Dry skin on the body and scalp

Lush, voluminous, shiny hair is the dream of every girl. How to achieve this if you have dry scalp? We share tips for restoring beauty and health to your hair.

1. Signs of dry scalp
2. Causes of dryness
3. How to solve the problem of dry scalp
4. Care Tips
5. Precautionary measures
6. How to wash your hair correctly
7. Dandruff and methods for its elimination
8. Ingredients for dry scalp care
9. Tools Overview

Signs of dry scalp

Brittle and dull hair, the desire to scratch your head are characteristic symptoms of a dry scalp. To see if this is really your problem, answer these five questions.

Do you often feel discomfort, itching and tightness of your scalp?

Are you worried about dandruff?

When combing, do the strands become electrified?

Is your hair brittle, dull, thinning?

Does the feeling of tightness return quickly after washing your hair?

If your scalp is dry, your hair will suffer from dryness © iStock

Causes of dryness

“Scalp type is most often an innate characteristic, since hormonal levels and the activity of the sebaceous glands are primarily associated with genetics,” says Elena Eliseeva, medical expert at Vichy. But sometimes dry scalp can be caused by:

unbalanced diet;

incorrect choice of care products;

thermal effects of styling devices;

diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, nervous and endocrine systems;

allergies, skin diseases;

non-compliance with drinking regime.

A dry scalp can feel itchy and tight © iStock

How to solve the problem of dry scalp

If the condition of your scalp leaves much to be desired, it’s time to take action. Sometimes it’s enough just to reconsider your lifestyle and change some habits.

Include foods rich in healthy fats in your diet: nuts, fatty fish, cheese, vegetable oils, avocados, eggs, red meat.

Watch your drinking regime - the daily norm is to consume 1.5–2 liters of clean still water.

Avoid drinking caffeinated drinks as they dehydrate you.

Eat less sweet and salty foods.

Skip the hair dryer.

Consult a trichologist to rule out scalp diseases.

Care Tips

“If the scalp is just dry, then care is not much of a problem. The main thing is to develop the right strategy,” says Elena Eliseeva.

Choose the right cleanser

Pay attention to sulfate-free shampoos. “Their detergent base is too weak for normal scalps,” explains a Vichy expert. “But for those who suffer from a lack of sebum, it is quite suitable, since it does not destroy the already unstable hydrolipidic film.”

It is good if the shampoo contains ceramides, vitamins B3 or B5, as well as natural oils rich in essential fatty acids.

Cosmetics with natural oils are suitable for dry scalp © iStock

Use extra hair care

Don't ignore masks, balms, and leave-in products designed specifically to solve your problem. These products contain substances that provide the scalp with the necessary components to maintain optimal moisture levels.

Scalp type is usually hereditary © iStock

Precautionary measures

When washing your hair, the water should be warm, but not hot. Rinse your hair with cool water. Due to temperature changes, the hair cuticle will close, trapping the active components of care products inside.

Be careful when using a hair dryer. Avoid too hot air and watch the blowing angle: drying at a right angle or from bottom to top leads to dryness. “The air flow coming from the hair dryer should pass along the strands, and not press the hair to the head,” explains Elena Eliseeva.

Beware of the sun's rays. Hair suffers from UV radiation, becoming dry and brittle. In summer, don't forget about your hat.

How to wash your hair correctly

“If your scalp is dry, the frequency of washing does not matter,” Elena Eliseeva is sure. — If the shampoo is mild enough, you can use it as often as needed. Usually a couple of times a week.”

Squeeze a little shampoo into your palm and whip into foam, diluting with water. Apply to scalp. Lather gently, as if you were doing a gentle massage: the habit of scratching and scratching the skin with your nails can cause irritation and increase peeling and itching.

Rinse your hair and apply the mask to the scalp and conditioner along the entire length of the strands.

Gently wring out your hair and wrap it in a terry towel, never rubbing it.

Remove the towel and let your strands dry naturally.

Dandruff and methods for its elimination

In the language of dermatologists and trichologists, dandruff is called “seborrheic dermatitis.” Among the main reasons for its appearance:

hormonal imbalance and metabolic disorders;

change in the scalp microbiome.

Microbiome is a broad concept that includes not only microflora, but also a set of microbial genes. If changes occur in the microbiome, this leads to the growth of the Malassezia fungus, which causes dandruff.

