How to Deal with Greasy Hair in Pregnancy

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Q: I am about seven weeks pregnant, which is awesome, except it is already doing a bunch of not-so-awesome things to my body. Namely, my hair! I have super thick, super fast growing, wavy hair. I do not love it, but I've mostly learned to manage it after 26 years of life.

I got it cut by a new stylist right at the very beginning of my pregnancy, and after a few weeks it started not falling right and being hard to style, so I thought maybe it was a bad cut. But then! On top of it not looking right no matter what, it has become SUPER greasy and gross.

I am a loyal Pantene user (I love love love their new-ish formulation for thick hair—lifesaver!), but I come out of the shower and it's almost like I forgot to wash out the conditioner or something (ick). I tried being more diligent with the rinsing, tried rinsing in different temperatures, and I also tried using a clarifying shampoo instead of my regular Pantene in case it was a buildup issue. But! Still gross. I absolutely must wash it daily (due to my aforementioned hair thickness, I used to wash only every few days to prevent dryness), and even then my hair is constantly greasy, limp and very sad looking. I get that this is probably yet another unwelcome hormonal side effect, but seriously… I am one big, greasy, bloated emotional mess. All I want is a good hair day!

(Additional question on the side: I was planning on going in for another cut in a few weeks, and going shorter. Now I'm afraid to do anything to this crazy mop in case it makes it worse. Any thoughts?)

I would LOVE to hear your suggestions on this one. Since I'm only seven measly weeks, the thought of 33 potential more weeks of bad hair is kind of horrifying. Thanks! — Alana

A: Let's talk shampoo. I love me some Pantene, but the regular line is simply too moisturizing for this type of hair crisis. If you don't want to switch brands, I'd go for their new weightless line, called Aqua Light:

I think you'll notice a huge difference, since it doesn't have the silicones and rinses much cleaner than most formulas. I would skip the conditioner if at all possible—instead you can use their leave-in spray only on the ends to detangle.

So that's one option… but the LEAST conditioning shampoo I've ever tried has to be TRESemmé 24 Hour Body:

I don't use it as often anymore, since maintaining my colour is a higher priority… but this stuff volumizes like you wouldn't believe. 

Again, give the conditioner a pass and either do a spray-in detangler like the Pantene one above, or… you could try an apple cider vinegar rinse!

That's right. Apple cider vinegar (ACV) acts as both a conditioner AND a clarifier for the scalp, so you kind of kill two birds with one stone here. You can make your own rinse by mixing equal parts ACV and water, and just pouring it over your hair at the end of the shower, or you can use a commercial brand like René Furturer's Clarify and Shine Rinse. I actually always request this when I'm at the hair salon instead of conditioner, and I find it lets me go up to three days without washing after my hair's been styled.

After you pour it on work it into your scalp and from the roots to the ends, and leave it in for about five minutes. It's up to you if you want to leave it in or rinse out—if you leave it in, you'll get more astringent benefits.

Now. Once you've figured out your washing and (minimal) conditioning routine, it's time to invest in probably my favourite product of 2012 so far…

I know that's a bold statement, but 'tis true. The Dove Dry Shampoo has changed my life. Now, sure, there are other dry shampoos—but this one is the best I've found for adding major volume, getting rid of oiliness, not leaving a white residue… and being crazy cheap! 

If you missed this post where I raved about it, hop over and have a read. While I used to only use my dry shampoo on second-day hair to absorb oil at the roots, it rocked my world when I started using it on clean, dry hair AS WELL. Not only does it add body and act like a kick-ass texturizer, it also prevents the oil from becoming a problem. Yay!

So I think of all of these things combined should help anyone deal with a case of the greasies—pregnancy or not. And that, in turn, will make it easier to style (and hold a style).

As for whether you should get a trim, Alana, the only man I trust (if you're in Toronto) is Bill Angst (see: billangst.com). His whole thing is to give cuts that work with your natural texture instead of something you need 99 hair tools and products in order for it to look decent. He's pricey ($170) but SO worth it. He gave me my Life Cut, after all!

So let's chat…

Ever had a situation (pregnancy-related or not) where your hair acted up like this?

How did you manage to keep the greasies at bay?

Got any other pregnancy-related hair tips? Please share!