6 Ways to Fight an Oily Scalp in Summer

It’s a fact that all of us experience oilier-than-usual hair during summer months because it’s not just the sebum you have to deal with, there’s the sweat and grime too. And like the past year, this year too we are confined in our homes and will be for the most of summer. This means that we are washing out hair less often. So how do you deal with oily scalp and greasy hair? We asked Dr. Geeta Grewal, Cosmetic Surgeon and Wellness Expert, 9Muses Wellness Clinic, to tell us effective hacks to get rid of both. She says, “We face oily hair issues more often in warmer months because sweat gets mixed with sebum, an oily substance produced by the scalp, and then the oil is further pushed down to the hair shaft by our body’s sweat.  The sebaceous gland in our scalp gets more active when our body temperature rises, thereby making our oily scalp a breeding ground for dandruff.” She suggests a few effective tips to beat greasy roots for once and for all.

Ditch the conditioner

Make sure that you’re not using conditioner after shampooing your hair if they are becoming too oily in summers. It will only add up to your hair woes. Even if you’re using it, make sure that it doesn’t reach to your scalp while you’re applying it to control the frizz. Apply it on the tips of your hair and not the scalp.

Choose the right shampoo

Be careful, while choosing the shampoo. If you’re using a wet shampoo, make sure that you also use a dry one. Dry shampoo only absorbs the oil from your hair and has no role to play when it comes to cleaning the hair and scalp, which are essential for healthy hair. Use a wet shampoo and let it rest on your scalp for two to three minutes so that it can clear out the dirt.

Do not shampoo your hair daily

Despite what you ahve heard about shampooing your hair daily, you shouldn't do it. If you do so, the natural oil of your hair and scalp will get stripped off, causing overproduction of oil to fight the dryness. Either dilute the shampoo with water or use a mild shampoo. A mild shampoo because is gentler on the scalp and doesn’t cause dryness.

Brush your hair regularly 

If you experience hair loss in summers, your first reaction would be to stop brushing or combing your hair as you think doing so will lead to more hair loss. This is a myth. Until and unless you comb your hair properly, the blood circulation in the scalp will be affected. Also, comb/hair brushes should be cleaned in regular intervals to stop them from putting oil back into your hair.

Use cold water to rinse your hair 

Cold water shower helps to decrease oil production. So use cold water while rinsing off the shampoo. 

Avoid using hair products with silicones.

They can adversely affect your long-term hair health by clogging the pores. This further leads to blocked hair follicles which make your hair greasy.