Tailoring Products for Your Hair Type and Sensitivity Concern
In hair care there’s no “one size fits all”. Who are we kidding? Life has to be customized. Rule of life: those who have done the best job at customizing their everything - win.
Figuring out the right skin care routine, figuring out how you learn, figuring out your angles, figuring out your hair care routine. How many times you need to wash your hair per week? How often you need to deep condition, use hair extensions etc. etc. etc. all depends on what works best for you.
Customization is key.
Sometimes you get your routine down and then - WHAMO! Hormones change, you move to a place with horrific water quality, you decide to stop chemically treating your hair or you go through a period of serious stress and that carefully planned routine needs adjusting immediately.
Tailoring your hair care routine when you develop a scalp sensitivity can mean relearning everything from scratch. If your scalp is irritated to the point that you’re in pain or have severe discomfort you definitely have to examine the source of the pain and discomfort. The cause can be anything from easy-to-treat dandruff to infection to an infestation. Common symptoms include prickling, burning, or tingling sensations, as well as flaky, itchy skin.
You should know that an underlying medical condition may also be causing your symptoms. Schedule an appointment with your dermatologist to determine how to treat your condition. ASAP!
Steps you can take to customize your routine for your sensitivity concern are:
Change your shampoo and conditioner - Shampoo is one of the main causes of scalp sensitivity for many people. The harsh cleansers or surfactants in many shampoos can wash away the scalp’s acid mantle – the natural acidity that protects your skin – leaving it susceptible to dryness and irritation. Consider switching to green toxin free hair care brand that is suited to your hair type. For recommendations click here or here.
Reconsider how often you shampoo and condition your hair
Use protective hair styles like the ones we’ve talked about here
Rinse your hair more carefully especially if you workout rigorously and/or sweat from your head (like I do)
Brush your hair gently. (We will be doing a series on the best tools for your hair type soon!) Finding the right hair brush may sound like an unnecessary task for some, making the switch just might be one of the biggest favors you’ll ever do for your hair. Going beyond just simply brushing your hair, using the best brush for your hair type is guaranteed to cause less breakage and deliver less friction and ultimately less irritation to your scalp.
Use a hair oil with essential oils such as rosemary and lavender which can help heal sores that may be causing scalp pain. However, applying undiluted essential oil to your scalp may make your symptoms worse. You’ll need to dilute it first. To dilute the oil, mix 4 to 6 drops of essential per each ounce of a carrier oil like sweet almond oil or olive oil. Read more about essential oils and how you can use them here. We are working on a collaboration with Hayah Organics soon while you wait with baited breath you can contact Haya Organics here to inquire about how to get your essential oils.
If you have the following really consider seeing your doctor:
White flakes or yellow scales on your scalp and hair: You may have dandruff or seborrhoeic dermatitis.
Red, scaly, silvery-looking patches on your scalp: You may have Psoriasis.
Extremely itchy scalp: You may have a dry and itchy scalp.
Do you have a sensitive scalp? How have you been dealing with it? Have you figured out a new routine that’s help you to recover? Are you suffering with a specific condition that you would like us to research? Please let us know what you think in the comment box below.
