Exfoliation is necessary for lovely skin, but it may also be the key to getting lustrous, healthy hair. Exfoliation neglect can result in lacklustre hair, clogged follicles, and itchy, flaky skin. Exfoliating regularly, on the other hand, can help hair grow thicker, shinier, and less oily naturally, according to our experts. Isn’t it romantic?
Continue reading to find out everything you need to know about scalp exfoliation and the benefits of exfoliating.
Why should you exfoliate your scalp?
As per Jaliman, scalp care is essential because it is where hair follicles are located and where hair grows. Exfoliation is the process of using a chemical or natural agent to remove dead skin cells and debris from the skin. According to Jaliman, scalp exfoliation allows for the growth of good hair by allowing fresh skin and hair follicles. While many people focus on their hair instead of their scalp, the truth would be that a healthy scalp leads to good hair.
Emphasizing the need for exfoliation in maintaining good hair and scalp health. It removes build-up on the scalp, allowing our natural oils to nourish and protect the hair and scalp. All of it is kept in check by our natural sebum, which prevents a dry scalp. This also enables oils to nourish and protect the mid-lengths and ends of our hair. Exfoliation is important because an excess or build-up of sebum on the scalp can feed the Malassezia furfur yeast, which can cause dandruff.
Physical or chemical exfoliants are used to remove dead skin cells, oil, and dandruff from the scalp. Exfoliating the scalp regularly, according to several hair experts, is indeed the secret to healthier, shinier hair from the roots to the tips.
Importance of Scalp Exfoliation
Your scalp, like the rest of your body, requires regular grooming and maintenance. Exfoliating your scalp regularly might help to prevent build-up and dandruff. Consider this: if you do not exfoliate your face or body, your skin will become dry, dull, and flaky, worsening Keratosis Pilaris. Exfoliation is necessary at this point.
1. It aids in the removal of accumulated material
Our hair follicles become obstructed when we have a build-up on our scalp. This, as well as build-up and residue from popular style products including gels, creams, hair sprays, and more, are removed by exfoliating the scalp.
2. Promotes hair growth
Frequently using a scalp exfoliator could help hair grow healthier: By removing dead skin cells on the scalp, you’re diminishing the enzyme population that contributes to the natural shed rate, notes De Marco, who compares scalp exfoliation to dusting your house. Vincent further claims that eliminating dead skin cells on the scalp promotes cellular turnover, allowing fresh, healthy new cells to emerge.
3. It aids in the prevention of dandruff and a dry scalp
You may have dandruff if your scalp is flaky. Flakes on your scalp, on the other hand, can indicate that it is dry or inflamed. Exfoliating your scalp allows natural oils to penetrate and help erase dandruff while also preventing dryness, resulting in a clean, revitalized, and clarified scalp.
4. Hair will be more lustrous
Exfoliating your scalp clears the follicles from which hair grows, according to Jaliman. She claims that when your hair grows, it will become healthier and shinier. Furthermore, scalp exfoliators may aid in the removal of any build-up from haircare products, such as transient hard water deposits.
5. Defying the ravages of time
Hair loss, thinning, and greying are all indications of growing older. Scalp exfoliation can help renew the scalp and guarantee healthy hair growth by increasing blood circulation to the hair follicles and delivering extra nutrients.
6. Changing with the seasons
Seasonal fluctuations, particularly in the winter, might result in a flaky scalp. A scalp exfoliation treatment helps restore hydration and balance to a dry scalp while buffing away flakes.
7. Keeping hair loss at bay
Several causes cause you to shed more than usual. If you do not have alopecia areata, which causes total and frequently rapid hair loss, your condition is likely caused by oxidative stress, which is caused by a lack of antioxidants to balance an excess of free radicals in your body. Skin cells and hair incubating within hair follicles are both damaged by oxidative stress. Vitamin C, Vitamin D, and Vitamin E are examples of vitamins that act as antioxidants.
8. Environmental issues must be addressed
The generation of free radicals is known to be triggered by environmental variables such as sunlight, pollution, cigarette smoke, and other hazardous compounds. Air pollution has a substantial impact on our scalps, according to new research. Exposure to dust and fuel particles is connected to hair loss in people, according to research reported at the 28th EADV Congress. The amounts of proteins responsible for hair growth and retention were reduced in follicle cells exposed to varying concentrations of particles. The researchers also found that the higher the pollution level, the faster these proteins diminish.
Reduce your exposure to free radicals to cure oxidative stress — easier said than done in today’s polluted environment. A good scalp detox, on the other hand, can pull out harmful chemicals before they affect the hair bulb, and supplement it with antioxidants like vitamin E to help preserve it.
How should you exfoliate your scalp?
- When your hair is still wet and newly washed, exfoliate the scalp with your preferred product.
- Comb your hair through and divide it into multiple pieces (fewer if fine, more if thick).
- Use an exfoliating scrub with the fingertips as close to the scalp as possible as well as rub in a gentle, circular pattern. It’ll be useful to have a shower brush on hand. Rather than scouring, polishing or buffing can be a better option.
- Allow sitting for a few minutes before thoroughly rinsing.
Check to see whether you’re exfoliating too much (exfoliating too often). Why? There have been many brands whose products recounted a client whose overzealous scouring resulted in an abraded scalp and, as he describes it, scraping the hair straight off. Those with fine hair, damaged hair, and otherwise delicate hair are especially vulnerable to excessive scalp cleansing. Exfoliation eliminates oil and debris from the scalp, but too much washing or too hard scouring might cause the sebaceous glands to overproduce oil.
When exfoliating, we recommend that you follow these steps:
Scrubbing might make some conditions worse. If you have the following conditions, do not exfoliate your scalp:
- seborrheic dermatitis
- psoriasis
- acne
- eczema
- an active infection, such as ringworm
- an open cut or sore
- lice