How To Stop Greasy Hair In Men: 8 Tips

It’s the end of the day, and your hair looks greasy, even though you washed it that morning. Sound familiar? You’re probably wondering why your hair looks oily and, more importantly, what you can do about it.

Here, we’ll cover the causes of greasy hair and share eight tips for dealing with it, so you can sport the clean mop of your dreams.

First things first: Why does greasy hair happen to begin with?

Greasy or oily hair occurs when the scalp produces excess sebum, a natural oil that helps protect and moisturize the scalp and hair. While sebum is essential for healthy hair, too much oil production can lead to a greasy or oily appearance, making hair feel heavy and unclean.

Greasy hair can occur for several reasons, including:

• Underwashing or overwashing your hair: The first thing you probably think of when you notice greasy hair is that you haven’t washed your hair recently, which allows oil to build up. On the other hand, washing your hair too much can also strip the scalp of its natural oils, which causes it to produce more oil to compensate.

• Hormonal fluctuations: Male hormones (also called androgens) like testosterone can stimulate sebum production. As hormones fluctuate during puberty, periods of stress, or because of certain medical conditions, excess sebum production can lead to greasier hair. Excess sebum is also the reason you often see acne flare-ups during periods of hormonal change.

• Your hair type: Fine hair is typically more prone to looking oily. People with fine hair often have more follicles on their scalps, and sebaceous glands (oil glands) are found within the follicle. People with thick or curly hair may be able to go longer between washes.

• Genetics: A family history of oily hair can predispose men to excess sebum production, regardless of other factors. Simply put, some people produce more oil than others.

• Environmental factors: You’re more likely to sweat in hot, humid climates, which can lead hair to become greasier fast. On the other hand, the scalp may produce more oil to counteract dryness caused by a cold and dry environment.

• Stress levels: When you’re stressed, your body produces cortisol, which can increase activity in the sebaceous glands, leading to excess oil production and an oily scalp.

• Hair products: Certain styling products, conditioners, and shampoos with harsh ingredients can leave behind residue that makes hair appear greasy.

• Scalp conditions: Certain skin and scalp conditions, like seborrheic dermatitis (a form of eczema), can cause the skin and scalp to appear oily. Seborrheic dermatitis is often accompanied by dandruff, flaking, and redness, as well as an itchy scalp.

Below, we’ll discuss eight easy ways to manage greasy hair.

1. Wash Your Hair Less

As we mentioned, washing your hair every day can actually cause it to look greasy because you’re stripping natural oil from the scalp that the body then compensates for. If you wash your hair daily and notice it looks oily by the end of the day, try washing it every other day. It may take a few weeks of adjustment, in which you’ll need to tolerate a bit of greasy hair while your body catches up to the new routine, but eventually, your oil levels should balance out.

2. Stop Touching Your Hair

You may not realize how much you’re actually touching your hair, but all that flipping and running your fingers through your locks takes a toll. Oils from our palms can transfer to the hair and scalp, making your hair look oily.

3. Review Your Hair Products

Styling products that contain alcohol or salt (like sea salt spray) can dry out the scalp, causing the body to produce excess oil. Certain products like dry shampoo and items with silicone can also cause build-up on the scalp, which can look oily.

You don’t have to ditch these products all together, but be mindful of how much you’re using, and be sure to rinse your hair thoroughly to remove excess product when you do wash your hair.

4. Don’t Overdo Conditioner

Conditioner can be great for making hair feel soft and more manageable, but it can also lead to greasy hair if you use too much. If you’re dealing with greasy hair, try decreasing the amount of conditioner you use, and use it on your ends only.

5. Use Ingredients That Fight Oil

When managing an oily scalp, not all shampoos are created equal. Look for shampoos that contain natural oil-balancing ingredients, like witch hazel or tea tree oil (some research shows that tea tree oil shampoos help stop fungal growth, which can reduce dandruff and symptoms like itchiness and greasiness). It’s also helpful to use a sulfate-free shampoo (sulfates make shampoos foam and lather, but they’re also known to strip the scalp of the oil you want). Smoothing or moisturizing shampoos often contain ingredients like silicone and oils which can weigh hair and make it look greasy.

Using a clarifying shampoo once a week or so can also help manage oil; these are heavy-duty cleansers for the scalp to remove oil and product buildup.

6. Rinse With Lukewarm Water

Everyone loves a hot shower, but — you guessed it — washing your hair with very hot water can actually strip your scalp of oil. Instead, using lukewarm or warm water will be hot enough to help dissolve grease on the scalp but not so hot that you strip your natural oil.

7. Manage Stress

Stress is a natural part of life because we exist in a world with traffic, work deadlines, parenting woes, and financial concerns (just to name a few). It’s probably not realistic to eliminate all stress from your life, but you can work on how you respond to stress, which, in turn, can lower the amount of cortisol in your body (which triggers the sebaceous glands).

Our guide to how to relax when you're anxious has some great ideas for managing stress and finding calm.

8. See a Dermatologist

If you can’t seem to manage your oil production, it’s always a good idea to make an appointment with a dermatologist. This is especially true if you suspect a scalp condition is causing your hair to look oily. They’ll help you get to the root of the problem and, in some, cases may recommend or prescribe a medicated shampoo.

Here’s the TL;DR on greasy hair in men.

• Excess sebum production causes hair to look oily. This can be triggered by factors like hormonal changes, genetics, hair type, and stress. It’s helpful to know why your hair tends to get greasy in the first place so you can learn how to best manage it.

• Simple techniques, like reducing stress, washing hair less frequently (which seems counterintuitive but helps to keep scalp oils balanced), and using oil-fighting products, can help balance your scalp’s natural oil production and keep greasiness at bay.

• While greasy hair is not usually a medical concern, if you can’t get it under control, it may make sense to see a dermatologist who can help you figure out the underlying cause.

To learn more, check out our hair care tips for men and our comprehensive guide to scalp care for men.