The health of your scalp will determine how your hair looks and feels, so it is so important to keep the skin on your scalp as healthy as possible.
Your scalp can suffer as the temperature drops and the central heating goes on full-blast. Central heating can be one of the biggest contributors to dry skin, often making conditions like dandruff, eczema and psoriasis worse. The heat reduces moisture levels in the air, causing skin to become dry and tight.
Dry, flaky scalp is not just caused by your skin drying out, there can be other causes too.
So how can you look after your scalp in the colder weather? Don’t worry, we have some tips that can help!
- Exfoliate your scalp. This is easier than it sounds! All you need to do is brush your hair daily. This will help to reduce the build-up of dead skin cells and increase circulation to the scalp which can help hair growth.
- Try washing your hair more frequently. Sometimes an itchy, flaky scalp that causes dandruff can be caused by a build-up of skin, sebum and sweat which can lead to an imbalance of bacteria. If you need to wash more frequently, try choosing a gentler formula. For instance, if you use our Oily shampoo, try switching to our Unisex Shampoo Kubes for a while. If you use our normal to dry shampoo, then switch to our plastic free shampoo for sensitive skin. Your hair can often feel the benefit of using a different shampoo once in a while too.
- Avoid using certain ingredients such as silicones, dimethicones & trimethicones which are added to make hair feel softer, suppler and more moisturised, but can block the hair follicles. Also, avoid ingredients that contain Sulphates; (such as sodium lauryl sulphate, sodium laureth sulphate) as they can be drying to the skin.
- Don’t go to sleep with wet hair. Keeping your scalp dry and clean is important for ensuring your skin is healthy. Allow the scalp to dry naturally or use a hairdryer before putting hair up. This will help stop bacteria from forming.
- Rinse your hair thoroughly. If you don’t rinse your hair thoroughly, this can lead to a build-up of product on your scalp which can in turn lead to blocked hair follicles. Try to focus on your scalp when rinsing off your shampoo.
There is a difference between a dry scalp and other conditions. It is always best to seek medical advice if you think you may have ‘seborrheic dermatitis’; a condition that turns the skin oily, red, and scaly. The white or yellow scales flake off, creating dandruff.
Often, a fungus called Malassezia triggers dandruff. This fungus normally lives on your scalp. Yet some people have too much of it, and it causes skin cells to multiply more quickly than usual. Age, stress and fluctuating hormone levels can all contribute to Malassezia, so eating a healthy diet and trying to practise good gut health will also be beneficial.
So, this winter, to help your scalp:
- Brush your hair
- Eat a healthy diet
- Wash hair more frequently to minimise bacterial growth.
- Try swapping your shampoo for a while.
- Rinse-out shampoo thoroughly.
- Choose gentle, silicone and sulphate free products.