We all like to look our best. Keeping our hair in good condition and well-groomed plays a big role in this. That is why most of us go to the hairdressers regularly, use high-quality shampoo and conditioner. But that is only half the story.
If your scalp is not in good condition, your hair won’t be either. Below, we look at some common scalp issues and explain how to overcome them.
Keeping your scalp in generally good condition
But first, let’s start with keeping your scalp healthy before you examine any other issues you may have developed. Fortunately, regularly using hair & scalp serum can be a great aid in keeping your scalp well looked after – check out the link.
Dealing with dandruff
Surprisingly, around 50% of the adult population suffers from dandruff at some point in their lives. The first step to dealing with this issue is identifying the underlying cause.
Doing that will enable you to choose a treatment that will work quickly and keep it away for good. There is no point in buying an expensive dandruff shampoo if the underlying problem is that you are not washing your hair frequently enough.
Treating eczema on your scalp
Sometimes what you think is dandruff is another underlying dry skin condition. For example, psoriasis or eczema. If after a few weeks of using dandruff shampoo regularly you are not seeing an improvement, ask your doctor to take a look. Of course, if while you are trying to see if dandruff shampoo helps your dry scalp gets worse, immediately stop using it and get your general practitioner to take a look.
Should it turn out to be an underlying skin condition, they will usually prescribe an antifungal cream, spray, or ointment you can use on the affected area. They are a bit messy but, as you can see here, leaving eczema untreated on your scalp is not a good idea. Small patches tend to grow, especially if you scratch them, which you are likely to do. The other problem is that could break the skin, at which point there is a risk that the area will become infected.
Folliculitis
Folliculitis is perhaps one of the hardest scalp conditions to identify and treat. It occurs when your hair follicles become inflamed. Strong hair dyes and excessive sweating can lead to this condition. Your scalp will be itchy and sore and you will see red or white bumps that look like a mild case of acne.
It is a difficult condition to treat. The best approach is to seek help from a doctor. Normally, they will take a swab and have it cultured. This will identify the bacteria that is causing the infection. Once that is known they will be able to prescribe the right oral or topical antibiotics.
Ask for help
Scalp conditions are difficult to sort out because it is not easy to see what you are dealing with. If you think there is something wrong don’t be afraid to ask someone to take a look. Your hairdresser will be only too happy to help. They are used to doing this, so won’t mind you asking them to take a look.
