Flat and greasy hair appears wet and shiny throughout the day, indicating that it contains excessive oil. This condition makes the hair feel heavy and difficult to manage because the scalp's natural oils are not evenly distributed throughout the strands.

Flat and greasy hair is typically difficult to manage and lacks volume. Despite shampooing, the appearance of the hair is unchanged. What might be the cause?

Causes of flat and greasy hair, despite shampooing

Skin conditions

Some skin conditions, such as seborrheic dermatitis, can affect the scalp and lead to excessive oil production. This condition is characterized by dandruff, scaly scalp, redness and flaking. The condition affects the oil-producing glands in the scalp, making the hair appear oilier than usual.

Inflamed scalp conditions can disrupt the scalp's natural oil balance, resulting in hair issues such as flat and greasy hair.

Hormonal fluctuations

Hormonal fluctuations, such as those associated with the menstrual cycle, or medical conditions such as PCOS, can affect skin oil production and make hair appear greasy. Changes in estrogen and progesterone levels during the menstrual cycle can stimulate oil glands on the scalp, resulting in increased oil production.

Elevated testosterone levels, such as those found in PCOS, can also affect oil production on the scalp. This hormonal imbalance causes excessive oil production in the hair, making it appear greasy and causing dandruff and skin irritation.

Read more: How To Treat Bleached And Damaged Hair

Shampooing too often

Washing your hair too often can lead to excessive oil production on the scalp. The shampoo you use to wash your hair can remove the natural oils produced by the scalp. In response, the scalp's oil glands produce more oil to replace what has been lost.

Hair type

Straight hair tends to collect more oil than wavy or textured hair. This is because straight hair shafts lack creases or waves that would slow the flow of oil from the scalp to the hair ends. As a result, natural scalp oils can more easily travel down the hair shaft and distribute evenly along the strands.

Excess oil on the scalp can also cause dandruff and scalp irritation. To solve the problem of flyaway hair on straight hair, use the appropriate hair care products, such as shampoo and conditioner designed for oily hair.

Read more: 5 Common Shampooing Mistakes That Affect Hair Health

Humidity

Air humidity can have an impact on the appearance and condition of your hair. In high-humidity environments, hair loses volume, is difficult to evaporate, and feels heavier and greasy. Dark environments also promote the growth of fungi and bacteria on the scalp, which can cause dandruff and seborrheic dermatitis.

Stress

Stress can disrupt hormone production in the body, including hormones that regulate oil production by the skin's sebaceous glands. When you are stressed, your endocrine system responds by increasing the production of certain hormones like cortisol, which can cause excessive oil production on the scalp.

You may need to wash your hair less frequently, use the right shampoo, use special shampoos for oily skin, avoid using conditioners on your scalp, and avoid rubbing your scalp too hard if you have flat and greasy hair. If you have followed all of these steps but your hair is still flaky and problematic, you may need to see a dermatologist or hair care specialist for further advice.

If you need medical advice or consultation, you can either visit a doctor or make use of the consultation features that are available in the Ai Care application by downloading the Ai Care application from the App Store or Play Store.

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