Does sweat make the hair greasy?
To begin, is it sweat that makes the hair greasy during this time of year?
While there are plenty of causes of greasy hair, one of the major contributors to an oily scalp in the summer is certainly sweat.
The sweating that occurs during the summer months can worsen an oily scalp by helping the oil to slide down the hair follicle and cover more of the hair instead of it remaining closer to the scalp.
What’s more, sun accessories may add to the burden that is an oily scalp in the summer. Wearing sunglasses on the head can often transfer the sweat from your face to your scalp, while sun-hats and caps can add oils to the roots and flatten them.
Meanwhile, the sebum production that occurs in the hair’s follicles is controlled by the body’s sebaceous glands. These glands can become overactive in warmer weather and produce more sebum.
To put it short, yes. The summer sweat can make the hair greasy.
How to prevent greasy hair in the summer
The first piece of advice to prevent greasy hair in the summer is to wear the hair back off of the face at night time. When sleeping, the face produces oils that transfer into the hair that sits around the face. Tying the hair back into a tight ponytail can be damaging, so instead twist the hair around itself into a loose top knot at the top of the head and secure it into place with a fabric scrunchie to minimise any breakage.
If the scalp is naturally oily already, the chances are that your skin type is also oily or combination, so try to wear the hair back during the day too or during periods when the temperatures are at their highest.
The next piece of advice is to distribute the oil. Use a clean, gentle boar-bristle brush to disperse any oil that is already sitting on the scalp down the hair towards the ends. Make sure to learn how to clean your hairbrushes to avoid putting oils back into the hair.