Ever noticed that your scalp looks and feels a tad too thirsty? You could be having a dry scalp. The causes of a dry scalp are mostly
environmental ranging namely cold winters, shampooing too much, shampooing too
little, scalp sensitivity to harsh hair products like chemicals, gels,
hairsprays and dyes, use of alkaline soaps or alcohol based shampoos, as well
as excessive heat from dryers.
If
not managed in time, it could become itchy and may flake as a result. It is
therefore important to identify what is irritating your scalp and control it
before the scalp becomes problematic. Prevention is however better than cure.
Following are tips of maintaining a healthy scalp as well as simple remedies
for managing a dry scalp.
- You are what you
eat. An unhealthy diet as well as poor nutrition reflects on your
skin/scalp. Eat foods rich in antioxidants, essential oils/omega fats,
minerals, fibre and vitamins and maintain a high consumption of water to
keep your skin healthy and hydrated.
- Can you eat what you put on your skin/scalp? Start by understanding that “If it is not good for
your stomach, it is not good for the skin” The skin is the largest organ
of the body and It absorbs 80% of what you put on it. Natural hair may not
be the easiest to manage, but using chemicals and heat to treat your hair
irritates the scalp.
- Shampoo your scalp
at most twice a week, just to keep the scalp and hair clean and well
groomed. Shampooing too little provides a good breeding ground for bacteria
and fungi. Shampooing too much strips off the natural oils on the scalp
which are healthy (they prevent bacteria and fungi penetrating the pores).
Use warm water to shampoo, not cold or hot water. Hot water damages the
outer layer of the scalp (epidermis). Rinse your hair thoroughly after
shampooing; leaving any remnants behind irritates the scalp.
- Steer clear from
harsh hair products; chemicals, chlorine, dyes, alcohol based shampoos,
hairsprays, gels, alkaline soaps etc. They have a drying effect on the
scalp by stripping off the oils and moisture on the scalp.
- You can also use an
antiseptic while shampooing to keep bacteria and fungi at bay or rather
prevent them multiplying on your scalp. For this purpose, dilute a few
drops (3 to 5) of leleshwa (African wild sage) with your preferred
shampoo, treatment, conditioner or gel and apply as usual.
- Use deep
conditioning hair treatments with organic ingredients/moisturizers like shea butter or argan oil. You can also try deep natural conditioners
like our home made avocado treatment.
- Heat based hair
straightening tools like tongs and the dryer irritate the scalp. Don’t
over do them or overstay in the dryer even if using protective hair sprays
or lotions.
- There is nothing much you can do about harsh weather conditions but protect your scalp appropriately by keeping it clean, moisturized and warm during winter. Opt for a good organic moisturizer like coconut oil, one easily absorbed by the scalp as opposed to oily/petroleum based ones. Petroleum irritates scalp.
This blog is aimed
at providing suggestions for the management of a healthy scalp and/or mild
cases of dry scalp and is not a replacement to physician advice. If symptoms
persist, it is important to contact a physician. Most often, a doctor will
diagnose simply by looking at your hair and scalp.
