WHY YOU NEED TO LOOK AFTER YOUR SCALP IF YOU WANT BETTER HAIR

The expert advice that’ll change your hair routine.

It’s amazing how much our hair can impact how we feel. A good hair day can leave you feeling like you just have your life together. When it’s shiny, bouncy, and strong, you walk around with the confidence that you can take on the world. On the flip side, when you’re dealing with lank hair that just can’t seem to get clean, or more strands in your hairbrush than you anticipated, it can send you into a self-conscious spiral that has you Googling your condition and stocking up on whatever promises to rectify the issues within days.

And while there are plenty of really good haircare products that you can use to transform dull, dry and dirty locks, you may only be treating the symptom, not the cause, which is why it could be worth looking at treating what’s going on further up that hair shaft for long-term benefits.

"Not many people make that connection [between skin, scalp health, and hair health and growth] and it’s a really important part of it..."

"Your skin - your scalp - is the bedrock of hair growth. It’s living tissue."

"...Every hair follicle - and you have about 120,000 of them on the scalp on average - has its own bloody supply and it's very important that skin health and that whole environment where the hair follicle is growing the hair is absolutely healthy. Taking care of your scalp is really important in order to encourage and optimise the healthiest and best hair you can have,” Trichologist for Philip Kingsley Lisa Caddy told That Beauty Podcast.

So what are some of the things you can do to look after your scalp better? According to Caddy, shampooing is a big one. And doing it regularly - daily if possible.

“When you shampoo your scalp, you rid your scalp of dead skin cells and bacteria and oil and pollution and all of things that left for a long period of time can cause inflammation inside the hair follicle, which then can lead to hair loss and exacerbate an existing hair loss condition,” she says.

For a gentle, lightweight option that you can use every day, try Kevin Murphy Balancing Wash.

Another big thing is masking regularly.

“Treat your scalp like you do your face."

"...So if you use a face mask regularly, then why not use one for your scalp as well? You could use a stimulating scalp mask to really encourage and enhance blood flow to the scalp, and to keep things really tip-top and healthy and optimise growth.”

If you’re keep to get into a weekly stimulating masking session for your scalp, you can’t go wrong with the Philip Kingsley Stimulating Scalp Mask.

And the last way to care for your scalp - especially if you’re having some dandruff or flaking issues - is to exfoliate and massage.

“If you have a flaky scalp, then make sure you use something more exfoliating with salicylic acids, which will lift dead skin cells and optimise growth,” Lisa says.

Philip Kingsley Exfoliating Scalp Mask is an excellent option to try for those who need to ditch the itchiness and white flakes. Otherwise, the Drunk Elephant T.L.C. Happi Scalp Scrub contains 10% AHA and BHA blend to dissolve dead skin cells get rid of that styling build-up from too many dry shampoo days.

When it comes to scalp exfoliation, Caddy does have a word of warning for granular exfoliating scalp treatments and approaching with caution. Being too enthusiastic with your movements cause tissue damage and cause hair breakage, so if you’re going to incorporate one into your routine, make sure to use gentle motions, or alternatively you can use an exfoliating scalp brush that can massage while you wash your hair, like the Eleven Australia Scalp Brush.

For more scalp and hair growth tips, make sure to hit play on this episode of That Beauty Podcast, and if you like what you hear, make sure to subscribe & check this episode out below!