The Importance of Taking Care of the Scalp

We all know that taking care of your hair is extremely important to keep it strong, healthy, and growing, but it is also just as important to take care of your scalp as well. Your scalp may be hidden under your hair, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t need to be taken care of properly. 

How do you know if your scalp is unhealthy?

If you are experiencing any of these on your scalp:

• Irritation
• Itchiness
• Cysts
• Flakiness
• Acne
• Sun damage
• Redness
• Excessive hair loss
• Pain

According to Dr. Sanusi Umar.

The health of your hair is directly correlated to the health of your scalp and vice versa. An unhealthy scalp can lead to multiple conditions like eczema and dermatitis. These issues go hand in hand with hair breakage, rough-textured hair, and an all-around loss of shine.  

What are these conditions?

• Atopic Dermatitis, otherwise known as eczema, is a chronic condition where your skin is red and itchy. This is usually caused by your skin reacting to some product, usually shampoos, hair products, or dyes. 
• Seborrheic Dermatitis, commonly known as dandruff, is a condition that also causes red and itchy skin, but it also causes dandruff. This condition is caused by oiliness and a buildup of dry skin.

Ways to treat these conditions

Dandruff can be a challenging condition to treat, and sometimes you can treat it by using over-the-counter shampoos and products. Sometimes, it requires speaking to your doctor or dermatologist about better remedies. If you decide to go with the over-the-counter route, make sure you check the ingredients. 

When looking for shampoos to treat dandruff, you want to look for:

• Pyrithione zinc, otherwise more commonly known as Dermazinc, which can be found in Head and Shoulders
• Selenium sulfide, which is in Selsun blue. 
• Ketoconazole (Nizoral A-D)
• Tar, which can be found in Neutrogena T Gel or DHS Tar
• Salicylic acid 

According to The Mayo Clinic 2020

These products are meant to be used until symptoms recede, but it’s essential to keep in mind that these products may lose efficacy over time, and this can be fixed by alternating products every few months. 

Some people prefer to try at-home remedies, and luckily there are a few options you can try at home as well. Some of the best options are avoiding styling products, applying mineral oils to the scalp, avoiding products that contain alcohol, taking fish oil supplements, using tea tree oil either in your shampoo or by itself, and applying aloe vera to the scalp. 

If none of these work or you prefer to go straight to the professionals, it’s best to go directly to a dermatologist, as they are skincare professionals. After they diagnose you correctly, they will most likely prescribe you shampoos or creams to control inflammation. 

According to The Mayo Clinic, in 2020, they may prescribe you items containing:

• Hydrocortisone
• Fluocinolone
• Clobetasol
• Desonide

Ways to promote a healthy scalp

If you already have a healthy scalp, it is essential to be continually preventing these issues from arising. You can start by shampooing gently with products that don’t use alcohol, sulfates, or fragrances. When shampooing your hair, don’t scrub your scalp; instead, massage it to increase blood flow and circulation. A huge misconception is the need to wash your hair and scalp more often to prevent any issues, this doesn’t seem right because your scalp needs the natural oils it produces, and when it is washed too often, it strips it from the natural oils. When the scalp is washed too often, it overcompensates for the oils lost from shampooing, causing a greasier scalp in the long run. It is recommended to only wash your hair at maximum, three to four times a week. 

Another thing to try is by taking an omega-3 or a fish oil supplement. A few studies have proven that this can help prevent hair loss and promote hair growth. These supplements restore circulation in the scalp, helping its overall health.

Trichology

Another person you can reach out to for solutions or advice is a trichologist. According to WebMD, a trichologist is a specialist who focuses on problems related to the scalp and hair, including the treatment of these issues. A trichologist helps people with breakage, hair loss, scalp skin conditions, and oiliness. They are unable to prescribe medications because they are not physicians. 

The Hair Society offers many solutions to these problems as well. They provide certified training in trichology, and if you work in hair and would like further to expand your knowledge of the hair and scalp, they also offer practical solutions to these issues. They offer CapilusRx laser caps along with the entire Capillus line of products. These are non-surgical hair loss treatments that promote regrowth and slows down future thinning of the hair. This is an excellent option because it is something that you can do from the comfort of your own home. It’s also a versatile option to many because it fits all head sizes virtually and is hypoallergenic. This laser cap is super comfortable and easy to use; you only have to wear it for 6 minutes a day to see effective results!

Although it seems impossible to solve scalp and hair problems, it is possible! There are so many resources out there, including The Hair Society, which has endless solutions and resources out there for everyone’s disposal. It is important to stay in the loop in regard to the hair world, which you can easily do by reading the countless articles posted on The Hair Society and by talking to a trichologist or a dermatologist.

Works Cited

“Capillus, LLC, To Unveil Its Newest Innovation In Hair Restoration Laser Technology, The CapillusRX™.” Capillus, www.capillus.com/blogs/news/prweb14739322. 

Person. “7 Healthy-Scalp Tips to Get to the Root of Your Hair Care Problems.” Healthline, Healthline Media, 16 Dec. 2020, www.healthline.com/health/beauty-skin-care/healthy-scalp#healthy-scalp-definition. 

“Seborrheic Dermatitis.” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 7 Apr. 2020, www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/seborrheic-dermatitis/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20352714. 

“What Is a Trichologist? What They Do, When to See One, and What to Expect.” WebMD, WebMD, www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/what-is-a-trichologist#1.