How To Get Rid Of Dry Scalp | 6 Easy Home Remedies For Flaky, Dry Scalps
If you have a dry flaky scalp and not dandruff, here's how to get rid of dry scalp easily. Just using coconut oil or other moisturizers isn’t enough. You need to try these dry scalp home remedies too.
A sudden increase in dandruff or an itchy scalp may indicate a dry scalp. Since dry scalp can cause hair loss, it is essential to take care of it as soon as you notice it.
This article provides information on how to identify a dry scalp, the causes of dryness, and how to prevent and treat it.
There are cases that can be improved simply by paying attention to daily lifestyle and care methods such as shampooing and drying, so please refer to this article to maintain a healthy scalp environment.
Related: Best Shampoo For Dry Itchy Scalp
Related: How To Cleanse Your Scalp Buildup
How to tell if you have dry, flaky scalp and not dandruff?
If you experience any of these symptoms, watch out for dry scalp
Large amount of dandruff
When the scalp becomes dry, a large amount of dandruff will appear. The scalp's metabolism pushes old skin cells up to the surface of the skin and replaces them with new skin. When the skin is dry, the skin replacement cycle speeds up, resulting in a large amount of dandruff.
Itchy head
When the scalp is dry, it becomes more sensitive to irritation. This is due to the lack of moisture that protects the surface of the scalp. Even the slightest irritation can cause itching, and scratching can further aggravate the skin environment, creating a vicious cycle.
Increased hair loss
Dry skin can induce inflammation. Although there is no direct relationship between dryness and hair loss, worsening inflammation can adversely affect hair growth and cause increased hair loss.
Scalp feels sticky
When you touch a moist scalp, you can feel its soft elasticity. If the scalp feels sticky, it is likely that there is a lack of moisture in the scalp. This is due to a decrease in the amount of moisture and sebum in the scalp.
How To Get Rid Of Dry Scalp
Choose an appropriate shampoo
If you want to treat dry scalp with a daily shampoo, choose an amino acid-based and betaine-based shampoo. Shampoos are broadly classified into the following four types of detergents:
- Higher alcohol-based
- Soap-based
- Amino acid-based
- Betaine-based
Amino acid-based and betaine-based shampoos are less irritating to the scalp, making them ideal for treating an already weak scalp. Amino acid-based and betaine-based shampoos also help keep the scalp moist because they do not wash away too much sebum, even if the scalp tends to be dry due to a lack of sebum.
In contrast, higher alcohol and soap-based shampoos are characterized by strong irritation and high cleaning power. Therefore, they are suitable for those who apply a lot of hair styling products such as hard wax.
Choose a shampoo that contains ceramide
It is also recommended to choose a shampoo that contains an ingredient called ceramide.
Ceramide is an ingredient that keeps hair and scalp moist and protects them from dryness, so using a shampoo containing ceramide can be expected to protect the scalp from dryness and UV rays.
In addition, it also reinforces the hair cuticle, which helps to keep hair strong and shiny and to maintain hair moisture.
Learn how to shampoo properly
No matter how many scalp-healthy ingredients are contained in the shampoo, if there is a problem with the shampooing method, the moisturizing effect will not be realized.
First, massage the scalp with lukewarm water to remove about 80% of dirt, and then shampoo the scalp by pressing the shampoo into the scalp while lathering it in the palm of your hand. It is important to wash with your fingers and carefully rinse off all the lather after shampooing.
Eat a well-balanced diet
When the diet is disordered, nutrients necessary for hair production and skin metabolism are not sufficiently secreted to the scalp.
The necessary nutrients ingested by the body are preferentially used for organs essential to sustain life, so if there are not enough nutrients ingested, there will not be enough to send to the scalp.
Make sure to eat three well-balanced meals a day and supplement any missing nutrients.
Dry hair properly
Spending long periods of time with wet hair and scalp (e.gnaturally drying) can have a negative impact on the scalp environment.
Do not rub your hair and scalp with a towel, but press it gently to absorb moisture and use a hair dryer to dry it.
When using a hair dryer, keep the distance from the scalp and dry the hair in small movements so that the heat is not concentrated on a single point.
