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Avatar universal

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.
63 Responses
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Avatar universal
I sound just like the rest of the group, but I did notice a common shampoo people on this forum use has been Pantene.  I have used Pantene shampoo and conditioner for years for my super dry scalp.   I also have an extreme amount of stress, so I was wondering if my sudden greasy crown was hormonal, stress or possibly Pantene?!   I have been using my husband's oily hair shampoo Pert and that seems to be helping.  I am really just trying to get to the root cause.
Helpful - 1
Avatar universal
SOLUTION
Guys, I literally never respond to forums like this, but I have to share. This strange phenomenon happened to me around a decade ago (suddenly just had this random, waxy, greasy crown and no matter how much I washed I could not get rid of it, I had it for maybe a week or two at the time.) I can't remember what I did back then, but it didn't come back UNTIL late last week. A couple of interesting things: I have a sensitive scalp in general, which only seemed to only develop over the past few years, so now I use sulphate free shampoo to minimise hair shedding/flaking from irritation and this seems to keep it in check for the most part.

Last week I got really sick with strep throat, so was on Amoxicilan antibiotics. I also had run out of my sulphate free shampoo, so used men's head and shoulders that was just randomly in our shower. Head and shoulders always makes my hair go waxy and gross, so I never use it normally. I thought my hair was oily and waxy due to this, but then it literally never went away, over a week later I still had that same waxy, oily crown no matter how much I washed, used apple cider vinegar, sulphate free shampoo, etc.

UNTIL I bought Selsun Selenium Sulfide 2.5%. I remembered when I had moved to Thailand and the hard water and all the chemicals irritated my scalp, I would use this on and off and it was good for dandrum and dermatitis etc, and quite drying of the scalp, so thought I'd give it a go and by following instructions to a tee on the bottle, my hair is TOTALLY back to normal. No more weird waxy oily crown, straight after stepping out of the shower. I washed my hair three times this morning without it, and still oily. Then I just tried the Selsun this evening for the first time, and bam, back to normal. I also did a final rinse through before stepping out of shower with apple cider vinegar as an extra step, but I am not even sure it's necessary with this stuff.  You just have to follow the instructions. I.e. shake bottle, lather, leave for 2-3 mins, rinse, repeat.

FYI. Selsun description: a medicated shampoo used to treat dandruff and seborrhoeic dermatitis (a greasy, crusting, itching scalp caused by excess oil). But don't get Selsun Blue, get the stronger, 2.5% stuff if you can get your hands on it. In thailand they sell it in supermarkets OTC.

So my deductions would suggest that it's either some form of dermatitis, like other posters have suggested, sending your oil/sebum glands into overdrive (could the fact I ran out of my regular shampoo, hence used head and shoulders) have caused this to kick off? OR it's the antibiotics I'm taking, causing some kind of yeast overgrowth in the scalp. I read others were also on antibiotics when this happened to them.
But Selsun is the trick, i'm so relieved it's gone and I can wear my hair down again! . Goodluck! :)
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I am now dealing with this bit suddenly appeared two mornings ago. Has anyone figured out the cause and how to stop it from reoccurring?
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
For me it turned out to be excess B vitamins which makes your sebaceous glands squirt more oil.

I also had this issue that lasted many, many weeks and I tried many of the things listed here, which only resulted in getting my hair to look normal for one day, then the next morning back to a grease pit.  After much research it turns out that B vitamins cause sebaceous glands to squirt oil.  I had been taking a B Complex vitamin, 2 pills daily, for many years with no issue but I had increased it to 3 pills daily several days before the problem started.  So I finally put two and two together many weeks later and stopped my B Complex vitamins totally.  Most of them (except B12) only stay in your body a few days, B12 stays in your body 5-7 years though.  But  after just a few days of stopping the B Complex my hair got better and better every day and 12 days later it was back to normal.  I could go back to washing it every 3rd day like I was before this happened.

