It's that time of the year where the weather is changing EVER so quickly, and this can take a toll on your body and your hair/scalp.
On all hairdressing forums online the most common question at the moment is "I'm having so many clients complain of an itchy scalp". Same sis.
I thought that I'd do a little digging in my spare time to find out some reasons WHY this is so common at the moment.
To be honest, it's a little overwhelming. BUT IT HAS BEEN SO INTERESTING!!
Here are a few causes of
DRY FLAKY SCALP
1. Change of season- our bodies are adapting to the new temperatures
2. Hormonal change- dandruff can appear sometimes when you are going on off pill/contraceptives & before and during your period
3. Lack of brushing-like I've said before, brushing your hair stimulates your scalp and loosens any dirt/product build up on your scalp
4. Having shower too hot- STOP PUTTING HOT WATER ON YOUR SCALP. Hot water is drying, so it's stripping your natural oils away and over activating your sebum glands.. but ill talk more bout dat later
5. Not washing your hair properly. I think this one speaks for itself. You could have a build up of product and dirt on your scalp!! If you are not sure that you're doing it right you can read my blog about it here
6. Your diet! You could be ingesting some bad fats which are making you produce more oil and creating more dandruff. Try adding in more foods rich in Vitamin B and more green vegetables, proteins & grains
7. Drink more water- I think this is self explanatory! Drinking water will help hydrate you & your scalp!
8. Air conditioning- Yes! Aircon CAN AND WILL dry out your scalp. This is why no7. is also a little extra important ;)
9. Intolerances and allergies- yep! news to me too! As someone with gut health issues personally, I found this one super interesting! It is super common when having too much gluten/dairy for your scalp to flare up- be this dandruff, psoriasis and even eczema. (if you are hearing a little *ding ding ding* in your head, pay attention to your scalp next time that you're having gut issues and let me know) 10. Auto immune diseases- having a little more understanding of your disease can help you control your scalp condition. Talk to your doctor/ dermatologist about what you can do
11. Stress- I personally think this comes under gut health issues, but when under great stress it can show on your scalp when your body goes into fight or flight mode.
OK so that's more than a few (lol).
I'm currently doing a bit more research into 9 & 10, and trying to understand better ways we can work together to help your irritated scalp!
I have spoken with my friend Brittani who is a nutritionist (learn more about her here) and she has advised me that hemp and olive oil both compliment the skins natural sebum. And my further research showed that coconut oil could cause more irritation to the scalp as it repels water and pushes it away from your hair and scalp (ew)
While we are on the topic of oily dont we look a lil into oily scalp eh?
OILY SCALP
Alright so, oily scalp is caused by overactive sebaceous glands
**a small gland in the skin which secretes a lubricating oily matter (sebum) into the hair follicles to lubricate the skin and hair**
And some of these causes are-
1. Skin conditions- like Seborrheic dermatitis
2. Intense exercise- yeah I said it, but getting your sweat on can create oiliness on your scalp
3. Genetics- sometimes unfortunately we just inherit things off our parents that we cant help!
4. Hot showers- like I said in no4. above. Hot showers can dry your scalp out, but it can also help your scalp produce more oil
5. Over washing your hair- yep this can help your hair produce more oil
6. Not washing your hair properly- I legit feel like a broken record, BUT this is true. Not washing can lead to a build up of product/dirt/oil on your scalp not letting it breathe, hence the body creates more oil (ugh) ALSO- do not put your conditioner on your scalp!! Pretend like you're doing a low pony when you put it on (then rinse with lukewarm/cold water)
7. Not changing your pillow case frequently enough- pillow cases do get dirty and sleeping on a dirty pillowcase can lead to oily hair- this applies for your face too!
8. Humidity- I think we all know about it!
9. Straight hair is prone to collecting oil- without having any texture/wave in the hair, the oil slides right on down the hair shaft. This is annoying I know, but try shampooing your hair properly and this should help!
So many people also ask "how often should I be washing my hair?"
My personal professional opinion 2 or 3 times a week is perfectly normal, but also, if your hair and scalp are ok doing so, SO IS ONCE A WEEK.
Please remember not to over scrub when washing, it DOES NOT NEED TO BE VIGOROUS!!!! If you are washing properly and using PROFESSIONAL SHAMPOO then you should be A-O-K.
If you have any questions AT ALL about any of the above, or anything you may want to add please contact me via email or social media.
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