Hedgehog Posted May 21, 2011 Share Posted May 21, 2011 (edited) Dd9 has medium length hair, and for the last year or so it's been terribly greasy. I'm not exactly sure why this is, but it would be great to know if there's anything I could do about it. When she was little, she used to curl her hair around her fingers in her sleep, and often pull it out. Each time I vacuumed I'd find a few balls of knotted hair on the floor which freaked me out a little.. not so nice to think of someone pulling their hair out in their sleep!! She's also always been one to play with her hair a lot, usually the ends of it rather than what's right close to her head. Lately I've been trying to remind her not to put it in her mouth (it used to be too short for her to be able to do that, but we've been growing our hair out recently). She has two swimming lessons a week, after which she rinses her hair really well, and when they go sailing on a Wednesday evening they usually capsize once or twice.. the water is pretty muddy so we wash her hair right after the sailing session. Her hair is SO GREASY. It's almost embarrassing because it's very obvious, especially on Tuesday/Wednesday - the days just before we wash it. The condition of the hair, apart from it's greasiness, isn't great. There are numerous split ends, and it often looks dull. ETA: It is also a PITA to brush - very fine, slightly wavy, always tangled and sometimes even a bit sticky. :confused: I'm anxious not to make it worse, and I'm not sure whether washing it more often would be helpful in the long term (I'm pretty sure it would help in the short term), but I've heard it said that washing hair daily or every other day just strips the natural oil from the hair, leaving it dry and dull. So - what would you do about this? Any ideas I could try?? Edited May 22, 2011 by Hedgehog Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Down_the_Rabbit_Hole Posted May 21, 2011 Share Posted May 21, 2011 Have you tried changing shampoos? Daily washings? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kchara Posted May 21, 2011 Share Posted May 21, 2011 Perhaps she is overwashing it? I hear that sometimes overwashing can make the hair follicles overcompensate and produce too much oil. I might start by finding a very gentle shampoo and cutting down her washes. Maybe to just when she absolutely needs it (like after sailing day, and just have her rinse really well with conditioner after swimming). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carol in Cal. Posted May 21, 2011 Share Posted May 21, 2011 Neutragena was the only thing that solved my DD's greasy, smelly hair problems. Anything else would leave it not really clean even right after she washed it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lailasmum Posted May 21, 2011 Share Posted May 21, 2011 Maybe a good haircut to get rid of the split ends and a change to a different mild shampoo. You can get clarifying shampoos that are supposed to remove all the build up from other shampoos. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fairfarmhand Posted May 21, 2011 Share Posted May 21, 2011 is she lying down in the tub to rinse it? MY dd's hair was icky till I started making her either shower or rinse under the running faucet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hunter's Moon Posted May 21, 2011 Share Posted May 21, 2011 Same thing happened to me around her age. I also played with my hair and put it in my mouth. (I still catch myself doing it now and then). We had to do daily washings. It was better to wash in the morning because if I did at night my hair would be greasy by the morning. We also put a bit of baby powder in it and rubbed it in. It took away the shine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nukeswife Posted May 21, 2011 Share Posted May 21, 2011 I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one with a dd this age with this problem. I'm :bigear: for other responses to things that could help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AuntieM Posted May 21, 2011 Share Posted May 21, 2011 Be sure she completely saturated her hair with fresh water before getting in the pool. That way her hair will absorb less of the chlorinated water. My dd is having the same sort of problem again, I think it's related to hormonal changes (newly 14). She had trouble a couple of years ago, it settled down, now it's back, with other symptoms of hormone flux. Some on the boards have talked about using baking soda and vinegar. You might want to do a board search for those. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted May 21, 2011 Share Posted May 21, 2011 Do you see her washing it? One of my boys went through as stage of 'washing' his hair without massaging the shampoo into his scalp. Husband gave him a lesson one day and he learned the technique. Laura Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paz Posted May 22, 2011 Share Posted May 22, 2011 My dd and I have this problem and the only shampoo that works for us is Pantene. If we use Pantene we do not need to wash it every day. It does seem to get our hair really clean. