The low down on oily hair and skin

For those of us with oily hair or skin, the struggle is real. If you feel like you are constantly washing your hair and skin just to stay clean and dry, it might be time to get a better understanding of your body and the products that you add to it on the daily.

One of our readers, Masi Hendricks, wrote in to say that “I’m currently using an expensive shampoo which I was told would help for oily hair. But I almost need to wash my hair more often now as it seems to be making my hair oiler? Is that possible?” We asked Maureen Allem from Health Renewal for some advice on how to counter-act this common problem. Here’s what she had to say.

There are certainly other things that could be attributed to causing more oil production in the hair follicles, such as changes in hormones. However, if nothing other than using this new shampoo has changed in your routine, it is very possible that the shampoo is causing these issues and that you should change it.

Often, hair products targeted for oily hair are actually very harsh. They can strip so much oil from your hair that the body panics, and responds by producing even more oil. This is commonly called “rebound” oil production; courtesy of your sebaceous glands, extra oil is created to ‘save the day’, and compensate for nutrients lost in the follicle.

To prevent that ‘oil alarm’ from going off, find something that will thoroughly cleanse the hair without stripping it, such as shampoos for hair that is “dry,” “sensitive,” or colour treated. If this still doesn’t help, it may be beneficial to consult a hair stylist in order to find the perfect product for your scalp.

This process often happens to the skin as well. The body tends to produce more oil in response to skin irritations, which are commonly triggered by harsh products specifically designed to expel oil from the skin. Again, you should go for products that aren’t as severe, like those which target dry or sensitive skin. This may be counter-intuitive, but it can easily combat the same over-active sebaceous gland by maintaining minimum protective levels of oil, while keeping your skin clean and fresh.

If your problem with oily skin still persists, schedule a consultation with one of the doctors at Skin Renewal, where your problem will be targeted and treatments will be selected to suit your specific needs.