How To Free Yourself From The Vicious Cycle Of Oily Hair

So, your strands are harbouring a whole lot of uninvited grease. We feel you. But don’t worry because it’s a seriously normal problem to have. And while it can feel like the trickiest problem to tackle effectively, we’re here to help. Well, actually, Dermal Therapy are, because they’ve just launched the solution to all our problems. 

But before we give you the key to unlocking the shackles of oily strands, we bet you’re wondering why they keep getting so damn oily? Well, with the help of expert Dr Ryan Cruz we’re getting to the root cause (see what we did there?) of sebum overproduction (AKA the stuff that makes your strands oily). 

Well, much like the rest of your body, your scalp is in fact skin (shocker). But what we often tend to neglect is that we probably should be treating it as such. Yep, our haircare routines tend to lend themselves to the side of a quick wash and style and out the door. But really, we ought to be looking for ingredients that promote a healthy and balanced scalp microbiome. Because Dr Cruz let us in on a little known fact: the oils found on our scalp are exactly the same as on our face. Basically, oil-clogged pores are pretty hard to escape. 

Okay, we bet you’re desperate to hit the showers and wash away your oily tresses for good, so we’ll let you in on all our top tips!

Tip #1/ Think of your scalp as skin 

We get it, it’s hard to change your mindset, but the ‘skinification’ of your scalp is real. And joining the club is going to help you work toward visible oil-busting results in just a matter of days. 

Sebum overproduction can end up leaving your scalp with a buildup that’s hard to get rid of, something we’re determined to steer clear of. Our first tip for boosting your scalp care routine? A regular circulation-boosting massage. Yep, get yourself a scalp scrubber and see it work its magic. It even helps to work product through your strands!

Our next tip is to apply a specially formulated serum. See, we told you, your scalp is now in its skin care era and it gets a serum too. The Dermal Therapy Sebum Control Serum ($18.99 at Chemist Warehouse) helps to stem the overproduction of sebum. But you’re going to need to be diligent and apply it everyday for the first week, and then incorporate it into your regular wash routine. But having clinically tested, visible results in seven days? Sign us up.

Our final tip is to really set a goal to prioritise your scalp health. And trust us, you’re going to really want to. Because Dr Cruz has told us that “excess sebum can trigger bacterial and yeast overgrowth”. Um, ew. And aside from setting off alarm bells of being unclean, this excess leaves your strands “greasy, sticky [and potentially with] an unpleasant odour”. All of which can lead to irritation and even some scalp conditions. So, if you’re after healthy shiny, fuller hair, be sure to maintain a well-balanced scalp microbiome.

Tip #2/ Find innovative, ingredient-led products 

If you tend to pick up your haircare products without giving them too much thought, then unfortunately, we’re adding in a touch of admin to your day. But we promise it’ll be worth it!

Look for ingredients that help combat the excess oil production long term. Dr Cruz suggests finding ingredients that work to inhibit the testosterone–activating enzyme in the scalp (i.e. Seboclear™), because when activated they send out signals to “sebocytes to produce more oil”. 

But thankfully, (with a focus on oil-busting technology) the Dermal Therapy Sebum Control Serum ($18.99 at Chemist Warehouse), along with the rest of the range, actually includes Seboclear^TM, which is the same active ingredient used in their blemish range (read: seriously good at clearing up excess oil). 

Tip #3/ Create a wash routine you love

Okay, it sounds a little silly. But we promise, if you’ve got a hair wash routine that you can’t get enough of, it’ll never feel like an arduous task (and boy can hair wash day be an effort!). Our fave way to get us ready to wash our strands (and skip the third day of a slick back bun) is to find a range with a scent we love. 

Both the Dermal Therapy Sebum Control Shampoo ($18.99 at Chemist Warehouse) and Dry Shampoo ($7.99 at Chemist Warehouse) offer up the most incredible light peach scent. Because you know what’s the best compliment? ‘You smell nice’. And it only gets better when it’s about your silky strands. 

Heck, if you really want to skip wash day all together, the white cast-free (yep, it’s not going to leave a trace) Sebum Control Dry Shampoo is still a 10/10 answer to your oil-busting concerns. And if you’ve tried every dry shampoo on the market and are sceptical about this one being any different, Dr Cruz assured us that with the inclusion of Seboclear™ and a special unique polymer this special, clinically-proved formula will ensure excess oil is not only absorbed but also stopped before it leaves your strands seriously greasy. This dry shampoo will leave “cleaner-looking, shinier hair” compared to your regular starch-based alternatives. 

Interested in learning more about treating oily hair? Head on over to Dermal Therapy’s oily scalp knowledge hub for plenty of useful tips, including how to improve your overall scalp health!