10 Year Old with "Greasy" Hair

Drenching her head with toxic chemicals is not the answer, nor will it get rid of the problem. Please read about shampoo brands on www.ewg.org. Don't use anything that doesn't come up with the green dot.

My daughter had very greasy hair growing up and was also prone to dandruff. When we switched to using Miessence shampoo and Rinse, both conditions stopped. It took a while, since the scalp will first detoxify the other poisons that her scalp has been exposed to. Our skin absorbs toxins and it's disgusting how shampoo manufacturers can put such junk in their shampoos. I actually had some pimples on my scalp for about a month while it cleared up. Use the lemon one for greasy hair. www.goodskinforlife.com.

I don't believe in daily washing unless a person is using styling products since it aggravates the scalp.

If you use the vinegar rinse be sure to use a good quality brand like Bragg's apple cider since most vinegars are "dead" and will not have the properties needed to help the scalp.

Now, this might sound really weird but one of my clients had a boy who's hair got greasy when he ate peanut butter. Perhaps there's some kind of food in your daughter's diet that she's got an allergy or sensitivity too. Doesn't need to be peanuts; it could be anything. That particular family lived by the blood group diet and peanut butter was on the "not allowed" list for that boys blood type.

S. Hoehner
www.sharethecause.com/detoxqueen

i used to have that when i was her age... it's probably hormones/body changes. don't make it a big deal because i'm sure she is thinking about it all the time anyway. make sure she knows that she is beautiful anyway!

definitely try Head and shoulders--every day!. that's what i used and still do sometimes. Also Pert is good. Do NOT use a conditioner!! The combined ones should be ok, though.

good luck and make sure you tell her she is beautful no matter what! (which i'm sure you do) :)

-L.
designsbyleanne.com

I rememeber having that same problem when I was 10. She needs to wash it EVERYDAY. It's just puberty hormones going crazy. Makes your body produce disgusting amounts of oil. And some kids get horrible acne while others get greasy looking hair. My older sister got the bad acne. She needs to use a shampoo that DOES NOT moisturize because let's face it, she doesn't need it. And I don't know if it's still on the market but when I was a teenager I used to work at a drug store and and they sold this spray shampoo called "Psssssssst". It was basically a spray powder that kinds soaked up some of that oil. You could also try that. Good luck!

Hello puberty hormones....personally, I've always had to wash my hair every day since I was a kid. If I don't I look like a vagrant. Prell or Pert are good, inexpensive shampoos that should really help get that oil out. She can use conditioner but try to just use it on the ends of her hair - not the roots. Also, does she blow dry her hair after she washes it? I know if I air dry mine it hangs limp and looks greasy. Hope this helps. Good luck!

Your daughter is right at the age where puberty will start and so her hormones are probably in transition right now and she will be more prone to having greasy hair. It may get better in the next few years. Be careful of over-washing her hair and making her scalp too dry, because this can cause overproduction of oil in her scalp. Neutrogena shampoo is very drying. Even though it sounds counter-intuitive, make sure she uses shampoo AND conditioner to moisturize her scalp. Plus, the fancy salon shampoos often have lots of synthetic ingredients and silicones and all kinds of junk in them that increase buildup. I would suggest using a natural shampoo like Avalon Organics (find it in health food stores like Whole Foods) that has natural ingredients that are good for your hair. Avalon makes several different scents so your daughter can pick her favorite scent.
Also, please be sensitive to your daughter's feelings. She may not have even realized that her hair is greasy and if you make a big deal about it, she may become self-conscious. Mothers have a lasting effect on their daughters' self esteem so don't bring up to her that her hair is greasy. Just explain to her that your shampoo is yours and that she gets to have her own shampoo too. Explain that people have different hair types and there are shampoos made for each hair type.

This may sound weird, but try NOT washing her hair one day (on a day that you all stay home or something). The more she washer her hair, the more oil is produced to protect her hair from becoming dry. Also, she is a pre-teen, so her hormones might be acting up. Hope this helps!

I would also recommend baby powder, it really works to soak up the oil.

While I don't have children with this problem, I have always had oily hair and don't really think this is just about children. Many people just have oily hair, so I don't think it's because you're washing it too much. You can try that, but basically for me I have to wash my hair every day. I've tried waiting longer and it just looks terrible. I agree that the shampoo you use may have some softeners in it, so try the baby shampoo or anything you can find. I would NOT use conditioner. My hairdresser says with hair this oily normally, you don't need anything else to weigh your hair down. Vinegar solution with water would probably work, but your kid would be going to school smelling funny... Just find a clean simple shampoo and wash once a day. Sometimes I have to do a quick wash in the evening just because it's so oily. It won't dry the hair if you use a simple shampoo. It depends on what you do that day. Also keeping the hair up helps.

Try a cheap shampoo for oily hair - Suave or VO5.....don't use conditioners at all and tell her to keep her hands out of her hair - if she is always playing with it - the oil from her hands will get in her hair. I have always had greasy hair too - and I have to wash everyday. Good Luck!!!!!

I sometimes add a little baking soda to my shampoo which cuts through left over soap scum and greasies.

