When we think of healthy hair, we often imagine long, smooth and shiny locks. And while our strands are a big indication of hair health, we often forget the most important factor of all: our scalp.
We’re all too quick to grab and try products that promise to tame frizz, increase strength and dial up the shine of our hair, but the real secret to happy and healthy hair starts from the scalp.
We’re about to get to the root of our hair problems—and we don’t have to compromise on gorgeous locks to do it.
Why is scalp care so important?
Think of it like this: if our hair is the flower, then our scalp is the soil, meaning it needs to be nourished and healthy to help everything else to grow and look its best.
Each strand of hair grows from an individual follicle, surfacing through the scalp. If the follicle’s exit is blocked—by things like oil, dirt or dandruff—it may miss out on nutrients essential for healthy growth, and the quality of our strands can be impacted.
Caring for our scalp means giving our hair the best possible chance to look as good as it can. But how do we know what’s going on with our scalp…and how do we fix it?
Whether you’re searching for the best anti-dandruff shampoo, shampoo to fix oily hair or a treatment to hydrate a dry scalp, we’ve got the answers.
Three common scalp problems… and how to fix them
Dandruff
While those pesky white flakes dotted through our hair and sticking to our darker clothes may seem like a sign of a dry scalp, the cause of dandruff is actually an overproduction of oil and overgrowth of yeast on the scalp.
Oils—like the natural sebum our body produces or residue from haircare products— that is not properly cleansed can build-up on the scalp, combining with dead skin cells to cause dandruff (and leaves us with oily hair or greasy hair).
Not only is it rather annoying, but hair growing from a dandruff-prone scalp is thinner, rougher and duller, with the scalp irritation from dandruff “choking” the follicle as it attempts to grow.
So, how do you get rid of dandruff? Use an anti-dandruff shampoo and conditioner that tackles the problem from the scalp, but also protects the rest of your hair. Head & Shoulders Sensitive Scalp Shampoo gently soothes an aggravated scalp* and offers up to 100 per cent dandruff** protection. Formulated without phosphates, parabens and paraffins for a gentle cleanse, it’s pH balanced with antioxidants for extra protection. Sensitive Scalp is also infused with aloe vera, known for its soothing properties.
Itchy Scalp
A sign of an imbalance of the scalp, an itchy scalp can be caused by a buildup of sweat, oil and pollution on the scalp that causes irritation. It can also be caused by ingredients in haircare products, or product that has not been thoroughly washed and rinsed, leading it to dry out and upset the delicate balance of scalp health.
An increased washing routine can help remove excess oil and product—or try a once a week scalp scrub (like Briogeo Scalp Revival Charcoal & Coconut Oil Micro-exfoliating Scalp Scrub Shampoo) to give your head a deep-clean. Think of it like a weekly exfoliating treatment for your hair—just like you’d treat your skin.
Dry Scalp
Just like our skin can lack moisture and begin to dry out, so can our scalp. A drop in temperature or humidity, or overuse of products that dry out our scalp (hello, dry shampoo) can trigger this condition. Over washing and stripping our hair and scalp of its natural oils can also lead to dryness.
Use products with ingredients that moisturise and hydrate, like an argan oil shampoo, or try out an intensive conditioning mask, like Aesop Rose Hair & Scalp Moisturising Masque to soothe a dry scalp, and restore vitality, softness and shine to hair.
Sponsored by Head & Shoulders.
* aggravated scalp due to dandruff
** visible flakes with regular use
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