When you visit your hairdresser, like me you’re probably thinking about how fresh, shiny and soft the ends of your hair are going to be. If you enjoy a regular colour, your roots will be on your mind but it’s not as often we consider our scalp until something goes wrong.

A dry, irritated and flaking scalp isn’t comfortable for anybody and can sometimes go as quickly as it comes. Often any kind of scalp dryness is labelled as dandruff and treated as such but it’s not always the case.

While dandruff is caused by an overproduction of oil, there are other factors that could lead to irritation on your scalp that don’t require you to jump straight to using an anti-dandruff shampoo.

There are three main factors that cause dryness, irritation and flaking on the scalp with the first being environmental i.e. living in a cooler climate vs a warmer climate. Hormonal changes like getting pregnant can impact your scalp as the baby begins to take your nutrients.

And if you’re hoping to be able to hang on to your drugstore shampoo and conditioner, you might want to reconsider. Scalp issues can be related to the products you’re using and caused by choosing poor quality haircare.

Luckily, preventing dryness and irritation on your scalp doesn’t have to be difficult and really comes down to making a few changes to your routine and daily habits. Make sure you’re shampooing your scalp twice and avoiding conditioner placement on your scalp as it can clog the pores of your scalp and cause build up. Once every two months use a deep cleanser. Think of it like an exfoliator for your scalp. Also using salon professional products in the first place is essential!

You should also avoid going to bed with damp hair and if you are experiencing any irritation, ensure you’re cleansing your hair every 2-3 days. As soon as you feel any itchiness, I would strongly recommend seeking medical advice first and developing an action plan for treatment. It is crucial to treat an irritated scalp ASAP!

We’re hearing more and more about avoiding certain ingredients in our haircare to maintain optimal hair health and it turns out your scalp will thank you for checking the ingredient list twice also. Using high-quality products in general is a must and avoid sulphate where you can. Sulphate is a common cause for scalp irritation so sulphate-free produce will produce better scalp health.

On the topic of products, more doesn’t always equal better. Scalp scrubs, detox masks and charcoal laden ingredients have all popped onto the haircare scene giving you a reason to treat your scalp with as much finesse as you do the skin on your face. Bonnie advises, however that picking up a scalp specific hair product is really personal preference. “Products such as KEVIN.MURPHY Maxi.Wash will perform the same as a charcoal cleanser and it will reduce having an extra product in your cupboard! There’s nothing really wrong with using any of these products though if you want extra nourishment.”

 Three Tips for Caring for Your Hair Between Salon Visits:

1. Giving yourself a scalp massage is great for increasing your blood flow to your scalp and it’s a nice idea to get your partner involved if you can rope them in.
2. Make sure you’re on top of your haircare regime by using good quality products (and that doesn’t just mean shampoo and conditioner, styling products count too!)
3. If you are experiencing dry scalp issues, avoid using volumizing products on your scalp as they tend to contain irritants such as salt which will just dry your scalp out.

Featured Image

Photo Thom Kerr

MakeUp Bonnie G-Oz Beauty Expert

Hair- Iggy Rosales

Model- Erin Shea