Herbal infusions have been used as efficient, inexpensive home remedy for hair rinses since time immemorial. Elizabeth Woodville, king Edward IV’s queen, was famous for her luscious blond tresses. History tells us that she washed her hair in chamomile, rinsed it with lemon juice and polished it with silk. She obviously had a great deal of time! And, as we’re still talking about them, her remedies must have been effective.

Oily hair affects a lot of people, and there are a number of hair care products on the market for this condition. Unfortunately, many of these shampoos tend to treat this condition with ingredients that have a high detergent content. This puts the sebacious glands into overdrive, and makes the problem even worse.

Oily hair can be a pain and is a common complaint among persons who have acne problems. Oily hair is difficult to manage, can be limp, and hard to style. A common misconception about oily hair is that it is caused by an oily scalp. The exact opposite is usually true.

A dry scalp causes the oil glands in the scalp to produce more oil, and once on the scalp, this excess oil transfers to the hair itself.

Oil on the scalp comes from glands (sebaceous) associated with all follicle pores. On the face and scalp they are most prevalent. Oils (sebum) are secreted to protect and coat the hair - providing moisture, protecting from UV or heat damage, and to nourish the follicle strands.

The best way to treat oily hair is to wash it frequently. You will need a mild shampoo as you will be washing the hair daily from now on and you do not want your regular shampoo to strip the hair of its natural oils. Whilst it may seem like a good idea because after all, your hair is oily, there are still some essential oils which the hair needs in order to stay healthy.

The oil in hair is produced by glands. This oil is called sebum. Sebum naturally moisturizes our heads and our hair draws the oil from the scalp down into our locks and tresses as well. In adolescence it is common for the sebaceous glands to produce excess amounts of oil and this is what gives teenagers the greasy hair that is so often a plague among this sensitive group.

Also, vinegar often makes a really good rinse, though it does not smell as good as the lemon! It is better to use white vinegar and it is thought that two tablespoons of the vinegar mixed with one cupful of water should work perfectly. The vinegar acts as a tonic for the scalp and it clears any remaining soap away from the scalp, which can often cause oily hair to be weighed down.

For some of the highest Vitamin A foods, there are vegetables, such as spinach and carrots, there are fruits, like peaches, apricots and blueberries, and the dairy foods of milk, cheeses and eggs are also vital. With daily doses of protein foods, fish, very lean meats, and nuts or whole grain foods will only enhance your healthiest of overall body, hair, nails and brain functioning alertness too.