MEDICAL MISCELLANY

WHY is some people’s hair greasier than others? THE greasiness is down to sebum, the oil released by the sebaceous glands on the scalp to lubricate hair.

Sebum production is controlled partly by growth hormones, which explains why adolescents can have greasier hair.

After puberty we all produce around the same amount of sebum, so there is no such thing as ‘ greasier’ hair in adulthood, says Sam Shuster, an emeritus professor of dermatology at the University of Newcastle.

However, your hair can look greasier than other people’s depending on a number of factors. For instance, shorter hair may appear more oily simply because the sebum has less hair to travel down and so looks more concentrated. ‘Products such as hair spray or hair gel act like blotting paper, holding onto the grease and absorbing it,’ adds Professor Shuster.

‘Sebum production also reduces with age, which is why older people need to wash hair less.’