Get Ahead
It’s one of those things that makes complete sense once you think about it. We spend so much time (and money) caring for our hair, not giving a thought to our scalp unless it’s misbehaving when in fact, the scalp plays a significant role in hair health. In fact it directly impacts it, which means scalp health is vital for healthy hair.
“The scalp is the bedrock for the hair follicle,” explains Anabel Kingsley, Trichologist and Haircare expert at Philip Kingsley, “and if it is not in good condition the chances of you experiencing problems with hair growth and health increase significantly.”
As Anabel points out the scalp is an extension of the skin on your forehead but because we can’t see it, we tend to neglect it. For healthy hair, not to mention dealing with conditions like dandruff or an itchy scalp, it’ important to care for the scalp too and treat it as gently and carefully as you would the skin on your face.
“Cleanse and tone frequently - daily if possible. After all, you take your hair and scalp to the same places you take your face,” Anabel says. “Use an exfoliating scalp mask once a week to gently remove dead skin cells and to improve moisture and suppleness.”
Be mindful of the type of hair tools you use, going easy with heated styling tools and even with brushes and combs. “Choose a brush that is gentle on the scalp,” Anabel advises. “Imagine what your forehead would look like if you raked it with bristles. The same applies to your scalp. The best brushes are those with rounded, plastic prongs. Metal pronged brushes can scratch the scalp and be quite damaging,” she adds.
Itchy scalps are a common problem and also need to be treated with care. The temptation is to scratch but this will just cause more irritation. Instead, Anabel advises applying a soothing anti-microbial scalp toner to irritated areas as needed. She says, “It’s important to remove flakes in order to alleviate itching and to help re-balance the flora of the scalp (dandruff is thought to be caused by the overproduction of a certain yeast, called malassezia furfur). As well as exfoliating agents, scalp masks should also contain soothing ingredients, such as aloe vera extract and/or allantoin, as well as ingredients that help to control flaking and excess oil production.”
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Heads Up
Viviscal Scientist, Dr Helena McMahon on how to keep your scalp (and your hair) healthy.
“Multiple factors contribute to and can impact upon scalp health and condition. Health is also determined by genetics and impacted upon by diet, hormones, medication and environmental factors. There are a number of things to keep in mind with scalp health:
· Nutrition: ensure that you have a balanced fresh diet with all the macro and micronutrients required for health
· Wash your hair with a gentle shampoo every 2 to 3 days minimum
· Use a conditioner
· Brush your hair daily
· Avoid excess use of heat and chemical based hair treatments
· Use hair oils and hair treatment to support hair condition
· Exfoliate your scalp regulalry - try a mild salicylic acid shampoo every two weeks.
· Follow instructions of hair care products carefully
· Protect hair from environmental factors (use an SPF/ hair cover)
For more information