We mostly think about our hair only in terms of what the eye can see. So, we look at our luscious locks and shiny strands and forget that these are a product of the background we cannot see: the scalp. Make no mistake, our scalp health is responsible for the appearance and well-being of our hair.
Certainly, products that improve the appearance of your strands are important and do yield results, but if your scalp is in a poor condition, any improvements to your hair are likely to be temporary. Strong, healthy hair depends upon a healthy scalp. Understanding this fact will help you get the hair you desire and prevent hair loss.
The Importance of Scalp Health
The biological relationship between scalp and hair can easily be explained with a simple comparison: if your hair strands are a tree, then the scalp is the soil. Just as well-nourished, rich soil makes it possible for the tree to grow steadily, a healthy scalp will do the same for your hair.
Hair strands grow from the follicles located under the scalp. If they are to break through and grow, the surface of the scalp must be soft enough to allow this to happen. If the surface of the scalp is caked with dandruff, oils, build-up, or dirt, it becomes difficult for hair to grow up through the skin and equally difficult for nutrients to reach the inner scalp.
Three Factors Behind Damaged Scalp Health
The first step to treating your scalp effectively is to identify any blockages. Experts point out three factors that could be ruining your scalp health and provide some possible solutions.
Dandruff
What exactly causes dandruff? Surprisingly, it’s not all about a dry scalp. Few people are aware that dandruff results from the overproduction of yeast and oil on our scalp. The build-up that accumulates from air pollution, haircare products and dead skin cells can bind with the sebum oil that your body produces and turn into dandruff.
It also results in greasy and oily hair. This has a deeper impact on our hair health than we think. When the scalp is covered with dandruff, grease and oil, the new hair attempting to grow from follicles is blocked. This makes dandruff problematic to your hair’s growth.
To treat your dandruff, you must rethink your haircare routine and the products you use. Consider switching to an anti-dandruff shampoo and a conditioner that will not only improve your scalp health but also benefit your hair. The best shampoos usually contain natural oils like coconut and argan to make your hair smooth.
Itchy Scalp
Irritation keeps you from having beautiful hair (and can even cause hair loss) in two major ways. Firstly, it shows that the scalp isn’t properly nourished and, therefore, not in any condition to sustain healthy hair growth. Secondly, irritation provokes scratching which leads to further scalp damage. Factors that cause irritation include air pollution, oil overproduction, or dirt build-up.
These are not the only factors, though. Even haircare products can cause build-up if they are allowed to dry on the scalp instead of being rinsed off. To prevent this from happening, wash and rinse your hair more thoroughly to clean away excess products and oils. Consider performing a deep clean by scrubbing your scalp once a week to keep both it and your hair healthy and shining.
Dry Scalp
Moisture is important for keeping our skin beautiful and smooth. That goes for the health of your scalp, too. Changes in temperature and humidity can make your scalp dry. So too can hair products such as dry shampoos. Washing your hair more often is not the way to restore moisture. In fact, washing your hair too often may simply make the problem worse by removing essential natural oils.
Keeping a moderate routine and speaking to a hair specialist can help you fix a dry scalp. If all else fails, try a deep conditioning mask, and choose haircare products containing argan oil or other natural oils to soften and revitalise your scalp.
Final Thoughts
Maintaining healthy hair is often a challenge, no more so than when your hair is dry, brittle and shedding more than usual. If this describes your experience, pay attention to your hair washing routine, the haircare products you use and how you apply them. If you do this and see little improvement, get in touch with a hair specialist. Vinci Hair Clinic is offering a free consultation to its new clients. Simply reach out to us to book your appointment!
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