One lady asked "why is there an epidemic of this suddenly?" I think because those "energy" drinks and "energy" bars they have now are often chock full of B vitamins to give people that energy boost that they want, and the side effect is the sebaceous glands in your hair (and even face/body) start squirting more oil.  One gal also said she hadn't eaten dairy for years and suddenly started eating it and wondered if that was the cause, well dairy is very high in B vitamins too, as are other certain high protein foods.  So to truly get the excess B vitamins out of your system, you may want to watch your diet for a week or so and see if that helps.

Hope this helps someone.
Helpful - 0
3 Comments
Actually I heard that the medical community recently raised the reccomended daily allowance of B vitamin so more people are being told by their doctor to to take a B supplement. I cane here because my hair suddenly is super oily if I don't wash every day. I thought it was hormonal, but low and behold, I too just started taking a B3 supplement in April at my doctor's urging.
Same for me. I started to take a B complex vitamin and B12. I was OK for 2 weeks, the suddenly the oily hair. I thought it was hair product buildup, so bought the hair clarifier shampoo, replaced all my hair brushes and combs. But the problem returned. I'm completely cutting out B vitamins. It seems I get enough of that eating healthy without the extra viramins!
I wonder if this is also my issue! I have been getting b12 and b6 shots for energy and this started a few weeks ago. Would it take a few weeks to affect my hair glands? Wow. So glad I came across this. I am going to stop taking those and I hope this helps.
Avatar universal
wash your hair with a medicated shampoo and then add a good amount of listerine onto your hair.the shampoo with reduce the oil being present in your scalp and listerine is an anti bacterial that helps too
i have chronic myeloid leukemia and im on chemo since the last couple of months i suddenly got the same exact problems as you i have made an appointment with my doctor to see if its just a side affect or a hormonal imbalance
hope i helped dont stress out too much :)
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
This just happened to my 8 year old daughter for no obvious reason, started 2 days ago.  I thought she just wasn't rinsing her conditioner out enough, but I washed her hair tonight, rinsing it for a long time, used a different shampoo, but same greasy roots.  Rest of her shoulder-length hair is fine.  Plan to go get the Listerine/clarifying shampoo ASAP.  Has anyone had this happen to a child?  
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I have it just to the right of the center of my crown.
Like everyone else no chane in shampoo hair conditioner hair colour etc
Have had it for a few weeks it like something sticky has been put on just that section!  
How do you apply the listening please?
Lyn
Helpful - 0
12017827 tn?1422894657
I have had this same exact problem for over a week now. It is driving me crazy. I have been inspecting all the heads of everyone in the house. I have used the same brand of shampoo and conditioner for years. I do dye my hair but not very often. I don't use hair stlying treatments.

I have even went as far as smell checking all of the shampoos in the house to see if someone switched or added to my shampoo. I have let th other girls use my shampoo to see if their hair did the same as mine.

Nothing, no common reaction, no other greasy wax heads in the house. It is just me. I have made a doctor appointment for this week. I have no issues that might be adding to it. I am 33, so no puberty issues. I had cancer resulting in hysterectomy 7 years ago so I know i'm not pregnant or ovulating.

My diet has stayed the same as it has been for the last few months.  I did loose 105 lbs over the past year and a few months but I have leveled off now. I am maintaining my weight at 167-169.

Does anyone have the same medical issues as me? same age? weight? same shampoo? Is this something to worry about? I am wanting to try the listerine treatment but, I want my dr to see it Thursday but, I don't know if I can hold out that long. I have washed my hair so many times in the past week I don't know what else to do. I have nothing else to blame it on.  
Helpful - 0
1 Comments
Did you ever get an answer to the cause???
Avatar universal
after using the cleansing shampoo and the listerine do you just dry after that or do you condition please

thank you ;)
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Gosh. I can absolutely relate to almost everyone's post here. Thanks for starting this thread.I've had greasy hair for about 3 days now and I've changed shampoo, skipped conditioning and even thrown out my hair brush. No idea how or why the sudden grease appeared but experienced the lousiness many expressed here. Can't wait to try the Listerine advice tomorrow morning. Whoever is responsible for starting this thread, THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
It's been a week since my hair decided to freak out. I did what many do, I'm sure, I washed and washed and made it worse. My hair is fairly thick and a mix of curly and straight. I am mostly of European decent and live in an excessively dry climate. I tried mouth wash and a clarifying shampoo today and it seems to have mostly cleaned my grease spot. I will be trying it again tomorrow and the day after that I have an appointment with a dermatologist. Though this seems to have work I still would like some feedback from a specialist which I plan to post feedback here. I am also transitioning away from ... yes, pantene and head and shoulders. I don't think it was the exact problem but it didn't help.

