Are you doing everything to take care of your hair, but there is no difference in length? Have you tried everything in the book from slathering your hair that claims to increase growth, but still see no results? In this case, the exact place you should look for clues is your scalp. Is it dry, greasy, flaky? Any of these can be a sign of either simply a need for a change in your hair regimen, diet or a medical issue.
Think of your hair as you know that trees, grass, or flowers and your scalp as the soil. If the soil isn’t cared for, the plants cannot flourish. If you don’t have time to ensure that you have a healthy scalp, how can you expect to have long, healthy hair? You can’t. Many of them spend an endless amount of time on hair to get it to grow long, but they neglect their scalp which then leads to time wasted.
Before you embark on a long hair journey, you must first get to the source.
First, look at your scalp and how your hair behaves. Is your scalp dry and flaky, and your hair greasy? Or are both your hair and scalp dry? Is your scalp oily, but your hair dry? Or are they both oily?
If you want healthy hair, you need a healthy scalp. Flaky scalp, excessive scalp itching, and thinning or oily hair can all lead to hair loss. If you have ever dealt with any of these conditions, you’re certainly not alone.
But did you know in what way you treat the skin on the top of your head, or more specifically your scalp, can have a huge impact on your hair? Here are the detailed facts about your scalp.
Hair Care Is Scalp Care
Your hair is an extension of you, but it’s also essentially dead. As like your fingernails, hair is also a structure that is mainly made up of keratin and generally grows underneath the skin, and once it is exposed it is already dead. So when we talk about hair care, what we are really talking about is scalp care. Your scalp is an essential part of your hair since it’s the living surface that your hair springs from, and having a healthy scalp leads to having a healthy hair.
What does Your Scalp do?
Your scalp isn’t just the particular place hair comes from, though. It is also part of the system that keeps your hair looking nice.
Hair starts out as a protein structure that grows in follicles, hollow arrangements of cells just beneath the skin surface. When the hair is growing, its condition can be affected by your everyday nutrition. In order to ensure that this happens, you should make sure to eat lots of lean proteins and a mix of vegetables in different colors; each color represents a different, valuable set of nutrients. Vitamin and minerals are especially important.
What distracts your scalp?
A flaky scalp is a common problem that is often confused with dandruff, since both are featured by tiny flakes on scalp, and also on shoulders and face. However, these two problems, although similar, are caused by different factors and require the different approach in treatment for very dry scalp.
Flakes on scalp means small white pieces of dead skin that are visible in the hair, especially when it is parted, and they fall on the face and also on clothes.
What causes flakes in scalp?
Dry scalp flakes are the result of dormant and/or underactive oil glands in the scalp, which are not capable of producing the required amount of natural oil in your skin. Some of the common causes for it are:
- Dry skin
- Hair dye
- Pollution
- dirt
- dust
- stress and lack of sebum
- Prolonged use of harsh shampoos that have a lot of chemical content in them
- Fungal infection
- Overexposure to hard water
- Lack of nutrients in the body due to improper diet
- Excess use of styling products
- Neglect of hair care, including unhealthy beauty habits, lack of oiling and conditioning flaky scalp remedies .
Fortunately, this dry flaky scalp problem can be solved easily. Go for these few home remedies for scalp problems.
Vitamin D
Topical vitamin D is used to treat dry flaky scalp and may help prevent the cells from misfiring and rising to the surface too quickly because that vitamin D is a successful flaky scalp treatment for flakes in scalp when taken orally. By proper dosage of this supplement you can reduce flaky scalp. Food sources of vitamin D include fortified milk, salmon, and eggs. Regular exposure to the sun also stimulates your body to produce this vitamin D.
Vitamin A and C
Your flaky dry scalp may be a symptom of overall skin dryness. Vitamin A, and C found primarily in few fruits that helps promote moisture skin. It can help keep your scalp from becoming overly dry and resulting dull hair color. These vitamins A and C encourage your scalp to produce natural oils through the sebaceous glands, creating a moisture scalp and glossier hair.
Zinc-Rich Foods
Ensuring that there is enough zinc in your diet can help to prevent flaky scalp, as this mineral is also essential to skin health. Hair, skin, teeth, and nails cannot grow without zinc, and zinc is required for the growth and also repair of tissues throughout the body. Foods that are rich in zinc include whole grains, seafood, meats, poultry, and nuts.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids
The scalp flaking can be a sign that you are not getting enough essential fatty acids in your diet. Omega-3 fatty acids are the one most likely to be in short supply, as most people eating a western diet get plenty of omega-6 fatty acids. Among the many symptoms of omega-3 deficiency are dry skin and poor circulation, which can contribute to flaky scalp. Foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids include fatty fish, such as salmon, mackerel, tuna, and herring. Vegetable sources include flaxseed, canola oil, soybeans, pumpkin seeds and also walnuts.
B-Complex Vitamins
B-complex vitamins play many essential roles in the human body that support scalp health. Circulation and metabolism are supported by B-vitamins, as are the creation and growth of new cells, all factors that contribute to scalp health. Foods that are rich in B-complex vitamins include meat, poultry, dairy products and eggs. Whole grains are a good source of B-vitamins, as are beans and green leafy vegetables.
Natural home remedies for scalp problems
Olive Oil
Olive oil is rich in antioxidants which keep your scalp skin healthier. Vitamin A and other nutrients protect the hair from the damage caused by harsh shampoos. The polyphenols present in the oil cleans the scalp. Take 5 tablespoons of sugar and add it to a sufficient quantity of olive oil. Then apply the oil to your head and massage gently for 10-15 minutes. Wash your hair with a regular shampoo. Apart from this, you can also try below with olive oil.
