How to keep your scalp healthy

How to treat a flaky or itchy scalp? Is it a problem that can be solved or a trait you can do nothing about? Good news: with the right washing routines and product choices your scalp can stay healthy and itching, irritation or unpleasant odor won’t burden your daily life.

The condition of your scalp can deteriorate without you noticing

The scalp can get into a pretty rough state before you notice. If the skin on your face became as dry as the scalp can at its worst, it would surely have been treated long ago.

When a flaky scalp comes up at the barber, the answers often sound familiar: “It’s this winter” or “It’s always been like that”. Many consider flaking a skin characteristic influenced only by stress and the weather. It’s true that those factors affect the scalp, but most often the biggest cause lies in your washing habits and product choices.

Scalp care starts with the right cleansing

One of the most common mistakes is washing hair too often with overly strong products. This strips away the skin’s natural protective substances and disrupts the scalp’s moisture balance. Excess oil, sweat, styling products and flaking should of course be washed away, but overly aggressive washing can cause the scalp to become too dry or to start producing oil even faster.

Replace a strong multi-purpose cleanser with a gentle shampoo designed with your scalp’s needs in mind. Even this one change can make a clear difference.  An oily scalp can be washed more often than a dry one, and if there is an unpleasant odor on the scalp, daily shampooing may be necessary as long as the shampoo is not too stripping.

Conditioner can also moisturize the scalp

Many think of conditioner only as a detangler, but especially in winter a conditioner that moisturizes the scalp can be a key player against drying. It’s important to apply the conditioner not only to the hair but also to the scalp so that the scalp gets hydration. 

In addition to traditional rinse-out conditioners there are leave-in treatment fluids for the scalp that prevent problems and quickly relieve itching that has already started. Ask your barber for recommendations, try different options and find the solution that best fits your routine.

Tip! Conditioner wash between shampoo washes

If using two separate products in one shower feels complicated, you can skip the shampoo now and then and wash your hair with conditioner only.

In a conditioner wash the conditioner is massaged into the hair and scalp thoroughly like a shampoo and then rinsed out.

If you have strong styling products in your hair, it’s best to reach for shampoo (and use it on your scalp). Also don’t neglect your doctor’s prescriptions and the instructions for any medicated shampoo you may be using.