CosmoBiz Magazine December 2015 | Page 56

Feature HEALTHY SCALP SALVATION Don’t Neglect Your Hair’s Foundation This Winter M ost of us know that the cold weather can be damaging to our hair. The cold can strip hair of much needed moisture and leave our locks dry and looking pretty beat-up. What we shouldn’t forget, though, is that healthy hair starts with a good foundation—and that means paying attention to the scalp. Scalp health is the first step to getting lustrous, strong strands that can stand up to winter’s cruel abuse. So don’t forget to take care of your scalp this winter. We’ve got recommendations for how to keep your hair’s source in tip top condition. Dry Scalp worse problems like dandruff, inflammation, unhealthy follicles, and even hair loss, so treating dryness is ultimately very important. The cold weather combined with indoor heating will only make this problem worse, so make sure to pay attention to dry scalp this winter. You’ll want to do a regular moisturizing treatment at least once a week. You could use a hot oil for this. Oily Scalp Another common scalp problem is producing too much oil. This can cause a build up of skin cells and cause excessive flaking of the scalp. For this you can try exfoliation. Just like your face, the skin on your head needs to be exfoliated from time to time. There are two major types of exfoliators—chemical treatments and scrubs. If you prefer to try a scrub, you can mix a bit of sugar in with your shampoo and work it gently around the entire scalp. Make sure not to scrub too hard or you could cause scabbing. Another way to exfoliate flakes and manage oil build up is to use a salicylic acid treatment or shampoo. This can help with a more severe oil build up. Scalp Folliculitis One of the most common scalp problems is dryness. You may have a dry scalp and not even know it, but one clue is tingling during processes like getting your hair colored. You shouldn’t feel tingling, but if you do, you may have a dry scalp. Dry scalp can lead to 56 COSMOBIZ SALON DECEMBER 2015 Look out for white bumps along your hairline. These can be caused by a bacterial inflammation called scalp folliculitis. If you wear a hat or headband while exercising, sweat can become trapped in hair follicles causing them to become clogged. One way to help soothe this inflammation is to use a tea tree oil treatment or shampoo since tea tree oil is naturally anti-inflammatory and will help to heal this condition.