How To Treat Sensitive Scalp And Ensure Its Health?

Sensitive scalp is a common condition that many people complain about. It usually grips your scalp health during an obvious change of season or otherwise can happen due to a bunch of other internal as well as external reasons. When the scalp becomes irritable, inflamed, red and painful. In most cases, scalp sensitivity goes away on its own and does not require proper treatment. But it is also treated with medication sometimes if there are signs of some other underlying conditions.

But even before we get into the treatment of sensitive scalp and understand what all can be done to tackle this condition, let’s focus on identifying if you even have it! It can be easily confused with other skin diseases like psoriasis or eczema etc. Mentioned below are a few symptoms for sensitive scalp.

• When you have a sensitive scalp, you may experience pain, inflammation, tingling, numbness, irritation, throbbing or itching on the scalp. You may also see a clubbed surfacing of these conditions. One or more.
• Sometimes, a sensitive scalp can be caused by conditions of the blood vessels or nerves surrounding the scalp.
• As such, while there are no visible symptoms, but one may see signs like peeling, flaking and scaling of the skin.
• This condition may also be accompanied by other conditions such as headaches, allergies, psoriasis, eczema and hair loss.
• Other skin conditions that it may be linked with include rashes, sunburns, insect bites, head lice and psoriasis.

Causes

Once we have identified if we have the condition or not, the next logical step is to briefly understand the cause of this condition. It is always beneficial to know what is causing it so that it can be tackled head-on and removed completely. If nothing, at least managed in the best way possible. Few causes of a sensitive scalp can be as follows,

1. Dandruff

One of the most common complaint with sensitive skin is dandruff where the collection of natural oil causes the overgrowth of a certain bacteria that in turn makes a film overall scalp. This film of sebum and the bacteria causes the skin cells on your scalp to shed faster than they can be removed from the area. In some cases, dandruff can also be caused by fungal infection or ringworm. While the treatment can be done at home or through regular hygiene, some people prefer to seek professional help in case of severe scalp sensitivity. One of the very common and hassle-free treatments to get rid of this scalp sensitivity is to use an anti-dandruff shampoo. World’s No.1 antidandruff shampoo – Head & Shoulders shampoo helps in reducing and managing dandruff when used regularly. Head & Shoulders also has an all-new 2-in-1 range which has the shampoo as well as the conditioner in the same product. This helps in moisturizing the scalp and in keeping dry scalp at bay. Variants in this 2-in-1 range like cool menthol and silky smooth among others make sure that you get dual benefits with just one product. That is, not just a dandruff-free scalp but also great hair overall.

2. Psoriasis

Psoriasis of the scalp can lead to scalp tenderness and sensitivity. There is evident flaking or crusting of the skin. Unlike dandruff, the skin is dry with a silvery sheen. The main causes of psoriasis include stress, imbalance in the hormones, dry air or cold or extreme weather conditions that your scalp skin may not be used to.

3. Lichen planus

This is another skin condition in which there may be visible sensitivity of the scalp. It may cause the scalp to scale or flake. The cause of this condition is usually brought about by stress or as a side effect of a medical treatment that you may have gone through.

There are a bunch of other common causes of this condition which include generic and commonly found things and habits such as the ones mentioned below:

• Chemotherapy
• Acne
• Cysts
• Allergic reactions
• Infections of the skin cells or hair follicles
• Tight hairstyles, headbands and helmets
• Hairdryers, flat irons and curlers
• Regular or improper use of hair products such as dyes and relaxers
• Irregular and non-nutritious diets
• Stress

But worry not ladies and gentlemen, there is nothing that cannot be tackled. There is always a solution for everything and there is one for this too. This condition can be tackled organically and without any harsh treatment or doctor’s visits. Happy to hear that? Take a look below to see the ways of dealing with a sensitive scalp.

A Balanced Diet!

A hale and hearty supply of vitamins and minerals to your body are as important for the rest of the body as it is for your scalp. A good balance of fats, carbs, proteins, vitamins and minerals can work wonders in this case. We know that often we are unable to take care of our health and the general food patterns. However, ensure that you consume some of these foods to make sure that your scalp health is taken care of.

Some things that are good for your skin in terms of vegetarian food are carrots, green tea, brown rice, walnuts, green peas, lentils, bell peppers, cottage cheese, pumpkin seeds whole grains and blueberries amongst several other food items. And some non-vegetarian diets when followed that benefit your scalp include meats like shrimp, bacon, beef, oysters, eggs and salmon. An overall presence of protein and lubricating vitamins and minerals like vitamin B and Omega-3 fatty acids are generally found to be beneficial for your scalp.

Moisturization Of The Scalp

Moisturising the scalp can help you stay away from unnecessary dryness of the scalp. This usually helps fight too much shedding of the skin cells and therefore considerably reduces the visible flakes on your shoulders, clothes, hair, pillowcases, etc.

A common way to moisturize your scalp is to massage your scalp with coconut oil. Coconut oil provides the appropriate amount of moisture to your scalp and keeps it healthy. Other oils can also be used like jojoba, olive and avocado oil.

You can also treat a sensitive scalp with a wash of Apple Cider Vinegar which restores the balance of the scalp along with its moisture.

After you do all these treatments to your scalp you must wash your hair and scalp with an anti-dandruff shampoo like the highly recommended Head & Shoulders. The Head & Shoulders 2-in-1 range has the dual benefits of a healthy and dandruff scalp as well as great, smooth and silky hair.

Steaming your hair and scalp is another technique that when used on regular intervals, is found to be effective in fighting dryness and shedding of the dead skin cells. Dryness is a common cause for itching, pain and irritation of the scalp.

And what more! Full body hydration is good enough to also positively affect your scalp health. Do you drink at least 8 glasses of water every day? Generally having a higher intake water will make your skin cells more supple and smoother and there will be less dryness and shedding of the skin of the scalp.

Other Ways To Protect Your Scalp?

Well, you may be happy to hear this that these are not the only ways in which you can get a healthy scalp and keep the scalp sensitivity at bay. There are some more ways too!

• Protective gear: Cover your hair with a hat, scarf or some headgear to protect it from heat and the external harsh environment.

• Protective hairstyles: Even though it might be difficult to flaunt yourself in the best of your style in a protective hairstyle, trying to sport one from time to time helps to keep the scalp moisturized and healthy.

While we may know all the tips and tricks to deal with a sensitive scalp, it may always be difficult to keep your scalp healthy that way. Especially with the seasonal changes and the erratic lifestyle that most of us city dwellers lead.

Here is where the daily habits that you imbibe play a major role in the maintenance of a healthy scalp. Food habits, hairstyling habits, and washing habits should be the key habits that you must focus on.

One of the most important and easy habits that you can take up to fight sensitive scalp is to use shampoos developed for scalp sensitivity. Head & Shoulders is one of the best and most recommended anti-dandruff shampoos that can help in the improvement and maintenance of your scalp health. It has the 2-in-1 range which also uses natural ingredients like menthol, etc to give dual benefits. Great scalp health as well as great hair!

There is nothing to worry about now that we’ve got your scalp health and sensitivity taken care of. Be good, be healthy and go paint the town red because the world is your oyster!!