People who have 'greasy' hair often blame over-active sebaceous glands for overproducing such a 'useless' compound. Oil is continually demonized in shampoo commercials, and people seem to be convinced nowadays that oily hair is the worst thing that can happen to hair. Is this true, or not? Let's examine the facts.
Why is there Oil?
We all know that oil is a natural product of the human body. No, it's not a byproduct it's actually a first-order product of specific glands in the human skin. So why do we need oil? First off, oil is important because it forms a protective barrier around the skin, nails and hair.
Without oil, the human skin would shrivel up, flake and erode horribly. The nails would also dry up and lose their natural suppleness. Oil allows the skin to glow, and to remain soft and cool even if the sun is beating down mercilessly in summer. Oil also helps block out the harmful rays of the sun.
Why Does Hair Need Oil?
If we take off from the logic stated above, then hair requires oil as much as skin and nails. Since hair is mostly dead hair cells, it would need the protection of natural oils to keep it looking lively and shiny. Imagine hair without oil: it would look like it had been blow dried for several hours without end.
Sebum is not the enemy. Sebum is your natural defense against the harsh, polluted environment. However, when sebum mixes with other undesirable elements like dirt, pollen and smoke the formula changes. Sebum can become undesirable when it becomes a medium for germs and other potentially damaging pathogens.
How to Remove Oil from Hair?
There's no way to really remove the oil from your hair. If you have very, very short hair and you find that the extra oil is making you look like a greasy grill; you simply have to wash your hair more often. By washing your hair more, you would be able to control the amount of sebum that is spreading across your hair.
Most adolescents have this exact problem, and usually, monikers like "greasy haired girl" emerge right about this time. While the monikers are often harsh and baseless, kids simply have to contend with the fact that this is simply a biological phase that would eventually pass.
Drugs for Less Oil
With all the hoopla that had emerged regarding excessive amounts of oil in the scalp, drugs have been developed to counter the production of sebum. Those who are really suffering from excessive production usually go to general practitioners to get hold of these medicines.
It should be noted that not everyone requires such drastic measures, and such measures are only put in place if the excessive oil is causing too many inter-related skin problems. Acne sufferers or those with rosacea are among those that benefit to a certain degree from anti-oil drugs.
However, for the rest of the population, better leave your sebaceous glands alone. It's very possible that the excessive production of oil is a non-permanent phase, and it too, will pass.
Why is there Oil?
We all know that oil is a natural product of the human body. No, it's not a byproduct it's actually a first-order product of specific glands in the human skin. So why do we need oil? First off, oil is important because it forms a protective barrier around the skin, nails and hair.
Without oil, the human skin would shrivel up, flake and erode horribly. The nails would also dry up and lose their natural suppleness. Oil allows the skin to glow, and to remain soft and cool even if the sun is beating down mercilessly in summer. Oil also helps block out the harmful rays of the sun.
Why Does Hair Need Oil?
If we take off from the logic stated above, then hair requires oil as much as skin and nails. Since hair is mostly dead hair cells, it would need the protection of natural oils to keep it looking lively and shiny. Imagine hair without oil: it would look like it had been blow dried for several hours without end.
Sebum is not the enemy. Sebum is your natural defense against the harsh, polluted environment. However, when sebum mixes with other undesirable elements like dirt, pollen and smoke the formula changes. Sebum can become undesirable when it becomes a medium for germs and other potentially damaging pathogens.
How to Remove Oil from Hair?
There's no way to really remove the oil from your hair. If you have very, very short hair and you find that the extra oil is making you look like a greasy grill; you simply have to wash your hair more often. By washing your hair more, you would be able to control the amount of sebum that is spreading across your hair.
Most adolescents have this exact problem, and usually, monikers like "greasy haired girl" emerge right about this time. While the monikers are often harsh and baseless, kids simply have to contend with the fact that this is simply a biological phase that would eventually pass.
Drugs for Less Oil
With all the hoopla that had emerged regarding excessive amounts of oil in the scalp, drugs have been developed to counter the production of sebum. Those who are really suffering from excessive production usually go to general practitioners to get hold of these medicines.
It should be noted that not everyone requires such drastic measures, and such measures are only put in place if the excessive oil is causing too many inter-related skin problems. Acne sufferers or those with rosacea are among those that benefit to a certain degree from anti-oil drugs.
However, for the rest of the population, better leave your sebaceous glands alone. It's very possible that the excessive production of oil is a non-permanent phase, and it too, will pass.