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Audrey Posted May 22, 2011 Share Posted May 22, 2011 Neutragena was the only thing that solved my DD's greasy, smelly hair problems. Anything else would leave it not really clean even right after she washed it. This. Coupled with a lesson in proper hair washing. Another poster mentioned this. It's crucial to really massage the shampoo down to the scalp. Check to make sure she is doing this. Also, you need to cut the split ends out. They only frizz all the way up if you don't. I would suggest a pixie cut. If she hates it, it will grow out again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeachGirl Posted May 22, 2011 Share Posted May 22, 2011 I love everyones suggestions but when I was a teenager, my hair was so greasy that nothing helped. As an adult, this problem comes back about twice a year. Whenever this does come back, I find that nothing short of washing with Dawn dish liquid gets the oily residue out of my hair. I don't know why this happens when it does but nothing else works. I really wish it did but using it only occasionaly doesn't do any damage to my hair and gets that nasty feeling oily stuff out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ondreeuh Posted May 22, 2011 Share Posted May 22, 2011 My dd had this problem too at this age, and she had to start washing daily. She is now 15, and still shampoos daily. We have both switched to washing our faces with jojoba oil, and dd's acne has gotten better, so I do believe that it's not necessary to strip oils in order to be clean. As far as hair goes, the teenage scalp may be enough of a problem to need shampoo, but you could try washing with a very light conditioner and see how that goes. There are also dry shampoos you can use to freshen up her hair. I have a little bottle of BLOW that I bought on Amazon. I'm not sure it's much better than baby powder, and while it cuts the shine it also makes my hair very dull. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted May 22, 2011 Share Posted May 22, 2011 I wash my hair every.single.day. I've been doing that for, oh, 30 years or more, and my hair is just fine. I do use good shampoo and conditioner, but yup, every day. That would be my recommendation: daily washing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hedgehog Posted May 22, 2011 Author Share Posted May 22, 2011 Thanks for all the suggestions and ideas. I tried washing her hair more regularly - like every other day - and it just got greasy quicker; in fact it looked really greasy every day. I tried washing it less often - leaving it two or three weeks at a time, and it started to get manky after about a week. So washing it weekly probably means that I'm doing it a tad more often than is absolutely necessary, but then it ties in with washing out all the muck from the lake where they sail. is she lying down in the tub to rinse it? MY dd's hair was icky till I started making her either shower or rinse under the running faucet. No - I've always washed hair in the shower. But it's a good point. I wash it in lukewarm, running water, because I read that if the water was hot it would strip more of the grease out (which has certainly proved to be true with her). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hedgehog Posted May 22, 2011 Author Share Posted May 22, 2011 Neutragena was the only thing that solved my DD's greasy, smelly hair problems. Anything else would leave it not really clean even right after she washed it. I'm going to see if I can get hold of that - I used to buy it for myself years ago, but I haven't seen it around for a while. Maybe I can get hold of some on the internet if I can't find it in a local store. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hedgehog Posted May 22, 2011 Author Share Posted May 22, 2011 Be sure she completely saturated her hair with fresh water before getting in the pool. That way her hair will absorb less of the chlorinated water. My dd is having the same sort of problem again, I think it's related to hormonal changes (newly 14). She had trouble a couple of years ago, it settled down, now it's back, with other symptoms of hormone flux. Some on the boards have talked about using baking soda and vinegar. You might want to do a board search for those. Re the bolded.. I didn't know that. The pools where they swim have a pre-swim shower requirement but I haven't been too particular about hair; I'll try that. I wonder whether it is hormonal, although it seems a little early at 9yo? I mean her older sister (11yo) isn't developing at all, just a little pre-teen stroppy occasionally, and I didn't start developing in any way until I was about 14yo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hedgehog Posted May 22, 2011 Author Share Posted May 22, 2011 Do you see her washing it? One of my boys went through as stage of 'washing' his hair without massaging the shampoo into his