Oh, I did a soap mouth wash combo for about 10 minutes and not super hot water. About 80% clean, and only a mild buildup 4 hours later. If this doesn't do the trick I'm trying the vinegar mix next.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
well i'm 27 years old and all my life i'v had dry hair. 2 weeks ago, all of a sudden, i had this greasy sticky hair right after showering, it was so frustrating. so i decided to google it and that's when i found this forum. so i tried listerine first. but it didnt work. the following day, i tried 2 lemon & salt and then listerine. i changed the shampoo too. and guess what?it worked!!! my hair is back to normal. i'm not sure about which are really the causes. recently i changed country, job, home and all. and i was going through lots of sress. so it culd be a combination of stress, hot weather, shower water...awy, regardless what are the causes, this method works!!!
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Thank goodness for this forum!

I have been dealing the exact issue (i.e., extremely greasy crown following shower) for the past three weeks. Like many, I tried shampooing my hair twice and rinsing vigorously after conditioning but it only seemed to make it worse. I washed my comb, stopped using conditioning, etc. However, it got to the point where my crown was so stiff/waxy that it looked wet from all the grease! So disgusting and embarrassing!

I am a 28 years old Asian American from Chinese heritage. I have thick, straight, and never dyed hair. I rarely put any products on my hair and mostly air dry it. Although my hair tends to get greasy if I don't shower after a day, I have never had greasy hair on the day of showing nor have I ever experienced this issue before. So, it was very frustrating to come out of the shower with an incredibly greasy crown!!

Long story short, this miracle combination works! While it is clear that it has worked on other women with the same issue, I wanted to let my fellow ASIAN AMERICANS know that this method works on our hair, too!  

After reading this forum, I purchased a bottle of Listerine and Suave Daily Clarifying shampoo.Below are the steps I took:
a) Set water to a warm/ comfortable temperature (but not hot)
b) Washed and rinsed hair with shampoo
c) Poured 3-4 caps full of Listerine on crown/ affected area  
* Tilted head back and closed eyes so Listerine did not get into my eyes
* Scalp felt minty and tingly
d) Left Listerine on hair for approximately 4 mins
* I did this while soaping
e) Rinsed Listerine out
f) Washed and rinsed hair with shampoo again.
* I did not use conditioner.
g) Patted hair dry with towel.
* I did not dry hair as vigorously as I typically do.

While I was very hesitant that this would work, my hair has returned to 90% normal after completing the treatment. I will try this again tomorrow with the hope that my hair will return to normal. I am so relieved!

Could anyone can shed some light as to HOW/WHY this method works? What is the "science" behind it? I would really appreciate it!
Helpful - 0
1 Comments
Hi I know you posted this in 2014, but I am now having this issue and am of Korean descent. I’m half Korean and Half Caucasian so my hair is not the typical thick strands but I was wondering if my ethnicity had something to do with this. Did it ever reoccur for you?
Avatar universal
I have been experiencing this same problem for a few weeks now. The problem started with a small oily/waxy patch at the top of my crown, and began to spread almost on a daily basis until the entire crown of my head was oily/waxy even immediately after washing. I usually wash my hair every other day, so at first I tried washing my hair daily, and this only seemed to make it worse. I even tried switching shampoos, using a 'clarifying' shampoo, and lathering twice with extra vigor. I rarely use conditioner, and I never use hair products, so these items did not factor into possible problems.