- Put 4 tablespoons of olive oil and for it add 2 tablespoons of honey and glycerine in a bowl. Mix them well. Use this mixture as a conditioner after washing your hair. This will moisturize your scalp and provide a glossy look to the locks.
- Take an avocado and mash it in a grinder to make a fine paste. Then, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and a teaspoon of honey. Apply this mixture on your scalp for 30 minutes. Wash it with warm water. In the end, rinse off with shampoo to get shinier and healthier hair.
- Take 5 tablespoons of olive oil and add an equal quantity of broccoli puree to it. Apply the mixture on your hair and let it stay for an hour. Wash it off with a mild shampoo to remove the itchiness of the scalp
Sesame Oil
Sesame oil opens up the clogged pores to release the natural oil, this will help in hydrating the scalp and keeping it nourished and moisturized. It also acts as a natural sunscreen for the hair. Fatty acids such as omega-6 and omega-9 in it promote the hair growth.
- Massage your head with sesame oil for 10-25 minutes in a circular motion. Let it stay overnight and then wash it off with shampoo.
- Apply ample amount of sesame oil on your head. Then, dip a towel in hot water and squeeze. Wrap the towel around your head part for 30-40 minutes and then wash it off with shampoo.
- Mix 1 tablespoon each of sesame oil and ginger juice with 2 teaspoons of lemon juice. Apply the mixture on your flaking scalp. Let it stay for 15 minutes and then rinse off with shampoo. Try this home remedies for dry scalp.
Honey
Honey is known as one of the natural moisturizers which lock the moisture in the flaking scalp and provides a break from the dry and flaky head. Take a medium-sized ripe banana. Mash it and add 25 ml of warm honey to it. Apply this paste on your head and leave the mixture for 45 minutes. Wash the hair with water first and then with shampoo.
- Alternatively, add 20ml honey to a bowl of curd. Curd will provide the needed moisturizer to the hair and keep them nourished and healthy. Apply the mixture on the scalp and let it rest for 30-40 minutes. Clean it with water and then use a regular shampoo to wash it thoroughly.
- Spread diluted honey on the scalp and massage it for 5 minutes. Leave it for 3 hours and then wash it off. The itchiness and skin lesions will disappear in a week’s time.
Mayonnaise
Have you ever thought that mayonnaise can do a lot of wonders for your scalp and hair? Mayonnaise contains egg and oils which provide deep nourishment to the hair. It also contains vinegar which removes bacterial and fungal infections. All you need to do is take one cup of mayonnaise and add one beaten egg to it. You can also add 2 teaspoons of coffee powder so that it smells good. Apply the mask on your head for 2 hours and then wash it off with shampoo.
Baking Soda
You would feel surprised to know that a common ingredient from the kitchen can save you from the torture of an itchy and dry scalp flakes. Baking soda sheds the dead skin cells off the head. Take 2 tablespoons of baking soda and scrub it on the scalp to remove the flakiness. Allow it to sit for 10-15 minutes and then wash it off.
Coconut Oil
Coconut oil contains few hydrating properties that moisturize the scalp and reduce the flakiness. Coconut oil contains lauric acid which fights off the fungus and microbes present on the scalp. Combine the coconut oil with any of the essential oils and massage it. This is best home remedy for dry hair and scalp.
- Alternatively, take one tablespoon of crushed camphor. Add it to 5 tablespoons of warm coconut oil. Massage in a circular motion way and let it remain overnight. Wash your hair with shampoo. This is the best home treatment for dry scalp.
- Or else, heat coconut oil (3 tbsp) on low flame. Turn off the flame. Add grape juice (1 tbsp) and lemon juice (1 tbsp) to it. Apply it on the scalp and rub it for 15 minutes. Tie a towel around your head part and keep it for 15 minutes. Use shampoo to wash your hair afterward.
Lemon Juice
Lemon juice is a great natural cleaning agent. It removes product build-up which may be the cause of itchy scalp. The acidity of lemon juice works to balance the pH levels of your scalp and helps relieve dryness and itching of the scalp. Lemon juice also has antibacterial qualities which makes it particularly useful in treating an itchy scalp that is caused by bacteria build up. This natural remedy for dry scalp is very useful.
- To make the lemon rinse, firstly take 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and add 3 cups of water. Apply lemon rinse after shampooing and let it sit for 4 to 5 minutes before rinsing your hair. This is one of the dry flaky scalp remedies that you can try.
Neem Oil
Neem oil is one of the ancient remedy for dry hair and scalp to improve your dry and flaky scalp health. An effective anti-fungal and antiseptic, neem oil or neem powder are used to treat fungus and other microbes that cause irritation and itchiness. This is the best dry flaky scalp remedies that you car go for.
- Mix 1 teaspoon of neem oil with 2 tablespoons of avocado oil and apply to your scalp. Leave on for a few hours before washing off with water. This is one of the best home treatment for dry scalp.
So forget those false statements that flaky scalp is dangerous. Treat your scalp with natural dry scalp remedies
by ingredients you probably already have in your fridge and cupboards after your weekly shop! Eating a healthy, balanced diet can help too, as you can stay hydrated because your scalp is often the last place to benefit from nutrients you consume. By following the above remedy for dry hair and scalp, within a few days you’ll be enjoying a happy, flake-free scalp and softer, shinier hair!