Greasy fine hair

[cioness]

Hello everyone, how are you guys doing? It's great to be here.

my browser just deleted everything I wrote, so you're lucky to be getting the shorter version of my story. apologies for the rant, but i've been so frustrated with this I have to get it off my chest

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My troubles began when I noticed that my hair got matte and very very sticky when I washed it at home- I use the same shampoo at home so it must've been our water - we have a well and the water is very limescale-y.

So when I was home for the weekends I would use rainwater to wash my hair instead, and that seemed to work. However, when I was home for two weeks over Easter, my hair started feeling literally like it had been sprayed with that silicone lubricant stuff you usually use to stop door hinges squeaking or that kind of thing. It was horrible, you could see my scalp all the time and it got worse every time I washed.

I was close to losing my sanity when my dad suggested that this stuff might be in my shampoo, and the rain water simply wasn't washing it out properly.

So he changed our water filter to make sure our well water was as pure as possible and I tried that- and yes, my hair went back to normal... which is barely controlled greasiness so it's not that great to begin with.


But all that got me thinking about switching to a better shampoo. I usually use Pantene Volume shampoo and Garnier Fructis Volume conditioner on the ends.
I simply didn't know how to find a better system, and it just seemed like all the shampoos were pretty much the exact same anyway.
So when I saw Nioxin recommended on this forum I instantly rushed out onto the intertubes to find an online store selling it here.

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So.. before I spend $50 on the Nioxin System 1 Starter Kit, I thought it would be worth asking the experts if this is really what I need? I have to say the tingling sensation often mentioned with the nioxin system makes me a bit nervous as to whether they really needed that ingredient or if it's just for show. Does it work for fine hair?
Is there anything I could be missing or that I should try first?

thanks

 

[minky]

Hi, I dont use nioxin , but I have heard it is very good ,
perhaps another hair geek who uses it can give you a really good answer ,

Ps , Pantene is not very good for fine greasy hair because it coats the hair with a wax like substance that can take more than 8 shampoos to remove , and it will add to your problems ,
you may be better using a clarifying shampoo at the moment to get rid of any build up from the pantene ,
Toni and Guy do a nice one :hug:

 

[hartey]

I agree pantene does coat the hair with all sorts, and i very much doubt that if you go to a professional haidresssers to get your hair done, that you are using the same shampoo that they use in the salon, I would ask your hairdresser to recommend you a shampoo for your hair.

sorry if it seems like a sarcastic reply, sarcasm is never intended!

 

[minky]

Hi ,harty I dont think it sounds sarcastic at all , I think it is a very good post , :hug:
sometimes things look different when we write it down thats all

I think cioness says she wants to buy a really good salon professional one
called Nioxin,
but is a bit nervous about using it
I don't use it so cannot advise , but I have heard it's really good

I know Jonathon from salonlines says Nioxin is good and they sell it on their site

cioness, here's the link I found ;

ghd hair Straighteners, T3 & Parlux Hairdryers, Nioxin Hair Products, Fake Bake from Salonlines.co.uk.,

 

[cioness]

Hi again, you guys really are brilliant, thanks for the replies it's really helpful!

heh yeah I had blindly assumed that pantene ("volumizing", no less) would not do anything that bad to my hair but after going through a few bottles the build up became more and more evident and I didn't even know what it was until now.

Yikes. As for clarifying, I read on SG that you can use a baking soda dilution to get rid of build up so I did that. It really improved _dramatically_! Here's a photo and a closeup of the part (yes, I'm aware that my hair is super fine and it doesn't help that it's not very dense, either.)
it's a shame I didn't take a before photo, but I assure you this is ten times better than it was.

For the time being I tossed all my pantene and bought a cheap store-brand shampoo where the only surfactant is Sodium Laureth Sulfate, which the internet tells me means it's mild.

You're right Hartey, I need to get myself to a hairdresser. I've actually never had my hair cut at a hairdressers and I'm nervous about it for some reason. But I've been wanting to get a bob so I think I will take the plunge asap.

Thanks for the link Minky! I looked around and that is actually a good price for it too. I've read good reviews online but then again you can find good review for pantene too i'm sure, so I'll see what the hairdresser says having seen my hair, and if things aren't working out I'll splash out on the Nioxin #1 set.

 

[blutopaz]

def ditch the pantene, its basically plastic in a bottle!

you can end up in a nasty cycle with greasy ahir as you feel you need to wash it more, then by doing so you are washing away the natural oils, which it then produces more to conteract what you'v done.

you can also try using a dry shampoo inbetween washes to help refresh the hair, this will absorb the oils and give you at least an extra day

hths

 

[cioness]

pantene = plastic. ok.
hm this makes me wonder what other things I'm ignorant about, that are obvious to the experts...

so you're saying I could wash every other day and use dry shampoo in between in order to reduce the amount of natural oiliness over time? sounds like a plan.

 

[blutopaz]

the basic facts are:

we produce sebum, some people produce more then others and this is what we see as greasy, oily hair.

when you wash your hair, the shampoo is cleasing away the sebum and all the other day to day dirt and pollution we accumulate.

the scalp needs a certain amount of natural oils just like our body, when your washing it every day you are washing away all the oil including the good stuff and in the process stimulating the glands to produce more.

I can't guarentee it will solve your problem in the long run but you certainly won't be making it any worse, having said this as we get older we produce less and less so your issue will naturally get easier over time.

You can help yourself as well by using conditioner on the lengths and ends only, not your scalp and massaging very lightly when conditioning so's not to stimulate the sebacious glands that produce it.

Dry shampoos are like aerosol deodrants, you spray them on to the roots, leave a few minutes to matt the oil up and just rub into your scalp, gives you minimally one extra day before you need to wash

hope this helps

 

[cioness]

that's very helpful indeed. Thank you, I will definitely check it out.

I must be one of those people then Though, I know people on the other end of the spectrum struggle with dry hair/scalp so maybe I shouldn't complain so much. :green:

thanks!