I have very long hair, so I thought maybe the length was starting to weigh down the hair at my scalp and create the problem, but this seemed unlikely because I have had very long hair with not much change in length for a number of years, and the growing oily/waxy patch was a new problem.

I read through a number of forums, medical websites, and informal remedies for oily hair and skin which address this problem. Notwithstanding the possibility of a chronic medical condition, there are a wide variety of ideas for treating oily hair; lemon juice, baking soda paste, Palmolive dish soap, eggs, apple cider vinegar, and others,  I decided to try a treatment which combined the application of (unflavored) listerine on the scalp followed by washing with an herbal tea tree oil shampoo. First, I wet my hair, and applied about 4-5 measured listerine caps to my scalp and massaged carefully for 1-2 minutes. I left the listerine in my hair for about 10 minutes, followed by a thorough wash with the tea tree oil shampoo (only one lather).

The problem appears to be almost entirely cleared up; after blow-drying the waxy/oily patch was at least 90% better-- not entirely cleared up, but MUCH better. I plan on repeating the treatment in two days if it comes back, and once a week or so if the problem continues.

Since a lot of the information available regarding this condition points to what could be mild seborrhoeic dermatitis, listerine seems like a relatively inexpensive remedy since it is anti-bacterial AND a natural oil deterrent because of the alcohol. Tea tree oil is also a traditionally 'homeopathic' anti-fungal and antiseptic treatment, so I thought it would be a good idea to use shampoo with this ingredient as an added measure. I don't plan on using the tea tree oil shampoo regularly, unless the problem becomes chronic.

Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
One day I let my hair down in the morning, and the crown of my head was flat from so much grease.... SO NOT NORMAL... because my hair is long and curly and very frizzy before i style it. I do not want to wait and see if remedies will help. I do believe it is something like some sort of fungus. Should the same oral medication for toe nail fungus help my scalp in case it is fungus? I could benefit from it anyway, since I have a light yellow color in my toe nails.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
i have had the same problem! one day i washed my hair as usual to find that when it had dried, the hair on the top of my head was still greasy, so greasy that when i brushed it, it felt and looked like i had waxed my hair to my head, the ends of my hair however were as normal, so i rewashed and rewashed it and nothing worked, after about a week of this i  googled the problem and found a home remedy solution that really worked for me! i dnt usually try home remedies but i was desperate and im so glad i did cause after one go of this remedy my hair was back to normal!! so here is what i did:

i mixed Palmolive dishawashing liquid (the original green one) with apple cider vinegar and lemon juice together in a bowl (i made just enough to cover the top of my head) and then i massaged/combed the liquid into the top greasy parts of my hair and left it for about 10 minutes, then i rinsed it out with water. AND IT WORKED!

i have no idea how it worked or what caused this disaster to happen to my hair in the first place but i would recommend trying this out if you're having the same problem :)
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Ok so...the Listerine treatment was short lived....very short lived.  I smelled like Listerine for a week and only did 2 treatments.  My hair still went back to oily after day 2.  Still not sure how to solve this issue.  I have used apple cider vingar before and it also didn't work.  I talked to my OB/GYN about this the other day to see if he thought it was hormonal and he said it's possible it's a thyroid issue as oily hair is a symptom, however I would be having weight issues as well and I'm actually underweight if anything.  So I'm going to have the lab work done, but I'm doubtful that's the issue.  I am going to try what another poster said in the beginning about loading a ton of conditioner on.  It does sound counter-productive, but I've never really put conditioner on the top of my head so I'm wondering if my scalp is reacting to being to dry and overproducing oil.  I will try this weekend and then report back.
Helpful - 0
1 Comments
What was your result and have you resolved it? I’m dealing with this now.
Avatar universal
So thankful I found this forum! I can recall a time I used baking soda to remove product build-up back in my high school days once or twice, however this last month I experienced residue and oiliness like never before. I have only used sulfate-free salon products since I learned about Pantene and other harsh drugstore products in college. They are known to strip hair and leave buildup. I was puzzled when my Pureology sulfate-free shampoo stopped working last month.

