Scalp care has started gaining attention because nowadays people are very aware, with social media increasingly talking about scalp care and hair care. We need to understand that balanced scalp health is very important for stronger hair growth because there are many people who usually have a lot of sebum production on the scalp, and this actually affects hair growth as well as causes hair fall, shares Dr. Stuti Khare Shukla, MD Dermatologist, founder of Elements of Aesthetics and non- surgical hair growth booster.Rising pollution, hard water exposure, or frequent chemical treatments, as well as using products with different pHs, can actually affect scalp health. People now usually know that there is something beyond hair care: it’s scalp care, because they understand the importance of hair follicles, which actually erupt out of the scalp. That is why people have started paying attention to scalp sensitivity, scalp oiling, extra oil that is produced on the scalp, as well as dandruff-related issues.Some of the most common concerning symptoms are associated dandruff, itching, irritation, sensitive scalp, redness, inflammation, as well as oily scalp, scalp tenderness, burning sensation, folliculitis, and sometimes people also have a lot of crust as well as inflammation. Sometimes the odor is very bad on the scalp, and there is excessive hair shedding. Sometimes patients also start developing fungal infections.These could actually be because of multiple conditions happening, like seborrheic dermatitis, psoriasis, fungal infection, eczema, and many other inflammatory scalp disorders which need to be evaluated.Scalp health affects hair growth because the scalp actually has the hair follicles which produce hair strands. And because of excess sebum production or poor scalp hygiene, it can actually disrupt the hair follicles.For a healthy scalp, in order that the hair length is good as well as the hair thickness is good, it’s important to have a healthy scalp because it supports optimal hair follicle function, and it also improves the nutrition as well as oxygen level, and reduces the inflammation which can actually happen and cause a lot of hair loss issues.All these things are equally important to ensure that a person sees good hair growth.Common mistakes are that people start using oil for overnight application and they use it regularly also, despite having dandruff as well as oily scalp. They also use very hot water for washing the scalp, use very high-dose chemical shampoos that are overloaded with chemicals. And sometimes they’re afraid of shampooing and keep using the oils for a very long time.Because of not having proper hygiene with the hair, the sebum production could actually increase and trigger scalp folliculitis. One more mistake that people usually do is that they apply the conditioner mask directly on the scalp rather than applying it on the hair length.Frequent heat styling and chemical treatment can also disrupt the skin barrier. Scratching aggressively could trigger it, as could ignoring dandruff-related issues. Sometimes people also use steroids for a long time because they don’t know that it could be harmful. So, self-medication also needs to be avoided.It depends on the type of scalp they have. If they have oily or active scalp, then they can use ketoconazole, zinc pyrithione, selenium sulfide, salicylic acid. All these are meant for oily scalp.If they have dry or sensitive scalp, they should use ingredients like ceramides, panthenol, niacinamide, cocoa butter, shea butter, and aloe vera. All these are meant for dry, sensitive scalp.Tips for maintaining a healthy scalp include making sure that you wash your scalp at least twice a week. If you have an oily scalp, you can wash it more frequently. Choose shampoos which are formulated according to your scalp type. For example, salicylic acid-based shampoo if you have a very oily scalp, or glycerin-based or ceramide-based shampoo if you have a dry, flaky scalp. Avoid excessive product buildup from styling products and need to protect your scalp from excessive prolonged UV exposure also. Always eat healthy protein, that is 1 gram per kg body weight of protein. Good fatty acids are important for maintaining the barrier of the scalp, and stress also needs to be managed as it could actually trigger inflammation and cause scalp issues.It is also important to avoid excessive heat styling products and not use oil very frequently for a very long duration.