Moisturizing your hair regularly
Just like the skin on the body and face, the scalp needs moisturizing care. There are two types of scalp moisturizing care products: lotion and cream types. Cream types can cause hair to become sticky, so lotion types are recommended.
Moisturizing care should be done before applying a hair dryer. By doing so, you can not only protect your scalp from damage caused by heat from the hair dryer, but also get into the habit of remembering to take care of your scalp every day.
What causes dry scalp?
Having a dry skin type
Those with dry skin on the body and face tend to have dry scalp as well. Dry skin is congenital and is caused by an innate lack of hyaluronic acid, collagen, and other moisturizing ingredients.
Moisturizing the scalp is often forgotten, but it directly affects the environment in which hair grows, so it is important to take extra care of it.
Incorrect showering.
Even casual daily showers can cause dryness. When you sweat a lot, such as during the summer, you may shower repeatedly to refresh yourself. Shampooing washes away sebum, so if you shampoo several times a day, you lose even the sebum necessary for moisture retention.
Also, taking a hot shower (40 °C or higher) will wash away the necessary sebum, so use lukewarm water for shampooing.
Wrong choice of shampoo.
The choice of shampoo is also important. If you use a shampoo with high detergency because you have a lot of oil, you may lose even the necessary natural oils in scalp. Too low detergency is also a problem, but a shampoo with a good balance between detergency and moisturizing care must be chosen.
Excessive stress
Surprisingly, excessive stress can also cause dry scalp. Blood flow through the capillaries lining the scalp is very important for maintaining a healthy scalp environment.
Excessive stress can disrupt the autonomic nervous system, resulting in poor blood flow to the scalp and impaired metabolism. This also prevents the secretion of moisturizing ingredients, which can cause dryness.
Poor nutritional balance
The nutritional balance of the diet has a direct influence on body functions. A well-balanced diet and a reduction in fatty foods can help improve dry skin.
It is also effective to keep a written record of your diet and take supplements to supplement missing nutrients.
Drying your hair incorrectly.
It is important to dry your hair, because if your hair stays wet, it is harmful to both your hair and your scalp.
However, if you try to dry your hair in a hurry and keep applying a high-temperature hair dryer from close up, it can cause your scalp to dry out. This is because not only the moisture in the hair is lost, but also the moisture in the scalp.
The heat emitted from a hair dryer can reach nearly 100 °C, so be careful not to apply too much heat to the scalp.
For best results, hold the hair dryer away from the hair and blow air between the scalp and the roots of the hair, moving the hair dryer in a fine motion.
Spending too much time in an air-conditioned room
People who spend a lot of time in air-conditioned rooms also increase the risk of scalp dryness. Compared to the natural outdoor air, the air released by air conditioning is very dry.
This is the reason why your throat and skin become parched after being on an airplane for a long flight. The moisture in the scalp also dries out with the air conditioned air, so moisturizing care is necessary.
Frequent perms and hair coloring.
Chemicals used for perms and hair coloring can be alkaline or acidic. Alkaline agents are used in perms and hair dyes because they weaken the molecular bonds in the hair. Oxidizing agents are often used to fix pigments in the hair and to improve the color of the dye.
If these agents adhere to the scalp, they may cause rashes, dryness, or eczema. Therefore, care should be taken when using them frequently or when dyeing hair yourself.
Insufficient UV care
There are three types of ultraviolet rays, of which "UV-A" reaches deep into the skin, destroying the cells that produce collagen and other moisturizing components. UV-B, which causes skin to darken in the sun, also dries out the surface of the scalp and causes damage.
Even those who go out with sunscreen often fail to protect their scalp from sunburn. Those who often go outside without a hat or parasol, or those who enjoy outdoor activities, should use a scalp spray to protect their scalp from sunburn and prevent dryness.
Summary on How To Get Rid of Dry Scalp
If you notice a dry scalp, take action as soon as possible. It can be improved by daily shampooing habits, eating habits, UV protection, and moisturizing care.
Select a shampoo with less irritation to the scalp rather than one with high cleansing power, and shampoo gently with lukewarm water to reduce damage to the scalp.
UV rays, which we are exposed to without realizing it, can also destroy the scalp's ability to retain moisture, so don't forget to protect your scalp from UV rays.
By improving the dryness of your scalp, we hope you will be able to maintain beautiful hair and healthy skin.
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