Oily Hair When it is Longer

Q: Are people with long hair more prone to having oily hair? I have fine hair, and I'm trying to grow it out. It's almost shoulder length now. Unfortunately, it seems to get greasy much faster than when it was shorter.

A: Not specifically. The level of oil is generally a matter of scalp activity.

What you may be experiencing is the weight of the hair growing longer to pull the portions at the scalp close to the skin and therefore allowing it to soak up more of the sebaceous oils than it did when it was shorter and better able to stand away from the scalp.

Options are for you to either alter your shampoo routine, or get yourself some dry shampoo to use between your regular shampoos. Furthermore, be sure to get yourself a natural bristle brush to use on your hair when it is dry. This type of brush will help to distribute the oils of the scalp along the hair shaft where they are intended to go.

It's also possible that what you are taking for greasiness is perspiration residue (which is likely) caused by the longer hair being "warmer" and causing your scalp to perspire more. If you think this could be the cause, you can let the hair dry, use the natural bristle brush to redistribute the oils and give the hair a light misting with a perfumed body spray to get rid of any odor from the sweat.

©Hairfinder.com

See also:

Causes and solutions for oily hair

What are good hairstyles to hide oily hair?

Shampoo for oily hair

Talcum powder against greasy hair