Maintaining your hair health comes at the cost of investing in decent products that aren’t harsh on your scalp, a dedicated hair care regimen, some research and robbing a little time out of your busy schedule.
The health of your hair and scalp depends on a lot of factors. While genetic contribution to your hair health isn’t actually in your hands, you can still look out for external signs that add to your hair fall and make them damaged. One of those reasons being Scalp Inflammation.
Scalp inflammation is basically a skin condition that persists when the hair follicles present on your scalp become irritated or inflamed.
So What Actually Is Scalp Inflammation?
Scalp inflammation is basically a skin condition that persists when the hair follicles present on your scalp become irritated or inflamed.
Do I Suffer From Scalp Inflammation?
Do you experience flakiness on your scalp and see white dust like particles on your black hoodies? Is your scalp itchy most of the time? Do you complain of red and painful patches on your scalp? If your answers to these questions is a Yes, then these are all signs of Scalp Inflammation.
Understanding 5 Signs Of Scalp Inflammation
1. Your Scalp Feels Itchy All The Time
Do you just catch your fingers trying to get rid of an itchy sensation on your scalp while you’re in the middle of some work and notice that your scalp feels itchy all the time?
Well, this is actually the basic sign of Scalp Inflammation. Just like your skin feels itchy when there’s a problem, the same goes for your scalp too. This might actually be a skin condition called Seborrheic Dermatitis that is caused due to a number of factors like hormones, seasonal changes and uncleanliness of your scalp.
2. Theres A lot of Flakiness
Well the white snow looks great on all the other places except your hair! So make sure you get rid of them by ensuring that your scalp is clean. Scalp Flakiness can be caused by a number of reasons: few of them being oily scalp, unclean scalp or using a product that doesn’t suit your scalp type. So look out for signs and make sure that you stop oiling your hair for a while because that would make the condition worse. Instead opt for oil-free hair serums that are light-weight and don’t weigh your hair down.
3. You See Buildup and Residue
Scalp buildup is one of the most common conditions we face related to our scalp. It occurs when our scalp’s natural oil secretion called ‘sebum’ gets accumulated and mixed with dirt, hair products and sweat. The problem persists when you fail to cleanse your hair and keep your scalp free from products that hold back residue. So the first step to getting rid of buildup is to switch to shampoos and conditioners that don’t leave their footprints on your scalp. Next, make sure you’re cleansing your hair thoroughly so that there’s no buildup up sebum. Brush through your hair to detangle and break up buildup at the same time.
4. Red Patches are the Red Flags
Red patches on your scalp can be actually alarming because they can be a symptom of an underlying skin disease called Scalp Psoriasis, which makes your scalp red and raised. The condition persists when there’s something your cells multiply quickly and cause a buildup on your scalp.
However, every time, red patches might not be related to Psoriasis. Most of the time your scalp might get irritated by some of the ingredients present in your hair care products. So next time, ensure that you’re well versed with the products you’re using and make sure they’re not harsh.
5. You feel Pain on Some Parts of Your Scalp
If you’re experiencing even the slightest pain in some part of your scalp, that doesn’t go away, chances are that your hair follicles are inflamed. The scalp might also swell up at places and have an annoying sensation, marked with pain. It is possible that you’re suffering from either of the skin conditions: Folliculitis, Furunculosisor Carbunculosis. These are all infections of the hair follicles that can cause scalp sensitivity. They are often sore and painful to touch. To treat these, make sure you cleanse your hair gently and keep away harsh shampoos and conditioners and opt for gentler ones. Pick up an essential oil like rosemary or lavender that are beneficial in healing pain causing sores.
How To Prevent It?
The basic step of preventing Scalp Inflammation is keeping your scalp clean, just as you do it for your face. Cleansing your scalp is equally important as cleansing your face. One would never go for days without washing their face right? So why do it with your scalp? Scalp is a part of your skin that requires enough care from your end.
Some products and ingredients you can look out for:
- Choose a gentle shampoo infused with Coconut Oil that not cleanses your hair gently, but also keeps your scalp moisturised without weighing your hair down or causing irritation. Dry scalp tends to cause irritation, so choosing such a shampoo will help prevent your scalp problems.
- Get your hands on a good Tea Tree Oil, especially the one that is also infused with Terepenin-O. Both these ingredients have anti-microbial properties that not only soothes your irritated scalp but also keeps away dandruff.
- Peppermint is an active ingredient that helps calm inflamed hair follicles. You can either use a Peppermint oil or go for a Peppermint infused hair conditioner that would fulfil the need of both your scalp and hair.
Apart from using these products, you can try out some basic home remedies that require minimal efforts and ingredients
1. Use an Aloe Vera paste on your scalp that would act as a moisturiser and soothe the irritation. It is loaded with anti-fungal properties that will curb your flaking, redness and itching.
2. If you’re unable to get a Peppermint infused hair product, there’s nothing better than Peppermint Oil. It is a great ingredient when it comes to fighting dandruff and soothing irritated scalp. Mix it up with some amount of olive oil and apply gently on your scalp. Keep it on for some time and rinse it off using a gentle shampoo.
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