Teen Hair

I'm a stylist. Greasiness is due to oiliness in the scalp, that sudden change can be due to hormones and will likely change back in a few months. What often happens is, you have a very dry scalp and the lack of good scalp care has caused the oil glands to overproduce oil to overcompensate.

One thing she can try, is taking a small amount of white vinegar or alcohol on a cotton swab and lightly dabbing her scalp if she is in a rush and doesn't have time to wash her hair, but that would only be a last resort type thing (like if she was camping or something).

Here is more info on that, and some excellent advice on how to correct the oily scalp problem:
http://www.suite101.com/content/oily-hair-care-tips-a18839

"A common misconception about oily hair is that it is caused by an oily scalp. The exact opposite is usually true. A dry scalp causes the oil glands in the scalp to produce more oil, and once on the scalp, this excess oil transfers to the hair itself. Therefore, to treat oily hair, one of the best things to do is focus on the dry scalp.

Below, you will find some hints and tips to help manage and care for oily hair:

* Use a mild shampoo, shampoo for oily hair, shampoo for dry scalp, or a baby shampoo
* Wash oily hair daily, but concentrate the shampoo on the hair away from the scalp to remove the excess oil from the hair, not on the scalp itself, because this can dry the scalp even more
* Always rinse your hair thoroughly with cool or lukewarm water, because soap residue can make oily hair worse
* Use a hot oil treatment directly on the scalp itself, gently massaging the oil into the scalp and then rinsing the oily hair thoroughly afterward
* If hair is very oily, do not use conditioner at all, or use conditioner only on the tips or ends of the hair
* Oily hair is likely shiny enough, so avoid using hair gloss gel or shine hair care products on oily hair
* For extremely oily hair, a vinegar rinse, comprised of one (1) part vinegar to four (4) parts water can help remove oil from your hair, but be sure to avoid using vinegar on the scalp
* Don’t brush oily hair frequently, because brushing oily hair can actually cause the scalp to produce more oil
* Don’t rub or scratch your scalp when you have oily hair, because stimulating the scalp like this can produce more oil
* Diluted lemon juice can provide similar results to the vinegar rinse for oily hair with a much more pleasant scent

Shampoo that contains tea tree oil can work well for alleviating dry scalp, if dry scalp is the primary cause of the oily hair. While diet has little affect on hair itself, eating a healthy diet and drinking plenty of fluids can help with dry skin and scalp too, and since dry scalp causes oil product that can lead to oily hair, diet can affect how much oil your scalp produces. Drinking water is not only good for your oily hair and dry scalp, but it's also great for your skin health too."

I'm one of those that cannot go a day without washing, makes me so jealous when I do women's hair and it still looks good a few days without washing.

In any case, Body by Sebastion is a good volumizing product for fine hair.

Make sure that whatever product you are using, it isn't a heavy, deep conditioner. Oftentimes, volumizing products just add more bulk and gunk to the hair, which is why many of those volumizing products don't work.

This is some expert advice that is well written, so I'm just going to copy and paste it here:

"Many people mistakenly think that shampoo is to wash the hair and not the scalp. Actually, shampoo is designed to clean the scalp and beautify the hair. Thus, my first recommendation is to focus your shampoo on your scalp.

The key to controlling oily hair is to keep the PH balance correct with the right shampoo, and remove the sebum adequately from your scalp. To do this you need a shampoo that will tell you when this has been accomplished. A sulfate free shampoo will not foam when it is removing large amounts of sebum. It will only foam when you have removed everything that needs to be removed. If you have long hair you should apply the shampoo to the scalp without piling the hair on top, and use your fingers to vigorously massage your scalp. Excessively oily hair always requires two shampoos, sometimes three. The way to tell if the oil has been removed from the scalp is to note the foam produced by the shampoo. You can discontinue shampoo applications when the shampoo
freely suds, then work it to the ends of your hair.

If you need to Wash you hair daily for frequent sebum removal then do so, and do not use a conditioner on your scalp. Sebum is a wonderful conditioner, and additional products are not needed. Any conditioner applied to the scalp will only increase the speed with which oil is produced. You should only use a conditioner at the ends of your hair where it is driest, and keep it off of your scalp.

You also want to be careful that you are not drying out your scalp. Shampooing too frequently and overly hot water will dry out your scalp. This will cause your oil glands to compensate by overreacting and producing more oil. If you have hard water, you will need to use a clarifying shampoo once a week. Hard water deposits minerals that will eventually clog the follicles on your scalp, thus causing it to overreact the same way. You may find that shampooing daily will become unnecessary once you begin to correctly shampoo with the right product.

