brush and pillows for my bed. I have switched everything I could think of. It almost feels like conditioner is left in my hair. So just in case I stopped using that. I have no idea whats going on, but it won't come out. I am not an unhealthy person. I shower everyday sometimes twice a day. I'm so frustrated!! I did notice that on a lot of these forums that several say they used Nice and Easy to color their hair. I use that too. I have used it for about two years now. Same color everytime. Could this have something to do with it??

[violet1504]

Me too!  It started suddenly about 3 weeks ago.  I've mentioned it to a couple people, and they are skeptical and assume I'm just not rinsing well enough.  It's stupid.  I've had to change my hair style to just pulling it back in a barret so that the effect is less noticable.  I colored my hair in June with a box product, but I don't recall the brand.  I don't know why it would create a problem 2 months later, but I can't think of anything else that is any different.  I'm a little annoyed that no other doctor on this site has posted anything at all since 2005.  Obviously, something is happening.  If anyone who posted previously is STILL having success with anything you tried (longer than just one or two days) please let us know.

[jbuk]

I am another person experiencing the same problem! It started about a month ago now, for no reason at all! Nothing had changed about my diet or lifestyle - I don't even dye my hair! Now, just after I get out of the shower, when I come to dry my hair, the underneath bits by my scalp seem like ive puts loads of product on them and continue to look "wet" (and greasy) even if I have been drying my hair with a hairdryer. I have to use dry shampoo just after I get out of the shower and dry my hair! My hair is also looking generally worse than ususal. I have tried using natural hair products from a UK company called "Lush" (Jumping Juniper shampoo) which has helped the problem a litle, but has by no means fixed it! Hope we get some answers - glad to know others are having similar problems.

[violet1504]

Okay ladies.  I've been about 3 weeks straight with absolutely no conditioner in my hair.  I just shampoo once a day (same thing I've used for years) and style as usual.  The spot seems to be gone, or at least nearly gone.  I can still feel it just a little because I'm looking for it.  But it's not really visible like it was.  My hair is pretty dry, though.  I'm going to give it another week and then see what happens when I try to start using conditioner again.  I still don't know what may have caused it - hormones, chemicals, etc.  

I hope this helps someone.  I'll update again with any more developments.

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,
There is no medical condition as such which causes oiliness of the hair. I would suggest you to clean your hair frequently with a mild shampoo(you can use the ones for oily hair) and don’t apply any conditioner on the hair. Also you can shampoo twice during each wash and apply shampoo on the scalp without piling the hair on top.

I hope that helps. Take care and regards.

[JerseyGirlNB]

Ladies - I posted this on another thread, but you might find it helpful...

I totally know what you mean. I am astonished that Doctors have let this condition go un-named, unresearched, and undiagnosed for so long. LOOK AROUND DOCTORS - there are literally HUNDREDS of people all experiencing the SAME condition ... what i like to refer to as "sticky scalp". It IS a medical condition as far as I'm concerned because everyone who complains of this problem has exactly the SAME symptoms..... i.e....1) sudden onset 2) the oil is ONLY at the CROWN of the head 3) the sebum is thick, waxy, and "sap-like" in nature and is RESISTANT to ALL traditional remedies such as shampoo and soap...... are we all crazy?!?

Dr. Bhupinder Kaur.... you should research this and maybe become the poineer in diagnosing this condition!

I have a theory on why this happens and what this is.... I believe it is a fungal infection of the scalp. The reason I think this is that the waxy sebum has a sort of "fruity" smell or "sweet and sour" smell. That just so happens to be the same smell that happens under your fingernails when you get finger nail fungus. Anyone who wears tips or acrylics knows what smell I am talking about.  Anyway, the cure for this is using a number of antifungal remedies altogether while keeping the scalp as dry as possible. You can buy anti-fungal/medicated shampoos at CVS that contain zinc or sulfides which fight fungus and yeasts......take acidopholis pills......soak your head in apple cider vinegar every day before you shower.  All this will cure the infection in time (1-2 weeks), however it will not degrease the stubborn sticky sebum that is already there... for this try original palmolive..... don't just shampoo.... put the palmolive on the crown of your head, lather with water, and let it sit for 10-15 minutes before you shower. After the first 2-3 washes the stickiness should be gone.... but continue with the anti-fungal treatment.... I promise it will go away.... mine lasted for 3 mths before i figured this out, but it's goine.... last but not least, use a clarifying shampoo like pantene clarifying.
GOOD LUCK!!!!!

[krdubose]

I am so glad to know I am not the only one with this problem.  It is very embarrassing!  I am a teacher, and before lunch, my hair looks like it hasn't been washed in a week!  I'm going to try the Listerine method and see if it works for me.  I wondered if this problem is related to high cholesterol and the medication I take for it, as well as hormones.  I am 55 and have had pimples for the first time in almost 40 years!  I have also had several surgeries in the past few years including a gall bladder removal.

Thank you all for commenting.  I feel better it already, but my hair still feels disgusting!

[Libstur]

Wow!! I've been having this exact same problem for about 6 weeks. I live in Ojai, Ca..I think it's something to do with the water personally..Or my hot water heater has too many sedaments in it. The reason I believe this is because my friend who lived in a house with a water softener wasn't having any issues. Then she moved to her new house without a softner. Suddenly..Bam she has the same problem. Then her hot water heater went out. It needed to be replaced. Well after that her hair went back to normal...I'm going to drain mine  today see if there's a ton of ick inside and re-fill then see what happens..

[Lovely_Leo]

I FOUND A CURE!!!!  So I posted a thread on this website about a week ago.  I titled it different, but it is about the EXACT SAME problem!!
My "grease spot" was apparent as soon as I got out of the shower.  Therefore, I thought that whatever it was, it just wasn't washing out.  So, last Saturday I took a shower and used Head & Shoulders.  I scrubbed and scrubbed until my hands ached.  I rinsed.  Then I put on THREE more applications of shampoo, each time scrubbing until my fingers hurt.  I rinsed each time, skipped any conditioner and got out.  I let my hair air dry.  To my HORRIFFIC dissappointment, my ENTIRE HEAD looked as if I dipped it in oil as it began to dry.  I was so upset, I cried.  I threw it in a ponytail and headed down to our local beauty supply house.  (Here it is called Sally's Beauty Supply.  I think its a franchise).  The clerks were all amazed and dumbfounded about the "grease spot" but said that by "overwashing" my hair, I put my oil glands in my scalp into overdrive, causing this new abundance of oil!!!  With that being said, I bought some "dry shampoo".  It is a powder-like spray that is used in between shampooings.  You spray it on any oily or greasy spots, brush it through and BOOM, your hair looks clean, dry, and smells good.  I also bout "Generic Brand" Tea Tree Shampoo there.  (It is really called 'Generic Brand' and its generic for Paul Mitchell's Tea Tree Shampoo equivelant)  
As soon as I got home, I sprayed the dry shampoo and it completely transformed my oil head into clean, healthy looking hair.
I wasn't convinced that it was cured, so I didn't wash it the next day.  I figured I needed to let my natural oils regulate somewhat.  I DID wash my hair on Monday.  I washed with the Tea Tree stuff and figured, if I "overwashed all the natural oils out last time"... maybe I SHOULD condition a little to add moisture.  So I conditioned a little, and guess what??  As soon as I blow dried it, everything looked perfect!!!  I am proud to say that the spot has been gone SIX whole days now!  
Not sure what causes it, but with my remedy, I think it has something to do with the balance of the oils in our scalp getting out of whack somehow.

I hope this helps all of you!!!!  GOOD LUCK!!!!