When picking out hair care products, the focus is often on what will make hair shiny, soft or even what smells the best. But healthy hair starts at the root.
Here’s why a healthy scalp is important and tips to improve your hair care.
So why is a healthy scalp so important?
The average scalp has about 100,000 follicles, and each follicle contains a hair root that’s made of protein that eventually grows a hair. These follicles also produce an oil that helps keep the scalp moisturized, protected, soft and shiny. If you don’t take good care of your scalp, you could face everything from hair breakage and lack of shine to dandruff, psoriasis and even premature hair loss.
In order to create an environment for healthy hair to grow, you have to keep your scalp and follicles clean and clear of excess oil and dead skin, and that starts with using the right kind of products.
Tip #1: Choose gentle hair care products
When it comes to shampoos and conditioners, avoid those that contain sulfates, which have the potential to remove too much moisture from your hair and leave your scalp dry and irritated. Made with sulfate-free surfactants, Aveeno® Scalp Soothing Oat Milk Blend Shampoo and Conditioner lightly nourish and soften strands from root to tip, with farm-to-shower fresh ingredients that work together to cleanse and help nourish your scalp.
Tip #2: Include treatment oils or serums
Along with gentle shampoos and conditioners, treatment oils or serums can help to remove buildup and provide an extra layer of moisture. The Maui Moisture® Scalp Care Soothe & Strengthen Serum is infused with rosemary oil and aloe vera to help prevent scalp flakiness and strengthen your hair from outside in. The hair strengthener enhances shine and provides a 48-hour frizz control with every use.
Tip #3: Address dry scalp issues
If you’re already suffering from dry scalp conditions like psoriasis, seborrheic dermatitis and dandruff, treat your symptoms with a therapeutic scalp shampoo like Neutrogena® T/Sal Therapeutic Shampoo. This effective formula contains 3% salicylic acid — a clinically proven active ingredient to treat scalp conditions like dandruff, seborrheic dermatitis and psoriasis — that continues to work for hours even after it is rinsed off, all while being free of added color, preservatives and fragrance.
Tip #4: Seek help to treat thinning hair
There’s no doubt it can be frustrating to experience your hair thinning. While there are a variety of factors that can contribute to hair loss, one way to treat it is to use a topical hair thinning treatment that regrows hair on the top of the scalp, like Rogaine® 5% Minoxidil Foam for Hair Regrowth, available for both men and women.
Unlike thickening shampoos that temporarily coat the hair, Rogaine® hair-regrowth foam penetrates the scalp to reactivate shrunken hair follicles, allowing for the regrowth of thinning hair. The 5% Minoxidil formula works to boost hair follicle activity and increase protein production to stimulate hair regrowth, with visible results in as little as 12 weeks.
Tried all the tips and still struggling with flakes or itch? Talk to your dermatologist for their recommendations on getting and maintaining a healthy scalp.