How Often To Shampoo,  What Will Nourish and Impact the Skin, and More!

 

A healthy scalp is the secret to hair growth, softness, volume, and density, yet its often neglected, despite being made of some of the most delicate, vulnerable skin on our bodies. It’s important to understand your scalp if you want to properly care for it. For starters, the word “scalp” is a mnemonic for the five layers that form it: the Skin, Connective tissue, Aponeurosis, Loose areolar tissue, and Pericranium. Hair usually develops in the second layer, the connective tissue. Without the proper care and nourishment, it can’t maintain the microbiome needed for hair to thrive.

 

Just because we all have the same makeup doesn’t mean we all have the same type of scalp. Many of us suffer from scalp sensitivity that causes itchiness or irritation. Maybe you consider your scalp “normal”, but it errs on the side of dry or oily. Come in to find out exactly which of these describes your scalp.

Dry Scalp

Indications you might have a dry scalp include itchiness and flaking, although the flaking from a dry scalp is not always the same as dandruff, a condition that can plague just about any scalp type. Dryness can be caused or exacerbated by climate and aging. People with dry scalps can go a week, sometimes longer, without shampooing.

Sensitive Scalp

Sensitive scalps react easily to external stimuli like the weather, water quality, and products. Such reactions might include itchiness, burning, flaking, stinging, dryness, inflammation, a feeling of tightness, and general irritation. Medical conditions like dermatitis, psoriasis, and eczema can cause a sensitive scalp, and scalp sensitivity can lead to headaches.

Oily Scalp

If you can’t go more than a day without accumulating grease on your roots, you likely have an oily scalp. You might notice the hair clumping together, and if you blot your scalp with a piece of tissue paper, it will leave a wet patch. Oily scalps can be caused by product buildup or just a natural overproduction of sebum.

Balanced Scalp

The healthiest type of scalp is a balanced scalp, which means it produces just enough sebum and doesn’t cause you any problems. Not everyone is born with a balanced scalp, but it’s certainly what most of us strive for.

 

Combination Scalp

People with a combination scalp experience oily roots and dry ends. The sebum produced by the scalp tends to sit on the skin instead of traveling down the hair shaft, as it would if balanced. People with combination scalps might also experience dry roots and oily ends. In addition to genetics, climate and lifestyle habits can create this tricky scalp type.

Hair Loss

Hair loss can be a sign of a medical condition, such as alopecia and psoriasis, or an indication that your body is stressed or malnourished. Thinning can take place evenly all over the scalp or occur as bald spots. Certain fungal infections can also cause hair loss, or even specific times of the season can trigger it. If you’re losing hair, your scalp is likely in need of some remediation.

How to Achieve (and Maintain) a Healthy Scalp

 

Keep your scalp clean: A balanced scalp should be washed every three or four days, but you might have to shampoo more or less frequently if you suffer from excessive oil (wash up to once a day) or dryness (wash once a week). Regardless, it’s important to get the scalp thoroughly clean on wash days to prevent product buildup, which could become the source of your problems. In addition to your everyday shampoo, you should also incorporate scrubs and regular detoxes into your care regimen.

 

Choose the right products: There’s a long list of ingredients to avoid if you want to maintain a healthy scalp. Harsh chemicals like sulfates (used to boost lather), phthalates (for getting fragrance to stick to strands), can stick to the skin and cause irritation. Look for hair care made with real, natural ingredients instead. Davines sources many of its ingredients from sustainable farms around Italy.  Check out “Essentials Haircare || What Should I be Using” for more details on what products will be best for you!

 

Massage your scalp: Massaging the scalp has a few benefits: It can help lift dead skin cells and product buildup off the scalp, allowing it to breathe, and also improve circulation. Increased blood flow to the scalp stimulates nerve endings and nourishes the follicles to promote hair growth. General stress relief is an added benefit. To massage your scalp with your fingers, apply light to medium pressure and work your way across the area going in small circles. You can do this technique dry or with conditioner in the shower. You can also employ a rubber massage tool or brush, mimicking the fingertip technique again with small circles.


Have a healthy diet and stay hydrated: A balanced diet packed with vitamins and minerals is essential for skin and hair health. For example, nuts and oils rich in fatty acids can improve cell function and make your strands shine while vegetables high in beta-carotene (think carrots and sweet potatoes) help the scalp retain moisture. Drinking water keeps the skin hydrated, and that goes for the skin on your head just the same. Dryness, itchiness, and flakiness could be signs that you’re dehydrated. How much water you should drink a day depends on your lifestyle and weight, but ranges from about 2.5 to 4 liters.

 

Please keep in mind that we are not medical professionals. If you experience excessive dryness, oiliness, or irritation after making changes to your lifestyle, consult with a dermatologist or trichologist.