suddenly oily hair that won't correct

[Danavee]

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


Question to the Dr.  

Could this be overactive sebaceous glands?  I have had sebaceous cysts in the past.  Could excessive sweating cause this to happen.  Sweating dries out the skin, therefore causing the glands to produce more oil to compensate for the loss?  When your stressed, you sweat.  During menopause, you sweat.  In the summer, you sweat.  If your febrile, you sweat.

I am a 38 year old female and also started experiencing a heavy oily area around the crown of my head about 3 1/2 weeks ago.  I asked my Dr. and  he acted as if I was crazy.  He suggested I use Neutrogena shampoo once a week, which I started yesterday.  To add to the other comments....I am extremely stressed (thought that was it).  I am going through peri-menopause.  I have not changed shampoos in 15 years (I alternate head and shoulders and Pantene).  I have never had any problems with oily skin or oily hair ever.  I wash my hair daily and condition.  I have not changed my daily regimen in 2 years

One thing I have tried was applied Shower to Shower powder to my hair before going to bed and washed out in the morning (not the sexiest looking thing at night but it helps).  It drastically reduced the oil, but came back 2 days later.  The only thing I worry about is clogging the glands that are producing the oil, so I don't do it daily...maybe once a week.  I will try the Irish Spring soap, that will not clog the glands...just dry out the hair.  Another suggestion I haven't tried was go to a good hair dresser who has shampoos that change the PH balance of your hair (If this goes on another month I will try this.  It's kinda drastic.)

[Jojeja]

Hi Tanz,

Thanks a million for sharing about the coconut oil.

My daughter suddenly developed overly active oil glands and oily hair from root to the ends. I tried the Listerine and that didn't work . Then I tried the coconut oil. I did it over 2 days, and her hair is back to normal!  

I would never have thought of coconut oil and your line of reasoning about the counteracting the oiliness by supplying oil to the scalp to convince it to stop overproducing oil.

Your a genius!

J ( from Singapore)

[Miche418]

I just have a question for those who have found success in their treatments.  It seems as though most of you are posting a day or two after you found a successful method.  

Can you PLEASE check back in a couple months later reporting your results?  Have you had to continue the treatment everyday since the first time, or was it a one-time cure?

I would love to know... It seems as though some people only have this as a temporary problem while others have a more chronic condition.  I treated my waxy scalp with a medicated shampoo my dermatologist prescribed me, but after nearly one month the grease has gradually begun to creep back.  It's bothersome having to perform these extensive treatments EVERYDAY.  There has got to be an underlying problem as to why the oil overproduction won't stop.  

Any thoughts?  

Thanks a bunch!

[themortalist]

Hello all!
I'm a 16 year old male. I'll give the pharmacy a visit tomorrow in hope of finding Suave clarifying shampoo. I live in Dubai so I doubt I can find it. I've been having this greasy/smelly scalp problem for 10 months. I used Head & Shoulders Shampoo for Greasy Hair and it worked for 2 weeks but the problem is back. I'll try the Suave and 4 cups Listerine method and I really hope it works. The smell is horrible. I haven't been told by anyone of my problem and I really dislike the smell of my hair. I am also embarrassed to tell my parents about it, don't ask why because I don't know myself.

I thank user DBA7471 for giving us all a hope!

[rapunzel532]

Also, I too had been using Pantene when it happened. Prior to that, I'd been using Alberto Balsam for about a year, but switched to Pantene when it was on offer. Given what I've read here, I have no plans to use it, or anything by Proctor and Gamble on my hair again.

[rapunzel532]

Thank you all for saving my sanity!

I went away to Budapest three weeks ago and the same thing happened. At first I thought I hadn't rinsed my hair properly, and then I thought perhaps it was the water there but it persisted even after I came home to the UK.

My hair around the crown felt coated in a kind of wax, it didn't look especially greasy but the hair itself felt coated and lank. I left it for a few days, tried a different brand of shampoo and not using conditioner but nothing worked.

I read through this thread and decided to try Nizoral, but it barely lifted the wax from my hair. I then decided to try the T/Gel - Brown Listerine combo (I found some Brown Listerine in Boots in Lewisham).

This morning I made a mixture of around 20ml Sweet Almond Oil and 10 drops Tea-Tree Oil (in case it is a fungal thing) and massaged it into my crown and scalp, leaving it so sit for an hour.

I then jumped in the shower and washed the mix out with the T/Gel. My hair already felt better. I poured 3 caps of Brown Listerine onto my hair and massaged it in, leaving it to sit while I did some other shower stuff. I washed it again with T/Gel before applying a Tea-Tree oil conditioner from Holland and Barratt to the ends of my hair.

At the last minute, I rubbed the conditioned hair gently over my roots, before immediately rinsing my hair with almost cold water.

I've just taken the towel off of my head and combed it through and I have my hair back! ALL of the waxy build up is gone and it feels soft to the touch and definitely not coated in strange waxy stuff!

I was so confused, I don't use products on my hair at all, and nor do I blow dry or straighten it. It is dyed black, and was last dyed a week before this started to happen. I didn't know whether it was dietary (I'm mildly wheat intolerant and try to avoid it generally, though I did it some while I was away). I've no idea what could have caused it, but I'm going to persist with the method above for another 6 days, so hopefully if it is fungal, that will see it off.

My hair is almost waist length and I was so proud of it. I now smell slightly medicinal, but it's absolutely worth it if it means I don't have to withstand the trauma of the waxy hair.

Thank you so much to everyone who detailed their methods and helped me to find my own. Fingers crossed it keeps working!

[greasebegone]

here is a excellent link for RealSelf that has some questions and answers related to hair loss after surgery as per my previous post:
http://www.realself.com/hair-loss-treatment/answers