Probably not a lot. When people talk about having healthy hair they focus on the hair not where the hair comes from which is kind of understandable. You see your hair all the time but you don’t see your scalp as often. As a result, we tend to focus all of our efforts on doing what we can to get our relaxed and natural hair healthy, looking, and feeling good.
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But the crazy thing is we should probably pay the same amount, if not more, attention to our scalp as we do our hair. Hair grows out of our scalp, so it’s not surprising that if our scalp is healthy there’s a good chance the hair growing out of it will be too.
Signs of scalp issues
Here are three common indications that you may need to put some extra time and care into your scalp and give your scalp some attention.
1. Constant itching
Just like the rest of your skin, it’s not unusual for your scalp to itch every now and again. What is unusual and overall not good is if your scalp is itching all the time. This could be the result of a fungus or bacteria. Or something simple like product buildup.
Related read: Tips For Combating A Dry And Flaky Scalp
2. Dandruff
Most times dandruff and itching go hand-in-hand even though dandruff isn’t just caused by a fungus under the scalp. It can also be caused by an excess of oil which makes the scalp feel tender, red, and inflamed.
3. Abnormal shedding
We all shed. There’s no getting around it. But if your hair is coming out in clumps and bald spots are forming that can be an indication of a scalp issue such as alopecia. Or it could just be plain genetics.
Scalp care tips
So what are some ways you can care for your scalp? There are many things you can do, here are just a few
Wash your scalp
Several scalp issues can be traced back to a dirty scalp. If you think about it when we wash our hair that tends to be our focus. Plus, it’s easier to reach. So our scalp tends to get left out. The best way to combat this is to apply shampoo directly to your scalp and focus on it when washing your hair. I put my shampoo in an applicator bottle so I can use the narrow tip to get the shampoo directly on my scalp.
Do hot oil treatments
If the right oils are used, hot oil treatments can help with dandruff and dry scalp. I’ve also found that hot oil treatments help my scalp when it’s really itchy. Especially when I include an essential oil like tea tree oil in my mix.
Stay hydrated
Just like you may notice your skin drying out and starting to itch when you don’t stay hydrated you’ll probably notice the same for your scalp. It is skin after all. I’ve found that drinking water throughout the day and eating watery foods helps a lot.
Related read: 5 Ways Water Is Good For Your Hair And Skin
Do scalp massages
They help increase blood flow which can help stimulate the hair follicles. You can do scalp massages each time you shampoo or before you go to bed using a light oil. For a scalp massage, you can either use your fingers or buy a scalp massager like this one.
Oil your scalp
This is not the type of scalp oiling you may have done when you were little which was using a heavy grease that contains petroleum. That would have the opposite effect. If you oil your scalp you want to use a light oil like jojoba oil that won’t clog your hair follicles.
After reading this, will you be thinking more about your scalp care?
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Great advice!
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