How to Treat an Oily Scalp and Dry Roots
Choose the right shampoo for your hair., Select the right conditioner., Determine how regularly you should wash., Wash your hair., Condition freely., Comb your hair when it's dry., Massage your scalp.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Choose the right shampoo for your hair.
For as straightforward as it may seem, this task can feel insurmountable when the entire, inscrutable shampoo aisle is looming down upon you.
Often, shampoos which treat both an oily scalp and dry hair are marketed "for combination hair." Dandruff commonly co-exists with an oily scalp.
If you're also dealing with dandruff, there are several dandruff shampoos available that should be appropriate for you.
Don't hesitate to step away from your usual brands if they're no longer getting the job done for you at any point during this process; many find that proper management of their hair requires occasionally, or even routinely, shaking up their shampoo status quo. -
Step 2: Select the right conditioner.
Although effective 2-in-1 products do exist, use of both shampoo and conditioner is recommended to properly care for your hair.
Dealing with both ends of the spectrum (both an oily scalp and dry roots) will be much easier for you when you're able to separately change the amount of shampoo that you use and the amount of conditioner that you use.
A telltale visual: conditioners for dry hair are often creamier, and not quite so clear as others. , This will vary depending on your hair's thickness, coarseness, and curliness, among other qualities, but every head needs to be rid of the dead skin, dirt, and oils it accumulates.
Regularly may mean twice a week, daily, or even every other week.
If your scalp is too oily, though, this is because the sebum--that is, the oils and dead skin--that your scalp is producing is not being washed away at proper intervals.
But here we come to what seems like a paradox in haircare: because the human body strives to attain homeostasis (the state of remaining the same) if you wash your natural oils away too frequently, your body will actually produce more and more of them.
This renders your scalp and hair even oilier due to washing it too frequently, and you were washing it frequently in the first place so that it wouldn't be so oily! Defining "regular" washing will require some experimentation, but if you're washing anywhere close to daily, err on the side of washing less frequently at first.
In Western culture, it's been ingrained in many that they need to wash more often than they actually do.
If you've been washing your hair often, washing less frequently may leave your hair and scalp oilier than usual for a few days while your body acclimates. , Thoroughly dampen your hair in the shower, then squeeze about a half an inch to an inch (in diameter) of shampoo into your hand.
The actual amount will vary depending on the length of your hair.
Your shampooing technique should be similar to a gentle scalp massage, followed by thorough rinsing.
Bath soap can occasionally be used in place of shampoo.
This method, however, should be employed weekly at most, and not repeatedly performed for extended periods of time.
Bath soap provides a powerful clean for an oily scalp, but is too harsh on hair to use often. , Conditioner should be regularly applied after washing out the shampoo, and followed by another rinse.
While the amount of shampoo you use should be very carefully doled out, conditioner can be applied much more liberally to dry hair.
Conditioner is essential to moisturize your dry roots and hair after shampoo washes their natural oils away.
Consider dry conditioners if your hair is feeling dry between conditioning sessions.
These are sprayed outside the shower on dry hair, then brushed through for a mid-week moisture boost. , Combing or brushing your hair distributes its natural oils evenly, which will help combat your oily-scalp-but-dry-roots situation.
Brushing while it's dry is preferable to brushing it right when you exit the shower; hair is more elastic when it is wet, and breakages can more easily occur during this time. , It's part of proper shampooing technique, and it's helpful outside the shower as well.
Gentle massage stimulates hair follicles and improves blood flow, generating more of the oils essential to keep your hair healthy.This may feel counterintuitive, prompting your head to make more oils when you're already dealing with an oily scalp.
Used in combination with all of these other, proper techniques, however, those oils will be nourishing your dry hair, not sitting around and clogging up your scalp. -
Step 3: Determine how regularly you should wash.
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Step 4: Wash your hair.
-
Step 5: Condition freely.
-
Step 6: Comb your hair when it's dry.
-
Step 7: Massage your scalp.
Detailed Guide
For as straightforward as it may seem, this task can feel insurmountable when the entire, inscrutable shampoo aisle is looming down upon you.
Often, shampoos which treat both an oily scalp and dry hair are marketed "for combination hair." Dandruff commonly co-exists with an oily scalp.
If you're also dealing with dandruff, there are several dandruff shampoos available that should be appropriate for you.
Don't hesitate to step away from your usual brands if they're no longer getting the job done for you at any point during this process; many find that proper management of their hair requires occasionally, or even routinely, shaking up their shampoo status quo.
Although effective 2-in-1 products do exist, use of both shampoo and conditioner is recommended to properly care for your hair.
Dealing with both ends of the spectrum (both an oily scalp and dry roots) will be much easier for you when you're able to separately change the amount of shampoo that you use and the amount of conditioner that you use.
A telltale visual: conditioners for dry hair are often creamier, and not quite so clear as others. , This will vary depending on your hair's thickness, coarseness, and curliness, among other qualities, but every head needs to be rid of the dead skin, dirt, and oils it accumulates.
Regularly may mean twice a week, daily, or even every other week.
If your scalp is too oily, though, this is because the sebum--that is, the oils and dead skin--that your scalp is producing is not being washed away at proper intervals.
But here we come to what seems like a paradox in haircare: because the human body strives to attain homeostasis (the state of remaining the same) if you wash your natural oils away too frequently, your body will actually produce more and more of them.
This renders your scalp and hair even oilier due to washing it too frequently, and you were washing it frequently in the first place so that it wouldn't be so oily! Defining "regular" washing will require some experimentation, but if you're washing anywhere close to daily, err on the side of washing less frequently at first.
In Western culture, it's been ingrained in many that they need to wash more often than they actually do.
If you've been washing your hair often, washing less frequently may leave your hair and scalp oilier than usual for a few days while your body acclimates. , Thoroughly dampen your hair in the shower, then squeeze about a half an inch to an inch (in diameter) of shampoo into your hand.
The actual amount will vary depending on the length of your hair.
Your shampooing technique should be similar to a gentle scalp massage, followed by thorough rinsing.
Bath soap can occasionally be used in place of shampoo.
This method, however, should be employed weekly at most, and not repeatedly performed for extended periods of time.
Bath soap provides a powerful clean for an oily scalp, but is too harsh on hair to use often. , Conditioner should be regularly applied after washing out the shampoo, and followed by another rinse.
While the amount of shampoo you use should be very carefully doled out, conditioner can be applied much more liberally to dry hair.
Conditioner is essential to moisturize your dry roots and hair after shampoo washes their natural oils away.
Consider dry conditioners if your hair is feeling dry between conditioning sessions.
These are sprayed outside the shower on dry hair, then brushed through for a mid-week moisture boost. , Combing or brushing your hair distributes its natural oils evenly, which will help combat your oily-scalp-but-dry-roots situation.
Brushing while it's dry is preferable to brushing it right when you exit the shower; hair is more elastic when it is wet, and breakages can more easily occur during this time. , It's part of proper shampooing technique, and it's helpful outside the shower as well.
Gentle massage stimulates hair follicles and improves blood flow, generating more of the oils essential to keep your hair healthy.This may feel counterintuitive, prompting your head to make more oils when you're already dealing with an oily scalp.
Used in combination with all of these other, proper techniques, however, those oils will be nourishing your dry hair, not sitting around and clogging up your scalp.
About the Author
Lori Bishop
Enthusiastic about teaching creative arts techniques through clear, step-by-step guides.
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