Why You Have an Irritated, Dry Scalp

Why You Have an Irritated, Dry Scalp

With winter just past and heaters are just starting to turn off while you're working from home, you can’t shake the dryness that comes with the cold weather and change of season.

Your scalp feels like it’s getting itchier and flakier by the minute, what do you do? Today we’re going to talk about scalp health and care.

This is a topic that’s important to me because the scalp often doesn’t get as much attention and care compared to the hair itself.

Having a healthy scalp will make sure your new hair is properly nourished and stronger as it grows out.

 

So, if you’re trying to grow your hair longer, this is the post for you!

 

Scalp image with dark hair

 

There are a few simple things we can do in our routines to get your scalp nourished and healthy, and having a good shampoo for your scalp is the best place to start.

look for words like cleansing, clarifying or detoxifying when choosing your shampoo, as they will deep clean your scalp as well as each hair strand.

Some great shampoos to try are the Cleansing Oil Shampoo from Shu Uemura which gently cleanses your hair and scalp or The Original Detox from O&M which has mint extract in it to leave your scalp feeling refreshed.

Beware though, if you have artificial colour in your hair, you would want to use it once a week at most since using it any more frequently can fade out the colour in your hair.

 

So, now that you know how to pick a clarifying shampoo for your hair and scalp, but how do you use it and what does it do?

 

As mentioned earlier, using a clarifying shampoo once a week/fortnight is an ideal place to start and doing this will make sure that all hair product build ups and dirt and any other impurities are removed from your hair.

It’s kind of like exfoliating because it deep cleanses your hair and scalp.

And yes, your hair might feel a little bit rough afterwards but at the same time, renewing. So, it’s important to use a hydrating conditioner right after.

Or even better, treating yourself to a hair mask instead would be perfect as your hair is cleansed and primed from the shampoo to absorb as much of the goodness as it can!

 

Dandruff verses a dry scalp

 

So now your scalp is clean and fresh but its still itchy and flaky, so what’s the problem?

 

Well, In winter we're all prone to a bit of dry skin and irritation, and your scalp is no different! A bit of extra care goes a long way and your scalp will thank you for it.

We all love a hot shower but a cold or even just a cooler rinse for your scalp before you step out the shower, and using a cool blast to finishing off blow drying your hair helps a lot in reducing scalp irritation.

Why? Because skin irritations and itchiness, as well as eczema, can be made worse by overheating in your body temperature.

So not only does a cool rinse helps your hair retain moisture, colour and shine, it's also very beneficial for your scalp and body!

Besides overheating, lack of moisture is also another head scratcher (pun intended) and cause for dandruff, so if that’s the problem, a leave-in treatment can soothe and/or nourish your scalp to help minimise irritation.

The Serene Scalp Soothing Leave-on Treatment from Oribe works a treat, it has a light exfoliant in it that helps remove loose dead skin and moisturises your scalp at the same time. It also has a lot of antioxidants and calming properties in it to soothe your scalp.

 

Now that you know how to deal with the scalp issues at home, we can’t wait to see you all at your next appointment!

While you’re in, feel free to talk to us about any other hair and scalp issues that you’re having so that we can help you with treating them!

 

 

Author: Oscar Lam, Stylist @ Chumba's Windsor Salon

 

Oscar Lam

 

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