Like most of you, I, noticed unusual oily spots close to the scalp, which seemed to spread and get worse over the weeks. Mine started on the back of my head, then a spot to the right of my part, and finally along my hairline in front. My instinct was to cut back on conditioner, switch to clarifying shampoo, etc. I don't wear all the hair styling products or blow dry frequently like I used to years ago, so I can only attribute my problem to stress, taking an antibiotic recently, and being on decongestant a lot to fight an allergy cold. It sounds like drying out the body can trigger this response by the body to create more oil.

I mentioned this problem to my hairdresser and she had no idea what to do. I can totally relate to the frustration and embarrassment. I was scrubbing my hair with clarifying shampoo repeatedly, letting it air dry overnight, and dreaded seeing the same oiliness when I got ready in the mornings. I also thought it was weird that I could hardly get my hair wet in the shower to shampoo it. Now I understand it was due to all this oil.

One other thing I want to note for moms with babies is that when my son was a baby and had bad cradle cap I ended up reading about Listerine plus baby oil to treat it. None of the marketed cradle cap products worked for him, but the Listerine & Burt's Bees apricot oil treatment worked like a charm! I used his little rubber gum stimulating toothbrush to work it into his scalp during a couple baths and it completely resolved the cradle cap.

Thanks for reminding me about Listerine! This has lifted a huge weight off my shoulders to finally find a solution and look forward to seeing my healthy hair again.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I had this problem for several weeks and nothing I seemed to do helped. I have very thick, coarse, curly hair and it tends to be very dry and frizzy. The clump of hair that was oily left a residue on my fingers and no amount of scrubbing (Dove High Moisture shampoo) helped. I skipped conditioner and curl creme trying to get it worked out. My stress levels hadn't increased. It could be hormones but I really am not sure.

I finally solved it with an apple cider vinegar rinse (about a fourth of a small bottle scrubbed into the affected area) and tea tree oil shampoo, no conditioner or treatment after. After one treatment it was almost completely fixed and my curls looked better than they have in years! After a second treatment (two days later), the streak was completely gone.

Hope this helps.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I have had the same issue and clearly am one of many...I seriously thought I was a freak.  No one I know has heard of this just happening all of a sudden.  My greasy area is mostly in the front hairline and around the crown too, but being in the front and the fact that I have long straight hair has been so difficult to deal with.  Thank god I found this because I've been struggling with it for 3 months now.  Nothing was working.  I tried Nuetrogena anti-residue shampoo, Biolage scalp therapy, Herbal Essence Drama clean, etc.  None of it worked.  I finally saw this and went right out and bought the Listerine.  Used at least 6 caps full this morning and followed up with the Nuetrogena shampoo and it feels 80% better.  I do feel just a tad oily in certain areas that maybe I just missed hitting with the listerine.  But I think one more wash with it tomorrow morning should do the trick.  I hope it lasts for a while.  I do smell strongly of Listerine today which is getting a little annoying, but it's so worth it!!
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Thanks a lot for posting this solution. It did help and the greasiness was 90% gone. I used Henna mixed in black tea. Put that on the hair and kept for 3 hours and then washed it with multani mitti (fuller's earth).
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Well, we're all sounding like a broken record. Same thing here. Blow drying my hair one day, and wham...greasy looking, but waxy and sticky hair on my crown. It has been at least a month & a half. Was using pantene 'smooth' shampoo & conditioner for years, and recently alternating with head & shoulders.  Also use Pantene Pro reshaping extra hold hairspray.  Also use 'L'Oreal Ombrelle spf 60 Face Ultra Light Cream/sunscreen.  I may have gotten it in my hair as I put my cream on first, wipe my hands then blow dry my hair. It has a gummy waxy residue feel to it, and the waxiness in my hair feels similar.  I've even gone as far as to wonder if it perhaps is being absorbed into my pores and seeping back out through my scalp.  I want my hair back!!! I'm going mad!  I do not think I was abducted by aliens YET.

