How to care for the scalp
TEXT:Daria Burkova
WE USE THE MOST DIFFERENT MEANS for hair care, holim and cherish them in salons, but often forget about the scalp. The maximum that she gets in most cases is the use of shampoo and a massage comb. At the same time, the appearance of the hair depends on the condition of the scalp. Yes, already regrown and damaged the correct care of the scalp will not change, but it will definitely affect the quality of future hair. With the help of Svetlana Kobzeva, Lead Technologist O'right in Russia, Tevoli dermatologist and cosmetologist Victoria Sokolova, and Art Director of the Matrix creative team Mila Zyukova, we understand the intricacies of caring for this part of the body.
Healthy scalp care
The hair consists of two parts: the visible part — the stem — and the hair follicle in the skin. The follicle, or bulb, is the root of the hair, which is responsible for its nutrition, growth and recovery. It is possible to hope for good quality of growing hair when enough protein, fats, vitamins and microelements come to the follicle, and the level of blood supply remains constant. If the follicle dies, respectively, the hair dies. In addition, sebaceous glands are attached to the follicle, through which the sebaceous secret is derived. If it is too much or not enough, the process of skin renewal is disturbed, the hair shaft becomes weaker, and the hair may begin to thin and fall out. You can understand that everything is in order with your scalp, you can by the absence of dandruff, itching, excessive fat content and any unpleasant sensations, as well as by the satisfying quality of the hair that grows from it.
In this case, you can not bother much and follow fairly simple rules in the care of this area. First, you need to decide on the choice of shampoo, which should be searched based on the needs of the scalp, not the hair. At the same time, even healthy scalp may be different for different people - be drier or fatter due to natural causes, such as invincible genetics. Everyday shampoo should be selected, paying attention to the type of scalp and a balanced pH level. Despite the simplicity of the rules, choosing a cleanser is still a challenge for many. If during the years of torment and reflection you haven’t found your very shampoo, then the time has come to go to an appointment with a trichologist: do not neglect the advice of a professional who will be given to you personally.
For a healthy scalp, it is enough to do a peeling once a month, and at the same time to carry out a massage of the head.
When the issue with shampoo is solved, you should think about another product for deep cleansing. Sometimes the scalp should be pampered just like the face, on which we often use acid peels and cleansing masks. It can be scrubs or special peels for the scalp, which are applied before washing your hair or even overnight. Trichologists agree that the last option is the most optimal. As part of these products, look for acids that you already know: glycolic and salicylic. By the way, peeling can be replaced with additional shampoo with acids, which can be applied in advance on dry scalp five to ten minutes before washing. For a healthy scalp, it is enough to do peeling once a month, and at the same time to carry out a massage of the head. However, this free option should not be neglected on an ongoing basis: massage enhances the local blood circulation, which affects the nutrition of the bulbs. In addition, scalp peels are often included in salon treatments for hair, so if you regularly combine haircut and coloring with additional care, you can ignore home peels.
Victoria Sokolova says that the skin on her head is completely self-sufficient and does not require special care. To maintain its good condition, it is most important to monitor overall health: eat right, drink enough water, and follow the level of essential vitamins and microelements. In addition, it is important not to allow negative environmental effects on the scalp: a long stay in the sun or frost, frequent washing with too acidic or too alkaline water, aggressive dyes. If you are often in the sun or go to the sauna - wear a hat. If you often dye hair at the roots and the composition falls on the scalp, do it only in a proven salon and be careful with independent staining.
When something went wrong
As in the case of the skin of the face and body, there are many diseases of the scalp, their reasons as well, and, as a rule, they are associated with disruption of the body. In rare cases, the causes of trouble with the scalp are improper care, abuse of styling products and chemical procedures. Moreover, problems with the scalp usually go together with skin problems of the whole body. The reasons can be mass, from hormonal imbalances and infections to diseases of the organs and the blood-lymphatic system. In such cases, you should immediately consult a doctor: the treatment of excessive oily scalp and acne will not be successful without addressing the root cause.
There are also a number of diseases of the scalp caused by external factors: fungi and bacteria. The most popular example is the familiar dandruff. In addition to the fungus, which is normally present in the microflora of the scalp in a small amount, but under the influence of various factors, its content can increase, dandruff can provoke changes in the work of sebaceous glands, skin diseases, hormonal failure. Alas, popular dandruff shampoos act only cosmetically and are quite capable of harm, so it’s best to consult a specialist who will prescribe a pharmacy. Other common illnesses include eczema, seborrhea and psoriasis - you guessed it, this is also a direct way to get a doctor.
Alas, the popular dandruff shampoos act only cosmetically and are quite capable of harm, so it’s best to consult a specialist who will prescribe a pharmacy
Nevertheless, sometimes we ourselves provoke problems with the scalp. This may be increased sensitivity, itching, dryness or, conversely, excessive fat. “When washing the head, the water should not be hot, and masks and conditioners are applied only to the length - exceptions are specialized products for the scalp. Drying the hair is also necessary in the cool mode of the dryer, as high temperatures stimulate the sebaceous glands,” Mila Zyukova advises. In addition to abnormally similar care products, the temperature of the water and the air of the hair dryer, frequent staining, excessive use of styling products for the volume of hair and many dry shampoos, which are common to many, affect the condition of the scalp. Choose products without ignoring the features of your skin.
If your scalp has become sensitive and itchy, use serums, lotions and ampoules with soothing properties. If you usually feel dryness unusual for it, look for products with moisturizing and nourishing properties, you have found fatness - look at the note "seborrhea". With the peeling of the scalp and excessive fat content it will also be useful to use peels more often (once or twice a week depending on the situation) - this will help the serums work better. Of course, it is necessary to exclude means and procedures that provoke a problem, and if this is not possible, then at least reduce the frequency of their use. You should not expect instant results from the use of additional funds, but if the care of the scalp becomes a habit, in a couple of months the result can be assessed by the quality of freshly grown hair.
What to do with a fallout
"Hair loss can be caused by a large number of reasons: both genetic, and external, and internal. General recommendations are reduced to enhanced nutrition of hair follicles with the help of special drugs that are rubbed into the scalp. Prescriptions for nutrition, medication and additional procedures should do the doctor based on the patient's tests, "says Mila Zyukova. Frequently, changes in hormonal levels, an improper diet, frequent chemical procedures, and stress lead to hair loss in women. The last factors are the most innocent, and the problem is solved by their elimination. It is worth remembering that the hair reacts to everything with a delay of several months. Loss of stress or abuse of fast food should just endure. If the hair has already been rubbing for several months and is not planning to stop, this is already a good reason for a visit to the doctor and testing for hormones.
Hair loss due to hormonal changes can occur for natural reasons during adolescence, during pregnancy and immediately after it and, of course, during menopause. “To prevent such problems, it is very important for preventive purposes to start skincare products as early as possible. Then this process can be stopped and controlled,” says Svetlana Kobzeva. Means against hair loss work in two directions at once: hold the follicles in the skin more tightly and stimulate the growth of new hair from inactive follicles. To see the result of products for hair growth, you need to use them for a long time (at least three months) and exclude other problems with the scalp, and if they are, combine the drugs. For example, one day use seboreguliruyuschuyu serum, and the next - a means for hair growth. It will not be superfluous to pass the analysis on vitamins and microelements. For example, hair can often grow slowly due to lack of zinc.
PHOTO: Cosmico, Krason, Sephora (1, 2), Parapharmacie, Beauty Mania, ProHairShop, Aroma Butik, Sesderma