Baby shampoo!!! Johnson and Johnson every day. The salon shampoo is probably too conditioning (it's for adults, right?) and at this age, her body is producing a lot of oils! Worked for my 2 girls. Good luck!

You are washing her hair to much. When you have dry scalp or hair you hair will produce more oil to compensate. Try washing every other day.

Also, a clarifying shampoo is to strip out the styling products such as mouse, gel, hairspray, so dont use that and usually its a once a month thing, not every week.

Your stripping her hair. I would suggest going to like a Sally Beauty and purchasing a leave in conditioner. Wash her hair with a moisturizing shampoo and conditioner and after you get out, put in a dime size of leave in conditioner, comb through, then dont wash her hair for at least a day or every 2 days.

Hope that helps!

S. M
Empowering Women For Success

I hope you can find something to eradicate the problem of greasy hair altogether. If not, try grandma's trick for maintenance of greasy hair. Don't let her wet her hair in the shower until she is ready to wash it then have her flip her hair over her head so that the water isn't running directly onto the scalp area that is just above the forehead. (Try this with the shampoo you bought but if it doesn't work try the Head&Shoulders or even Vive Men's dandruff shampoo) Then dry the hair well with a towel still keeping it flipped over but scrunching the area above the forehead.

If the ends of her hair get too dry have her use conditioner on the ends once a week.

I discovered this, while backpacking around Europe, much too late in life: Washing my hair every day was the problem. I was over stimulating my hairs natural oil glands. When I didn't have the option to wash daily, but maybe even only weekly, my hair was not greasy. As a matter of fact, I found I could go for a very long time without washing, and it didn't get "dirty". The products we use and the frequency with which we use them may be the problem. It sounds counter intuitive, but maybe try washing only twice or three times a week at first, and see if this changes how her hair looks. Lots of stimulation will make the scalp produce more oil.

Hi
Try Head and Shoulders...I know that you didn't say that she has dandruff, but head and shoulders shampoo treats the scalp and can help. My daughter uses it and it works great for her...it's a lot cheaper than salon shampoo...worth a try.

I have a 12 yr old that has been having this same issue lately. We tried several different shampoos until we found one that worked the best. I believe it's an Aussie product. She has to wash her hair every morning. Also make sure you're changing her pillow case often. Once a week works for us. Puberty is such a rough time on girls! Good luck!!!

Dear MOM,

Did you ever think that perhaps all this is actually drying out her hair, causing her body to naturally produce MORE oils,

I suggest you wash her hair twice with a regular shampoo like pantene, rinse as normal, 5 minutes is too long, and then use a dime/ quarters worth of conditioner in her hair, put the dollop in your hand so she can see how much too use, then rub both hands together and show her how to apply, and finger thru her hair.

I think adding the conditioner will help because her body will have less cause to produce more of its own oils

M

I think that when you're an adult, your hair can look better if you don't wash it for a few days, but your hair changes constantly - every seven or so years is what I have herd from doctors and hairdressers - and I think that when you're a child, it's different than an adult.

I think that washing her hair every day with a gentle shampoo - something geared for babies or toddlers - might be the best thing for her. Also, maybe actually doing her hair with clips or or a headband or putting it in braids or ponytails might help decrease the appearance of the oiliness.

Good luck!

I've have struggled w/ oily hair since adolescents. I mix clarifying shampoo & shampoo for normal hair together. I also mix 1 part light conditioner w/ 3 to 4 parts water in a spray bottle & spray it just on my ends & rinse very well. After shampooing I rinse w/ cool water which I think helps more than anything. If I don't rinse with the cool water I can tell the difference. Using a volumeizing mouse or spray will also help absorb oil.

Try rinsing with apple cider vinegar. Diluted 1:1 then rinsing

I am a hairstylist, and as far as a clarifying shampoo everyday-I think that may make it worse. If you have a dry scalp the body will omit more oils to replenish the "dry" scalp. is her hair oily? If the color of her hair gives an oily appearance, then my freind-leave er alkone and wait until she cna get soem highlights..

Try Mirta de Perales. Mirta's products are sold at Rite Aid, Duane Read, etc...
Mirta has a line for greasy hair. It is actually an oil (yes, oil) that will cut the greasy-ness from hair. Followed by a lemon shampoo. I got it for my father and for the first time in 40+ years his hair is no longer greasy.
Maybe you can even purchase online... ?? Good Luck!

When I was a preteen/teen I had very oily hair and had to wash it every other day.

Make sure she's using a shampoo especially formulated for "oily" hair.

You did not mention if she's using a conditioner. If yes, try using less or switching to another brand.

Also make sure she brushes or combs her hair frequently this will help distibute the oils.

I know this sounds a little crazy... try puting a little baby powder in her dry hair and combing through with a fine tooth comb. It helps to absorb the oils. However, if she has dark hair it might make her hair appear to have grey tones. It washes out easily.

Hair is not supposed to be washed every day. The natural oils that your body produces gets washed away so your body thinks it has make more.

That's why people end up having "greasy" hair.

