Name: Vijay
Question: I have a very oily scalp... in the past few years my hairs getting falled. I had started using minoxidil solution but still I am getting oily scalp within 6 hours of hair wash. My doubt is cos of my scalp being too oily i am getting hair fall and minoxidil will not work for me.
Answer: Hi, Vijay. There is a correlation between an oily or greasy scalp and
hair loss, however, your having an oily scalp will not be the direct cause of your shedding.
Both oiliness of the scalp and
Male Pattern Baldness are androgen dependent, and people with oily scalps do tend to lose more hair. With regards managing the oiliness of your scalp, there are a number of steps you can take but we would suggest speaking to your doctor about it first.
Avoiding or minimising consumption of oily, greasy or spicy foods can be beneficial, as can taking the antibiotic Roaccutane, though this may dry the skin generally as well as the scalp. When it comes to
washing your hair, at least until the oiliness is under control, we recommend shampooing once or twice per day. You can try a range of different shampoos until you find one you feel comfortable using, or a hair specialist can recommend some suitable formulations to you.
We advise using an appropriately formulated shampoo, free of harsh chemicals, that is suitable for daily - or twice daily - shampooing. Using a product that is too harsh may cause your hair to feel thinner and stripped of its natural oils, whereas a gentle shampoo will just leave your scalp and hair feeling clean and looking as healthy as it can. It can also help to remove or reduce surface
DHT - the hormone which causes the follicular miniaturisation symptomatic of genetic hair loss.
Although DHT is found in the bloodstream, it is also found on the scalp due to being excreted through sweat and sebum. Keeping the scalp clean is key for healthy hair growth.
Your hair fall can be treated separately; there are topical and oral medications clinically-proven to tackle hereditary hair thinning and a specialist will be able to tailor a
hair loss treatment course customised to your precise requirements and medical profile.
High strength minoxidil can still be effective for people with oily scalps. Formulations, which are applied directly to the scalp, can include alcohol which may further help to control an
oily scalp.