What are the causes of oily hair
The symptomatology of oily hair, also known as seborrhea, can have very different causes. In addition to the individual circumstances, which are different for every person, the rhythm of hair care can also contribute to whether hair greases faster or less quickly. There are glands in the skin and at the base of the hair root that secrete sebum at regular intervals to keep the skin and hair supple.
If hair is washed every day and washing is skipped once, you will notice that the hair becomes more greasy. The reason is that the sebaceous glands have an individual rhythm and are more strongly stimulated if washing is omitted. There are also internal factors that have a great influence on the sebaceous glands.
Hormones in particular are involved in the control of the sebaceous glands. For example, in times when the hormone status of the human body has become disordered, the sebaceous glands are strongly activated and can quickly lead to hair greasing. Especially during puberty, this phenomenon occurs with the consequence of oily hair.
At the age of the menopause, the opposite is true; the decreasing hormone levels mean that the sebaceous glands are more likely to be underactive and can dry out hair and skin. In addition to hormones, messenger substances can also cause the sebaceous glands to become overactive. Particularly in stressful life situations, the hormones cortisone and the messenger substance adrenaline are released in higher quantities, with the result that the sebaceous glands work strongly both on the skin surface and in the area of the hair roots.
The result is an increased greasing of the hair. If hair washing is not carried out at regular intervals, symptomatic greasing of the hair also occurs. Some diseases also lead to an overfunction of the sebaceous gland and thus to the development of greasy hair.
Probably the best known of these diseases is Parkinson’s disease. Here, certain cells of the brain are damaged and can no longer produce the messenger substance dopamine sufficiently. In addition to the known tremor attacks, severe cases also lead to the so-called ointment face, in which the sebaceous glands become overactive and the face has a salty appearance.
Also the sebaceous glands in the area of the hair can be stimulated and can result in an increasing hair oiliness. The exact cause of this phenomenon is still not known. People who frequently cover their hair with caps and hats and who do not expose their hair to enough air also have the risk that the sebaceous glands are over-stimulated and that the hair becomes greasy.
