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Original poster

To think that "training" really greasy hair just isn't possible for some people?

134 replies

TheJuryIsOut · 09/09/2026 15:51

I've had greasy hair from being a teenager. I went from washing my hair once a week as a 10 year old to washing it every day as a 14 year old. I only started washing it more frequently because it became so unbelievably greasy I couldn't have gone out/gone to school like that.

I have tried to wash it less often several times over the years, the longest time I could manage was in COVID but I still didn't get it looking any better really. I'd even be happy if I could just wash it every other day but by about hour 30 it looks like I've just got a handful of oil and smeared it all over my head.

I've seen/heard lots of people say that if you just train it for a few months it'll sort itself out but aibu to think this just isn't true for some people?

OP posts:
Original poster
TheJuryIsOut · 09/09/2026 16:02

Catza · 09/09/2026 15:55

I think it depends how long you are prepared to persevere with it. I have very fine very oily hair. I only managed to "train it" when I really bit the bullet and washed it once a week no matter what and it took a couple of months for it to settle. I also did a little prep by stopping using shampoo and only washing with conditioner for about a month before reducing washing schedule.
But if it doesn't bother you washing it every day, then no point in trying to change things. Dry shampoo can also be a very viable option to extend time between washes.

I tried this in lockdown and it never got past hour 30 (ish) where it still looked acceptable. I'm not talking a bit iffy where you can just about get away with it, I'm talking it looks like I haven't washed my hair for months and it's literally clumping together with grease

OP posts:
CraftyNavySeal · 09/09/2026 16:01

If you have very fine low density hair I think it can be the case that your head isn’t actually significantly oilier than other people’s but it looks like it because there’s less hair for the oil to spread around on. So washing it everyday is probably for the best.

I do find the more I wash my hair the oilier it gets and I can “train it” but I have a lot of hair.

Needmorelego · 09/09/2026 15:59

I used to have what I called 36 hour hair.
Would be ok for a day, next day in the morning it was ok, by tea time back to greasy 🙁
The only thing that has fixed the issue is menopause.

BMW58 · 09/09/2026 15:58

Have you tried using a mild shampoo and dry shampoo if needed day 2?

You could be stripping all the sebum if the shampoo is harsh which sends your scalp into overdrive to replace.

Perhaps baby shampoo for, say, a month and dry shampoo in between washes to remove excess sebum.

SlugJam · 09/09/2026 15:58

Yeah I’ve tried everything and it’s still greasy. I did 3 months of only washing it once a week, and it just meant it was hideously greasy for 3 months. I’ve made my peace with it!

Muffsies · 09/09/2026 15:57

I'm the same. I tried to cut down to every other day in my 30s, but by the end of the second day it was slick with grease. If i was ever ill and didn't wash it for just 2 whole days it was completely disgusting. Even now that i'm 49 i still need to wash it every day, i keep waiting for this dry skin and scalp they all warn me about, but no sign of the oil stopping yet..

I've noticed that my youngest is the same. It doesn't help that he loves sports, so his hair is greasy by the end of each day at the age of 12. I just hope he doesn't get the decades of acne like i did as well.

Autumnwalks1313 · 09/09/2026 15:56

I can’t really say either way, but I have managed to train mine so that I only have to wash it once a week.

I feel as though you just have to decide that’s what you’re going to do and go through the greasy stage.

dicentra365 · 09/09/2026 15:56

Totally agree, tried it over lock down too and it only got marginally better. So it might have looked better for half a day longer. I wash it every other day, but it looks rough on day two. I think I'm in perimenopause and I'm hoping it improves once I've gone through menopause. Done all the usual of trying different shampoo, no sulphates yadda yadda - I think people who this works for have a different hair type.

Catza · 09/09/2026 15:55

I think it depends how long you are prepared to persevere with it. I have very fine very oily hair. I only managed to "train it" when I really bit the bullet and washed it once a week no matter what and it took a couple of months for it to settle. I also did a little prep by stopping using shampoo and only washing with conditioner for about a month before reducing washing schedule.
But if it doesn't bother you washing it every day, then no point in trying to change things. Dry shampoo can also be a very viable option to extend time between washes.