What does greasy hair look like

Subscriber Account active since. Greasy hair isn't exactly the aesthetic many of us strive to attain. But as it turns out, hair grease is like many things in life healthy in moderation. The oily substance is technically called "sebum," and it's naturally produced by a sebaceous gland that's located below the surface of the scalp and connected to the hair follicles.

In addition to sebaceous oil from the scalp pores, Paul Labrecque of Paul Labrecque Salon and Spa says pollutants from the atmosphere can contribute to greasy hair. Sebum provides necessary hydration to both your scalp and your hair itself.

The amount of oil excreted by the scalp runs the gamut depending on the person, which explains why some of us have greasy-looking hair less than 24 hours after a shampoo and others can easily go a week without washing their hair. Celebrity hairstylist Meaghan A. Frayne of Angelo David Salon tells SheKnows that people who have straight or fine hair tend to notice their locks get oilier. For individuals with thick, coarse or curly hair, "the oil is essentially not as mobile due to being absorbed by many thick hairs at once.

If your hair gets greasy quickly and easily, it seems like the logical solution would be to shampoo as often as possible — but Frayne says that actually makes the problem worse.

Frayne says that ideally we should shampoo our hair either once or twice a week — a major decrease for many women. Celebrity hairstylist Courtney Nischan also recommends shampooing once a week twice if you're an avid fitness nut and says this applies to all hair types and textures. Nischan suggests cutting back gradually on the number of shampoos per week. Then shampoo every two days for three weeks, then every three days" until you're down to once per week.

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Touching your hair too often. Your hairbrush is dirty. Your hairbrush is full of hair. Applying the wrong products. Product build-up that needs detoxing. This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.

And I'm sure you've felt that way too. I know the basic science behind less washing: Harsh detergents in shampoos strip hair of natural oils, so we have to use conditioner to put those oils back in. Things get greased and gunked up with product, not your natural secretions. The cycle is never-ending. I get it. I decided to do further research and to poll experts, since it seems like everyone is telling me that I am wrong about my level of greasiness.

Here is what I learned about why my hair probably isn't as greasy as I think it is. Plus, I gained some tips for how to remedy that slicked back look, if you so desire. First, I need to be patient and learn to forego a couple of washes at first, since hair will look oilier to you than it really is.

The trick is to wash your hair every other day or even every two days, depending on your hair thickness. At first, it will still look oily.