scalp. Husband gave him a lesson one day and he learned the technique. Laura Sometimes I wash her hair for her, sometimes dh does it. Very occasionally her older sister (11yo) does it for her. I don't think she's ever done it herself. I wash her hair like I wash mine, as my hairdresser showed me - like a massage on the head itself, focussing on the hair that's right there and then just smoothing the shampoo/bubbles down the length of the hair, and then rinsing it out. There have been a few times when it's been so bad, I've actually shampooed her hair twice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kewb Posted May 22, 2011 Share Posted May 22, 2011 My dd has very greasy hair. I asked my stylist about it and she told me it is the age. Hormones are wreaking havoc. She recommended Aussie Cleanse and Mend and the Nutregena shampoo. She said to do one week with each. The other thing she told me to do (and it works amazing) is to wash her hair with Dawn once a week. Yes, the dish detergent. I also use a little corn starch when I brush her hair since it helps to absorb the oil. If she can wash her hair in the morning that is better. too. I have also been working with my dd about using enough shampoo. A lot of time she is not using enough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ejadragna Posted May 22, 2011 Share Posted May 22, 2011 i think that some kids hair tends to be oilier than others. my daughter wasnt rinsing the conditioner pout enough. so what happens is it has this sort of coating that attracts the dirt and appears grimy and oily.. when she washes herself, she never seems to get it all out. i notice that on the rare occasion she lets me wash it (she is 10, so eagerly seeking privacy) , that it does not seem dirty by the next day, even lasting 2 or 3 days. i sometimes tell her not to use the conditioner. she also needed help in how to really wash her scalp and hair, i do spoo twice then conditioner but rinse very well. you will need to cut those dead ends to skip on the conditioner though, or else it will be hard to brish thru... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hedgehog Posted May 22, 2011 Author Share Posted May 22, 2011 This. Coupled with a lesson in proper hair washing. Another poster mentioned this. It's crucial to really massage the shampoo down to the scalp. Check to make sure she is doing this. Also, you need to cut the split ends out. They only frizz all the way up if you don't. I would suggest a pixie cut. If she hates it, it will grow out again. Re the bolded - :blink: not a pleasant thought! I have done a bit of snipping here and there, to try and get rid of some of the split ends, but it is truly a never-ending job. I guess you just have to do a bit each day.. There is a purpose behind the growing of our hair, but I think I am going to start a separate thread on that one.. so please check in.. I'd be glad to hear your opinion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mynyel Posted May 22, 2011 Share Posted May 22, 2011 I have also learned (in beauty school :)) that some people can go for days without washing (That would be me, I can go for 3 or 4 days and it won't look greasy) and some have to wash every day (my sister is like that she has to wash her hair almost every day, more like day and a half but...). It all depends on the person. Some will need to wash every day, some not. As for split ends? The only way to get rid of them is by getting them cut. I don't care what the shampoo/conditioner ads say. You can't repair split ends. If they are "repairing" them, I will be dollars to donuts that there is a residue in the hair making the split ends "glue" together. But I digress... I do not use shampoo at all. I use baking soda ("shampoo") and diluted apple cider vinegar ("conditioner"). I have gone a week without washing my hair and it barely looked like it needed to be washed. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hedgehog Posted May 22, 2011 Author Share Posted May 22, 2011 I have also learned (in beauty school :)) that some people can go for days without washing (That would be me, I can go for 3 or 4 days and it won't look greasy) and some have to wash every day (my sister is like that she has to wash her hair almost every day, more like day and a half but...). It all depends on the person. Some will need to wash every day, some not. As for split ends? The only way to get rid of them is by getting them cut. I don't care what the shampoo/conditioner ads say. You can't repair split ends. If they are "repairing" them, I will be dollars to donuts that there is a residue in the hair making the split ends "glue" together. But I digress... :iagree: :( I do not use shampoo at all. I use baking soda ("shampoo") and diluted apple cider vinegar ("conditioner"). I have gone a week without washing my hair and it barely looked like it needed to be washed. :) I've never tried that, maybe I should. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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