My hair is very long to the small of my back.  I thought maybe the weight was drawing out extra oil on my scalp?  I tried switching shampoos 3X..no go. Tried Neutrogena anti residue shampoo..did not work. Tried Neutrogena anti residue shampoo with original Listerine..did not work.  Next I'm trying 'Avalon Organics Clarifying Shampoo' recommended by cosmetician and purchased at London Drugs.  Will keep you posted.  

Had surgery about 5 months ago, had cyst on ovary removed and they removed both my fallopian tubes to fix me. I'm really pissed about that. My gynecologist told me that's how they fix women now a days to reduce their risk of getting ovarian cancer. Then found out after the fact that its quite controversial and may increase risk of heart attack instead. Really pissed that she did not go over pros and cons with me and just told me that's how they do it now.  Also found out this is a trend that only started in 2010 so no known long term effects are even known. I'm so upset and worry now that this could be causing my problem. Also during this surgery, was told I had an enlarged uterus, have pain and cramping (even prior to surgery), and am on waiting list for MRI.  If Avalon Clarifying shampoo fails, I will try vinegar next.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Well, we're all sounding like a broken record. Same thing here. Blow drying my hair one day, and wham...greasy looking, but waxy and sticky hair on my crown. It has been at least a month & a half. Was using pantene 'smooth' shampoo & conditioner for years, and recently alternating with head & shoulders.  Also use Pantene Pro reshaping extra hold hairspray.  Also use 'L'Oreal Ombrelle spf 60 Face Ultra Light Cream/sunscreen.  I may have gotten it in my hair as I put my cream on first, wipe my hands then blow dry my hair. It has a gummy waxy residue feel to it, and the waxiness in my hair feels similar.  I've even gone as far as to wonder if it perhaps is being absorbed into my pores and seeping back out through my scalp.  I want my hair back!!! I'm going mad!  I do not think I was abducted by aliens YET.

My hair is very long to the small of my back.  I thought maybe the weight was drawing out extra oil on my scalp?  I tried switching shampoos 3X..no go. Tried Neutrogena anti residue shampoo..did not work. Tried Neutrogena anti residue shampoo with original Listerine..did not work.  Next I'm trying 'Avalon Organics Clarifying Shampoo' recommended by cosmetician and purchased at London Drugs.  Will keep you posted.  

Had surgery about 5 months ago, had cyst on ovary removed and they removed both my fallopian tubes to fix me. I'm really pissed about that. My gynecologist told me that's how they fix women now a days to reduce their risk of getting ovarian cancer. Then found out after the fact that its quite controversial and may increase risk of heart attack instead. Really pissed that she did not go over pros and cons with me and just told me that's how they do it now.  Also found out this is a trend that only started in 2010 so no known long term effects are even known. I'm so upset and worry now that this could be causing my problem. Also during this surgery, was told I had an enlarged uterus, have pain and cramping (even prior to surgery), and am on waiting list for MRI.  If Avalon Clarifying shampoo fails, I will try vinegar next.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
My "bad spot" was right at the hairline of my bangs. I was using Tresseme shampoo/conditioner when this appeared. It appeared suddenly, and no matter what I did it seemed to get worse and it was spreading to the back of my head along the crown.  I am on HRT (hormone replacement therapy), but I have been for about ten years, and my meds haven't changed recently.  I switched shampoos, I tried shampooing multiple times, skipping the conditioner, I even used my husbands 2-in-1 man shampoo!   Then I search the 'net and found this forum. I tried the Suave daily cleansing shampoo and I bought the store brans equivalent of the original (brown) Listerine.  I shampooed twice - really scrubbing the affected area, then poured three capfuls of the mouth rinse. I did not use conditioner after this.  Like most of the other people who posted, I would say my hair is now about 90% back to normal, but I am confident that after one more application it will be back to normal!  :-)  

I do want to caution people about that mouth rinse, though.   Due to the location of my "bad spot" some of the mouth rinse got onto my face. This burns/tingles just like when you use it to rinse your teeth.  I very easily could have got some in my eyes which would have been awful, so please be careful!!!
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