It's easy to forget that under all your hair is skin that needs care and attention — just like the rest of your skin. Taking care of your scalp pays off in the form of healthy, beautiful hair. "The hair follicles are influenced by the health and blood supply of the surrounding tissue," explains Elizabeth Cunnane Phillips, a trichologist (someone who specializes in hair and scalp care) with Philip Kingsley. Find out how to keep your scalp healthy and happy with this expert advice.
"Any ingredient that dries out your skin will make an itchy scalp worse," says Noelle Sherber, MD, a dermatologist in Baltimore. "Fatty alcohols are moisturizing, and can be identified by terms like 'stearyl,' 'cetyl,' and 'myristyl,'" says Ni'Kita Wilson, a cosmetics chemist and vice president of research and innovation at Englewood Lab, in New Jersey. "The other alcohols are drying — for example, alcohol denat (denatured), ethanol, propanol, and isopropyl alcohol." You should check ingredients lists and avoid hair products that contain the drying alcohols.
Also, be mindful of menthol, an alcohol that has the cooling properties of peppermint — while it may invigorate normal scalps, it can provoke itching in sensitive scalps, Dr. Sherber says.
Salicylic acid is often included in products to treat flaking scalps, but it should not be used more than once a week, says Cunnane Phillips, because it can cause irritation instead of gentle exfoliation.
Don't Skip Shampooing
The growing trend of skipping washes to keep hair naturally hydrated is not only misguided but can do more damage than good. "Thorough cleansing is critical for a healthy scalp; imagine how your face would look if you only washed it once a week," Sherber says." You should wash your scalp at least every two to three days for optimal health."
As for the claim that regular washing strips the scalp of essential oils, Cunnane Phillips explains that proper cleansing removes dirt, grime, and pollutants from hair — not moisture. Shampoos that are sulfate-free offer a gentler cleansing than harsh, detergent-containing ones. Also, look for silk and wheat proteins in ingredients lists — they're among the best additives to help your hair retain moisture and stay manageable.
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