Nanc

Hi, this might be a long shot but after she rinses the shampoo out rinse a mixture (1 part vinegar 4 parts water) through her hair. The mixture is meant to rinse away any build up. It will literally leave her hair feeling squeeky clean. I hope this helps.

The issues isn't her hair.. it's really her scalp... that's where the oils are produced. Speak to a dermatologist. She can recommend a good shampoo, or give you clearer instructions how to treat the excessive oiliness of your daughter's scalp.

Hi J.,

Believe it or not- However, the more you wash her hair-the more oil her glands will produce to compensate the lack of oil! This is what I learned after years of "oily" hair. Count it a blessing. Wash it less often until her system starts to produce less-it will over time. Most people can not stand to wait and it really is not good to wash hair everyday anyway..Brush her hair and get all the oil through her hair, then wash it. Do this before she washes her hair sort of fool her system, then wash it. But cut down the times she washes it a week. She will be the lucky one when she gets older and she has gorgeous hair and everyone else has dried out hair and skin! It is a sign of health and I love my hair now still at 60 years old! Less oily for sure, but shiny and thick! A tea tree oil shampoo may work well on it too. (contrary to what you are thinking) Good luck and I know what it is like to have super oily hair as a kid-I did and my Mom had no idea what I could do about it either! I learned that one as a young adult!
M. G

Hmmm. Have you thought about taking her to a doctor? Maybe a dermatologist? Maybe she needs a prescription-type of shampoo for a little bit.

Dear J.,

I have been a hairdresser for over thirty years and I would suggest good old baby shampoo. I don't use it because it can be very drying. Most of the salon shampoos have conditioning agents which if you have oily hair you do not need. Baby shampoo I find can be drying because of the cleaning agents. Babies sometimes have oily hair and cradle cap therefore i think it has deep cleaning agents. Its cheep and worth a try. If not you can use neutrogena shampoo more than once a week. If her hair is as oily as you say it will not hurt her. She could be starting puberty and that can change your skin and hair by making it greasy. Good luck!

Hi J.,

Welcome to the world of puberty! Hormones can make hair and skin greasier at this age, an unfortunate fact of life. Sometimes no matter what you do, her hair will look like that. When my daughter was about that age, it was the same. Some shampoo's we found were good were Pert and Prell. Also, be sure that she knows how to wash her hair. A lot of kids just put the shampoo on and smoosh their hair around, rubbing it to the top of their head. Teach her that she should work the shampoo into her scalp with her fingertips (not nails), and not pile the rest of her hair on top of it - I think with a lot of kids, the hair close to the scalp isn't always getting a thorough washing. I'd skip conditioner, or teach her to use it only on the ends. If you're using any hair products like detangling spray or styling aids, I'd avoid those. If you can fit it into the morning routine, it might be preferable to shower/shampoo in the morning so her hair looks fresher longer than if she shampoo's at night. Good luck!

J.,
Not sure how well this will work: When I had issues as a kid, I would use baby powder or corn starch (only once on the cs) in my brush. Also putting cheese cloth over the brush (wind it around a few times for a more durable permanent machine-washable surface) helps cut down some of the oils, too. It might be easier to take to school if that works for her.

You may want to pay attention to her habits now too - that greasiness can lead to acne problems if she is prone to touching her face a lot to get her hair out of her eyes (esp if it is short) - and it can lead to a habit of touching her face.

All things considered - she might want to get a hairstyle that looks good with slick hair - pulled back into a bun - might help with sports a lot.

Oh another trick I used to do - washing just the part, nape and crown of my hair the first time (and sometimes a 2nd time during the day in the sink)before washing all my hair again a 2nd time before leaving the shower. It was less drying than washing everything 2x.

Good luck, let me know what works, I'm likely to have a kid one of these years with the same problem!
M.

Washing your hair every day dries the scalp, therfore forcing it to produce more oil...try to have her wash it every other, or every few days unless absolutely necessary. Good luck.

You can put a bit of powder (talc or cornstarch) on her scalp and rub it in, comb it through and it should soak up the oil throughout the day. Also, I would try head and shoulders or a similar shampoo, sometimes the scalp is too dry and tries to release more oil to compensate. Or, it could just be those wonderful pre-puberty hormones!

My 12 year old had the same problem. Even after washing it still looked greasy. The latest hair dresser told us that she was not rinsing well enough and had quite a bit of build up on her scalp. She did a salon treatment called pro-art. It made an amazing difference in her hear, it looks clean for several days. Now she just needs to make sure that she rinses well and if it starts looking greasy again even after shampooing, we just get another treatment.

I had this problem and found two things: 1. it was WORSE when I washed every day, 2. it was worse when I used shampoo for oily hair! It really strips your hair badly, so your scalp freaks out and pumps out even more oil. When I switched to shampoo for "normal" hair, my hair acted more, well, normal.

I know this will sound really crazy, but try using only conditioner in her hair. Use one formulted for every day use, something light. Thoroughly wet her hair, put in enough conditioner that her hair feels really, really greasy and let it sit in her hair for a minute or two, then rinse. Conditioners have surfactants that will remove the "grease" without stripping her scalp of its natural oils. Gool luck!