Ever since I was old enough to notice, I've had problems on and off with dandruff and scalp irritation. I'm honestly not even sure what the actual name is for what I have, because I believe it's almost like a mix between psoriasis and dandruff, since it alternates with white scabs and scales and large flakes of scalp coming off.
Another thing I can tell you is that it gets exponentially worse during times of intense stress, which others can also attest to, since we do tend to express our emotions outwardly when it comes to our scalp and our skin, some more so than others.
There are a lot of people who suffer from severe flaking, itching and irritation of the scalp, and most of them will tell you that it gets much worse when they are either in different climates, or have a lot of stress going on in their lives.
So, what can you do to soothe and repair your scalp? Well, there are several techniques that I have found work well for me personally, and I'm going to share those here, and there are also some treatments and techniques that I have not tried that I've read about which we'll talk about as well.
One thing that I already talked about which may have a huge impact on the health and comfort of your scalp condition is climate. By that I don't mean strictly temperature, but really the level of humidity that is in the air. I notice that during the dry winter months my scalp tends to get very irritated quickly, especially if I'm on vacation somewhere that the indoor heated air is extremely desert-like.
Getting a humidifier in your home may greatly help the condition of your scalp if you live in arid climates or if, like me, you live in a region where the winter season is extremely punishing to the scalp and the skin, not to mention the lungs.
There are quite a few high tech humidifiers these days that are easy to clean and offer pure, cleansed air that is moisturizing and soothing rather than drying. Some people these days even have whole-home humidifiers that work with their furnace to crank out extra humidity during the dry months, to help reduce the effect of the drying heat on the lungs and skin, and make the air easier for you and your body to process.
A crucial part of maintaining the health of your scalp, and helping to keep the critical moisture sealed in to avoid flaking off, itching and scabbing over, is to choose a good shampoo. Never choose one that is for oily hair, or says that it creates body, but rather, always go for one that is super-emollient. You may want to look for ingredients in your shampoo such as olive oil, macademia nut oil, camphor oil, and other nourishing oils.
Stay away from shampoos that have a lot of alcohol in them. One of the best shampoos for my scalp and hair I've found is Nexxus Therappe extra moisturizing shampoo, and the best medicated one that I've found is Selsun Blue moisturizing shampoo, both of which not only nourish the scalp, but also which leave your hair silky and bouncy.
I try not to use a medicated dandruff shampoo every time, but rather I alternate my shampoos between medicated and non-medicated moisturizing shampoos, so that my scalp doesn't develop a sort of resistance to the medicated tar shampoo.
If you dye your hair, make sure you rub some sort of protectant on your scalp, especially the areas that tend to get the most irritated, before you get your hair dyed or do the job yourself. You can use a petroleum jelly, or if you know of some other recommendation, use that to protect your scalp from the harsh chemicals. The same goes for any type of harsh chemical treatment, and you should always ask your stylist how she can help protect your scalp from damage and drying.
Try a scalp treatment. There are many good natural scalp treatments that use soothing, organic and nutritive ingredients in them, that can be applied to the scalp and left on all night. These types of scalp treatments can help repair scalp damage, as well as unclog the follicles and dislodge any leftover styling gunk or other irritants that have been left behind, leaving your scalp feeling superb.
The biggest tip I can share with you to help get your scalp healthy and keep it that way is to stop touching it. I know that it's tempting for us to "pick" at our scalps, especially if you're prone to getting scabs or scales on the scalp, but doing so only prolongs the problem.
You can end up with a bleeding scalp, and you will also make it harder for the scalp to heal when you consistently keep tearing open the wounds that are already there. Do whatever you have to do to keep your fingers from creeping up to your head, it's crucial to the health and well being of your scalp.
If you follow these simple techniques, you should notice a significant improvement in your scalp, and hence will also see your hair improve. Since you have to possess a healthy scalp to also have healthy, shiny hair, you'll notice that once your scalp problems are resolved, you hair will follow suit.
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