Achieving a healthy scalp is all about maintaining a clean and nourished scalp. Many of us struggle with scalp issues, irritations and different concerns that are often avoidable and easily managed by simply making a few changes in the way we care for our scalp. With some small changes and intentional habits in your haircare routine, you can manage issues like itching, dry scalp, flaking and you can also feel your scalp transform. There is a long list of reasons and causes for different scalp concerns, which is why it’s important to identify what you’re experiencing and what exactly is contributing to your dry, itchy or irritated scalp. To help you gain a greater understanding of your symptoms and what you need to do differently in your haircare routine, we’re going to look at five of the most common reasons why you’re struggling with your scalp health. Some scalp conditions, like psoriasis, are directly linked to our immune systems and physical health; however, these five potential causes are still important to consider when dealing with psoriasis or other conditions because they can and will help you to manage the symptoms of your scalp concerns.
1. Not washing your hair frequently enough
One of the reasons why you’re struggling with issues like scalp itching or oily flakes is that you’re simply not washing frequently enough. It’s safe to assume that we’ve all heard or been told that we must not wash our hair too frequently or you will risk drying out your scalp and hair. However, there is an important balance that must be achieved between over washing your hair and not washing enough. Often, when we stretch out our hair washing days, we tend to turn to dry shampoo, and we allow a build up of dirt, oil, dead skin cells and product to accumulate on our scalp. By allowing this build up to form, you are doing more harm than if you were to simply wash more frequently. Unless you focus on maintaining a clean scalp by regularly removing build up, you are more likely to experience conditions like acne, oily dandruff or flaking, dermatitis and folliculitis, which is a type of infection that can result in hair loss. Committing to a consistent hair washing routine is one of the easiest ways you can manage scalp concerns and improve your scalp health, which ultimately impacts your hair health.
2. Not washing after sweating and exercising
In addition to your scalp’s natural sebum (oil) production, sweat also contributes to the build up that can accumulate on your scalp and can potentially clog your hair follicles. This means every time we exercise to the point where we’re working up a sweat, we are contributing to the build up on our scalp. As we’ve already discussed, a build up of sebum and sweat can clog hair follicles, encourage bacteria growth and increase the risk of developing a variety of different scalp concerns. So, if you’re currently experiencing discomfort on your scalp, be intentional with washing your hair after sweating and exercising.
3. You’re using too much dry shampoo
As you can see, the root of many scalp concerns and problems is connected to how you manage the build up on your scalp. So, of course, dry shampoo is another significant contributor that is negatively affecting scalp health. Dry shampoo can be great for making our hair appear less oily or greasy. However, dry shampoo does not, in any way, clean your scalp or hair. So, although it can be seen as an effective short term solution or a quick fix for oily hair, relying too heavily on dry shampoo can be detrimental to your scalp health. Consistently using dry shampoo in place of washing your hair can result in a dry, itchy or irritated scalp. And, once again, dry shampoo is another factor causing scalp build up which we know can clog hair follicles and cause a variety of scalp problems.
Although oil is seen as a negative and, for those of us who have active sebaceous glands, is something that can be annoying to deal with, our natural sebum production does play an important part in our scalp and hair health. Sebum is known to protect our skin and scalp, help keep hair moisturised and healthy, and it protects us from infections caused by bacteria. Although excessive amounts of sebum can also be detrimental, knowing how important sebum is should encourage us to embrace our natural oil and simply maintain a consistent hair washing routine instead of always reaching for the dry shampoo, which can do much more harm than sebum.
4. Using shampoos with harsh cleaning agents
After focusing on the importance of maintaining a clean and healthy scalp, it is also vital we look at the impact of using the wrong shampoo. Many shampoos contain sulphates and harsh cleaning agents that are effective in providing a thorough clean; however, with long term use, these types of shampoos can also strip and dry out your scalp and natural sebum. Knowing the important role sebum plays in our skin, scalp and hair health, we can see how using shampoos with harsh cleaning agents that are too strong can cause scalp concerns.
So, what’s the best way to effectively clean your scalp without stripping your natural oil? It is investing in an all-natural shampoo, just like our Sozo Hair Health Shampoo. Our Australian made shampoo contains sulphate free surfactants to provide a rich lather and cleaning experience while supporting a healthy, hydrated scalp and hair. For your best results with this type of natural shampoo, saturate your scalp and hair with water, apply the shampoo generously to your scalp, massaging it into all parts of the scalp, then rinse and repeat the process. Double shampooing is a great way to achieve a thorough clean.
The shampoo you choose plays an important role in your overall scalp and hair health, so take the time to understand what ingredients have been formulated inside your shampoo.
5. Not using a weekly hair mask or oil treatment
Hair masks and treatments provide an easy and effective way of deeply nourishing, repairing and strengthening your hair. However, scalp treatments can often be forgotten about. If you suffer with an itchy scalp, dry scalp, flaking or irritations, a natural scalp treatment is a particularly important element in your healthy haircare routine.
Our all-natural Sozo Hair Health Mask has been formulated to target the hair, as well as nourish, soothe and condition the scalp, helping people to manage the symptoms of psoriasis and other scalp conditions. One of the feature ingredients in our scalp and hair mask that is known for its anti-bacterial and wound healing properties is manuka honey. Because our treatment has been designed to be deeply nourishing for the scalp and hair, it is also lightweight, so you won’t have to worry about your scalp and hair feeling greasy or heavy after washing. To experience the benefits of a scalp treatment like this, you don’t need a lot of time in your haircare routine because you can simply apply it to your scalp and hair in place of conditioner and leave it in for as little as a few minutes when in the shower. Of course, you can also do a longer treatment for more enhanced results.
Prewash oil treatments is another effective way to nourish and improve your scalp health. Our Sozo Scalp & Hair Health Serum contains only natural ingredients proven to soothe, condition, reduce inflammation and increase circulation on the scalp, as well as hydrate, smooth, protect and strengthen the hair. Simply by applying it generously to your scalp and hair at least 30 minutes before washing, you can actively target your scalp and hair to ultimately manage irritations and concerns.
Scalp issues can be extremely uncomfortable, especially when you can’t find relief. When you don’t know why you’re experiencing certain problems with your scalp and there is an endless list of potential issues, it can become very frustrating. But the good news is that many scalp conditions and symptoms can be managed with a series of simple but intentional hair habits. Of course, it is always important to remember that some scalp concerns are caused by more serious issues, for example issues relating to our health. But by maintaining a consistent hair washing routine, by using an all-natural shampoo and scalp treatments, and by being intentional with the products you choose to apply to your scalp, you can support a healthy, conditioned and nourished scalp, which allows you to achieve healthier hair.
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