Last night I fell for the temptation to blowdry my hair for a New Years party - it just looks so good blowdried :-/  But I tried using only the cold air and it worked just as well.  Do you think cold air is damaging?  I have a salon hair dryer and the cold air setting is actually cold, like a fan you would use in the summer.  If this is ok for my hair, it might be a solution for me. What do you guys think?

Also, as I'm in the process of trying to only wash my hair every other day, I am dealing with seriously greasy roots.  I know that I'm going to have to wait it out until my scalp starts producing less sebum, but what do I do in the meantime?  A French braid works and a hair band masks the worst of it...any other ideas?  Also, has anyone used a hair powder or dry shampoo for their roots?  A good idea? or are they damaging too?  

Hi!  Cold air is definately better than hot blow frying your hair if you have to use it at all...Remember to give your hair lots of TLC too! :)

Using the cool setting is certainly better than with heat on your hair dryer.  Part of the damage that comes from hair dryers, however, is the combing/brushing of the hair when it is wet and elastic.  This alone can cause damage.

I've not used a hair powder or dry shampoo myself, but I don't think it would necessarily cause damage.

Using the cool setting on the blowfryer helps...but it only solves half of the problem. It's not just the heat that damages the hair - it's the wind.

The motion of your hair blowing in the wind, either outdoors or created by a blowfryer, causes hair strands to rub together and tangle. Wind also dries hair and skin out severely. All of these things can cause damage to the hair. The more often you blow dry, the higher the potential for damage.

As for the greasy roots, some scalps naturally produce more sebum than others. It's true that you can train yours to produce less...to a point. More than anything, the amount of oil that your skin secretes in a day is determined by genetics. So you can't expect to go from greased lightning to "perfect" all of a sudden.

As you age, your hormone levels will change. You may go through phases of oiliness/dryness at different times, so the best thing to do, I think, would be to wash as often as your hair needs it. Find its ideal "comfort zone," if you will, and you and your hair should be able to live harmoniously  ;)

thanks for the tips.

I don't brush my hair much while I'm blow drying - I usually detangle with a comb carefully before.  I never thought of wind being damaging, but I guess that makes sense.

I don't know if I'll ever get to the point where I can wash my hair only once or twice a week, but I'd like to try for every other day.  I figure I'll have to try it for a couple weeks before my scalp adjusts.  I also think I'll either have to make gym days my shampoo days or wash a little more frequently - I just can't get away without washing my hair after working out and sweating.

You might try just washing your scalp in water, massaging your scalp with your fingertips and then using conditioner.  This means NO SHAMPOO!  
This process may get you through your transition and not dry out your scalp-which can cause your scalp to produce more sebum.

Good Luck!!

Have you tried increasing your fluid intake?  I also have oily head (both face and scalp) and I really noticed the difference when I started drinking more water.    And when I don't take in as much water I also notice the change.  It's like your face and scalp get oily-er with less water.  Or maybe the extra water just thins out the sebum and face oils.  

Try drinking lots of water, decaf tea, etc.

(^_^)/
BEM