A lot of the time when we think about our hair we neglect to think about our scalp as well.
Having healthy hair is a wonderful thing that many of us strive towards getting, whether that be long healthy hair or short healthy hair.
The purpose of this article is to look into why we need to have a healthy scalp and how we can keep our scalp healthy.
***Please note that this site uses affiliate links if you would like to read the legal stuff you can find it here
Why Is It Important To Have A Healthy Scalp?
We all know that our hair grows out of our scalp. It’s by this virtue that it makes sense to keep our scalp healthy in order that the hair that grows out of it can also come out healthy.
The bottom line here is that if you don’t look after your scalp your hair will suffer as a result. Keeping your scalp in prime condition will help your hair have the best chance of being healthy.
Trying to grow hair out of a scalp that is irritated, dry and flaky will be quite a task.
How To Keep Your Scalp Healthy
Now that we know why it’s important to keep our scalp healthy, let’s take a look at some of the things we can implement into our regular routines in order for our scalps to be in the best position possible.
1. Clean Your Scalp Regularly
Keeping our scalp clean is very important. When most people think about washing their hair, they think about the strands of hair rather than the scalp. The scalp usually plays second fiddle to the hair.
The reality is that when you wash your hair you should also be focusing on your scalp as well.
It could be that you need to think about clarifying your hair every so often in order to make sure that your scalp, as well as your hair, remains clean.
Related post: The perfect hair washing routine
2. Do Not Overwash
Although we have just spoken about keeping our scalp clean, it’s also important to remember that there is a fine balance between washing your hair to keep it clean and overwashing your hair.
Washing your hair is great but have you ever noticed that after having washed your hair sometimes it takes a few days for your hair to feel “normal” again?
The reason for this is because your scalp produces something called sebum which is a natural oil that protects both your hair and scalp.
When you wash your hair you are washing away all of this good oil and you leave your hair exposed.
Obviously, there is a fine balance to be struck here and for everyone, this will be different.
Some people produce a lot more sebum than others. If you have too much sebum your hair can start to look too greasy. In such a case it would make sense to wash it.
You need to find a washing schedule that works for you and your hair.
Related post: How often should you wash your hair
3. Eat A Healthy Diet
Your diet also has a part to play in keeping your scalp healthy. You can’t expect to fertilise a garden patch with meaningless nutrients and expect it bare the best crops. It doesn’t work like that.
You need to make sure that you are feeding your body with the best nutrients in order to keep your scalp as healthy as possible.
You need to make sure that you incorporate enough fruits and vegetables into your diet to give your hair and scalp the best possible chance.
4. Remove Scalp Buildup
Having scalp build-up is not good. Not only can it sometimes be noticeable but it also affects the way that your scalp behaves and your hair grows.
It’s important that you keep an eye on your scalp to make sure that it remains buildup free.
Having build up on your scalp means that your scalp cannot easily breathe. This can lead to a number of scalp problems such as dryness, itchiness and in some worst-case scenarios hair loss.
If you find that you are getting a lot of buildup on your scalp then you need to look into using a good clarifying shampoo and also look at the frequency in which you are washing your hair.
5. Incorporate Scalp Massages
Massaging your scalp not only feels really good but it has immense benefits too.
When you massage your scalp you help the blood circulate around your scalp and also deliver the nutrients that your scalp needs.
As an added bonus you also help to disburse toxins that may have built up.
Scalp massages feel extremely good and are so liberating when it comes to feeling stress and tension.
Doing regular scalp massages also helps with hair growth as it relaxes the hair follicles which encourages growth.
Related post: Why scalp massages are good for hair growth
6. Use Products That Are Gentle
The products that you use in your hair also make a difference in keeping your scalp healthy or not.
Some products can be a little too harsh for your hair and could irritate it. Some products can also cause rapid scalp build-up which in essence makes it difficult for your hair to breathe.
Where possible it’s best to stay away from products that contain silicone, parabens and sulfates as these ingredients can be a little harsh and irritate your scalp.
7. Keep Your Scalp Balanced
Did you know that your hair needs to keep its balance?
What do I mean by that?
Well, your scalp has pH balance and when that is thrown off it causes your hair to become dry and cause all sorts of problems.
The pH balance of the scalp is 5.5, and the hair shaft is 3.67. When this balance becomes unbalanced it affects the health of our scalp.
How Do You Keep The pH Balance Of Your Scalp Stable?
There are a few little changes that you can make to keep the pH balance of your scalp stable.
Try washing your hair with a balancing shampoo like this one.
Try massaging a small amount of aloe vera juice into your scalp.
You can also do an apple cider vinegar rinse which is great for balancing.
Deep conditioning your hair is also another great thing that you can do to help your scalp as well as your hair.
4 Signs Of An Unhealthy Scalp
If you are not sure what an unhealthy scalp looks like here are a few tell-tale signs to look out for:
- Dry flaky scalp
- Itchiness of the scalp
- Dandruff
- Redness or soreness of the scalp
Final Thoughts On How To Keep Your Scalp Healthy
Having a healthy scalp is so important to the health of your hair. Once you look after your scalp, healthy hair will follow.
The above tips will help you to make sure that you keep your scalp on track.
Let me know which of these tips you will be incorporating into your routine!
Related posts:
What to do about an itchy scalp
8 Benefits of sea moss you need to know
How to recognise product buildup in your hair