Another habit that may increase the appearance of oily hair is frequent brushing. Combing and brushing aid in the movement of sebum from the scalp down the hair shaft. The hair should be handled as little as possible.

Hair styling products when used on the scalp will block the hair follicle and cause it to become overactive to try to remove the blockage, so don't use
moose, gel, or spray where it can sit on your scalp.

So get in the habit of shampooing at least twice, only use conditioner on the ends, or the dryer parts, and don't over brush your hair.

The products that I recommend for you are Enjoy Sulfate Free Shampoo, Enjoy Clarifying Spray, and Zerran Moisture Pak Conditioner. The products Julie mentioned below all work well too from what I have heard.

And Rachel's advice about hair learning to produce less oil the less you wash it... totally false. The scalp produces oil, not hair. Overstimulating the scalp produces more oil, so she can still wash it (and should so she won't be miserable). Some people only need to wash their hair a few times a week and don't have the oil problem, (especially if they have thick, coarse, curly hair), others don't.

http://askville.amazon.com/shampoo-oily-scalp/AnswerViewe...

My 14 year old daughter struggled with very oily hair for a few years. Like you explained, she would wash her hair and when we dried it, it was still oily. It almost never felt clean and was incredibly frustrating. I went on a desperate search (We tried everything! - I should take a photo of our cast away cabinet. haha!) and found 3 things that I can recommend.

#1 Our best find was Neutrogena Shampoo (anti-residue formula). Google it so you see what the bottle looks like. They have it at Target. It comes in a box but you can see the bottle through it (short and flat bottle, clear shampoo). It's not always easy to find (usually a lower shelf and they're often out of it). But, it's wonderful.

#2 Kerastase Specifique Bain Clarifiant (Clarifying Shampoo for Oily Scalp). This is also a wonderful shampoo. Only downsize is that it runs about $30 a bottle. Look for it online. Bottle is white with grey/silver top.

#3 Head and Shoulders Oily Shampoo- This was highly recommended to us by a friend but it's impossible to find. I've never found it or tried it. But since it was a recommendation from a good friend, I thought I'd put it out there as a possibility.

It seems like my daughter's trouble started around 10 and now that's she's 14, it seems to be a lot less than it was. Hormones are sure killers during the teen years.

Hope this is a help.
Best of Luck!
:)
J.

Take her to the salon and tell them what is happening. It is possible that she isn't getting ALL of the soap or conditioner out of her hair. Never let her put conditioner on her scalp, keep it at the ends of her hair or on the longest part...not at the base of her hair near her scalp.

If they too find the same situation, they should be able to sell you or recommend products that will help with oil absorption.

Remember, your daughter is 11 and may very well be revving up her hormone level just in time for your misery ;). Some people just have oily hair, however. Mine at least waits 24 hours to be bad!

Brings back memories. I washed mine every day at that age. I had to! Do you have a hairdresser? Your best bet is to check with a professional you trust who can recommend what products to use. There may be hairstyles that make a difference, too. Let your daughter know she's not alone!

I had oily spells when I was a teenager.
I use to joke I was the answer to the worlds oil shortage.
Washing less frequently did NOT help. When my scalp was in oily mode, it gushed oil. There was no training it not to.
Don't use a conditioner or only use it on the ends of the hair.
A vinegar water solution rinse might help a little. I use apple cider vinegar but any vinegar will do.
If her hair is very oily, be sure to wash her brushes/combs with frequently. They might be re-distributing oil back onto her hair.
It's a phase and it will calm down eventually,
but getting through it can be rough.

I had extremely oily hair when I was a kid too. Actually mine ended up to be quite manageable by washing my hair and scalp rinsing and rinsing to get all the shampoo out then immediately washing and rinsing again. That was a simple trick that worked for me. I can't say that it would work for everyone, but it would be worth a shot.

My daughter is now almost 14 and we have been having the EAXCT same problem for over a year.. I've tried Salon recommended products. Me personally washing her hair and blow drying it... EVERYTHING! So thanks to all these other suggestions. I am glad to know I'm not the only parent experiencing these problems.. The way you children dress and look reflect on the parents and I feel like the crappiest parent and I have hundreds of dollars of supplies to try and eliminate the problem... Keep the suggestions coming in I will try every single one!!! UGH.....

I just had 10 and 12 year old daughters waist length hair cut very short like a boy.Now my daughters has very short hair like a boy.They like boys with very short hair.I love my girls very short hair