These Factors May Affect Your Scalp's Health
Key Takeaways
- External and internal factors can affect scalp health.
- Dry, itchy, and red scalp each have specific causes and are sometimes related to medical conditions.
- OLAPLEX No.0.5 Scalp Longevity Treatment™ and No.4C Bond Maintenance® Clarifying Shampoo can support scalp and hair health.
Jump to
- What Affects the Scalp from the Outside?
- What Affects the Scalp from the Inside?
- Causes of Scalp Dryness, Itchiness, and Redness
- Supporting a Healthy Scalp
These Factors May Affect Your Scalp's Health
Why is scalp health the most underestimated hair concern, when it’s the root of many hair concerns? It’s the last place we look, but when we experience symptoms such as limp or unmanageable hair, there are many factors that affect scalp health to consider. Overall, when you don’t maintain the integrity of your hair, it creates a domino effect for its health. When you start at the scalp, hair health improves.
What Affects the Scalp from the Outside?
External factors, including coloring and processing the hair, are some of the leading causes of poor scalp health. Healthy-looking hair is only as good as the scalp it comes from, so scalp care is essential. Color and other harsh salon chemicals can not only irritate the scalp but also lead to damaged hair.
What Affects the Scalp from the Inside?
In addition to external factors, there are internal factors that affect scalp health, too. Stress, hormones, and aging can affect the integrity of our hair. Looking inward and addressing what our bodies need can help with our scalp health from the inside out.
Harvard University researchers found that stress impairs hair follicle stem cells, which can slow down or impede hair growth. Daily practices can help you reduce stress, such as meditation and exercise. What you eat also affects your scalp health. B vitamins such as B6, folic acid, and B12 are important for forming red blood cells that nourish the scalp and hair follicles. A diet rich in foods that contain iron, like dark leafy greens, helps strengthen and revitalize hair, and so can consuming avocados, legumes, nuts, chia seeds, and collagen.
Causes of Scalp Dryness, Itchiness, and Redness
When it comes to all-too-common scalp conditions like dryness, itchiness, and redness, several factors can be at play. Often, scalp complaints have to do with easy fixes like scalp hydration and preventing product buildup. In some cases, a medical condition may be behind scalp concerns, so be sure to consult your healthcare provider. Learn more about causes of a dry, itchy, or red scalp.
What Causes Itchy Scalp?
Itchy scalp can be from dryness, oiliness, inflammation, or raised/bumpy skin. It can also stem from dandruff, psoriasis, tinea capitis, seborrheic dermatitis, eczema, or head lice. For these medical conditions, be sure to contact your healthcare provider.
What Causes Red Scalp?
Red scalp may occur when there’s excess oil. That can lead to a buildup of skin cells, which can create redness and flakiness. Red scalp can also be the result of sunburn or conditions including dandruff, psoriasis, seborrheic dermatitis, contact dermatitis, diffuse lichen planopilaris, dermatomyositis, and scalp rosacea. If you’re experiencing these conditions, please contact your healthcare provider.
Supporting a Healthy Scalp
In addition to contacting your healthcare provider about scalp concerns, support a healthy scalp by keeping it hydrated and buildup-free.
OLAPLEX No.0.5 Scalp Longevity Treatment™ sets the foundations for long-term scalp and hair health. Incorporate it into your daily hair routine to moisturize, soothe, and hydrate the scalp while helping maintain a healthy scalp microbiome. To use, part hair at the scalp in sections. Apply directly to scalp. Gently massage for even distribution and to ensure proper absorption. Style as usual.
We also recommend cleansing your hair once a week with OLAPLEX Nº.4C Bond Maintenance® Clarifying Shampoo to prevent buildup that could be clogging your hair follicles. This clarifying shampoo removes damaging product buildup, excess oil, hard water minerals, chlorine, heavy metals, and pollutants. To use, apply to wet hair. Lather. Rinse. Use weekly in place of regular shampoo. Follow with a conditioner like No.5 Bond Maintenance® Conditioner.
A healthy scalp supports natural hair growth and hair integrity, so be sure to give your scalp the care and attention it needs.
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