To get rid of the problem, the product should be used in a course of 2-3 times a week for a month. And as a preventive measure - once a week, combined with another mild shampoo.

One of the problems with dry scalp is split ends © iStock

Ingredients for dry scalp care

“There are several products to correct dry scalp,” says Elena Eliseeva. — First of all, shampoos. Their formula should be sulfate-free, with soothing and moisturizing additives (panthenol, niacinamide, allantoin)».

Sometimes manufacturers add to the composition ceramides or natural oilsto soften the scalp. And instead of the usual gel base, they use a cream base: the shampoo turns out to be thicker and more comfortable for dry skin.

Soothing, softening scalp masks that don't weigh hair down thanks to a lightweight formula based on... light silicones. Silicones evaporate when heated to body temperature, and only a thin protective film of ceramides and oils remains on the scalp, imitating the natural hydrolipid layer.

Tools Overview

Cleansing

Additional care

Nourishes hair, strengthens, adds shine. No weight effect.

Balms

almond, safflower and rose nourishing oils; arginine, glutamine, serine, cysteine ​​and proline

Masks

almond, safflower and rose nourishing oils; arginine, glutamine, serine, cysteine ​​and proline

The modern rhythm of life, the deplorable state of the environment, constant stress - all these are dangers that await any modern citizen at every turn.

It is because of them that the human body suffers, first of all. The scalp is no exception.

Every day it falls to its lot to receive its share of dust, ultraviolet radiation, exhaust gases and other external irritants from the external environment.

All of these can cause dandruff, especially if you have a dry scalp. Let's try to understand in more detail the nature of this problem.

Dandruff with dry scalp - what is it?

The formation of dandruff is not directly related to the hair or its structure, but to the scalp.

Therefore, the type of dandruff will depend on its condition.

Based on this, two types of dandruff can be distinguished:

1. fat (formed as a result of excessive work of the sebaceous glands);
2. dry (occurs when the sebaceous glands do not work enough).

The first type is the most common, and quite a lot is already known about it. But not much is known about the second type.

How to distinguish dandruff from dry scalp?

Due to lack of awareness on this issue, many people often confuse dandruff with dry scalp. You can distinguish between these two problems by identifying specific symptoms.

1. detection on clothes, on shoulders, on hair a large accumulation of small white scales;
2. frequent itching;
3. the appearance of yellow spots on the scalp;
4. the epidermis becomes either very dry or very oily.

Signs of dry scalp:

1. excessive dryness of the epidermis;
2. peeling in the affected area;
3. abnormal excessive hair loss.

Read the tips about how to choose the right shampoo for a man or woman, as well as for dry or oily dandruff.

Causes

Before moving directly to the types of treatment themselves, you should first understand why dandruff occurs. Factors causing this problem include:

1. Malfunctions of the sebaceous glands.
2. Disturbances in metabolic processes in the body, which leads to a decrease in its ability to resist external threats.
3. Disorders of the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, nervous and cardiovascular systems, respiratory organs, etc.

1. Hereditary predisposition to the disease.
2. Insufficient nutrition of the body with vitamins and microelements.
3. Exposure of the scalp to ultraviolet rays for a long time, overheating the body.
4. Failure to comply with basic hygiene rules.
5. Using low-quality or expired shampoos, conditioners, hair sprays and other curling products.
6. Mental and physical stress.
7. Mycotic infection (during the period of exacerbation).
8. Disruptions of hormonal processes in the body (more often in women).

If you have dry scalp and dandruff, read on for what to do.

Ways to treat dry scalp and dandruff

There are many ways to get rid of dandruff. But it is worth warning that, no matter which one you choose, be it a simple recipe for a mask for dry scalp against dandruff, or a decoction from traditional medicine, To completely eradicate the problem you will have to undergo a long course of treatment.

Treatment with drugs

Cosmetology and medicine do not stand still. Thanks to them, today you can find all kinds of drugs against dry dandruff on the shelves of stores and pharmacies. We will give some of them as examples.

Shampoos. When it comes to hair, shampoos are the first dry dandruff treatment that comes to mind. Their the advantage is the huge selection and relative affordability.

But their downside is that they have a superficial effect, often on the hair itself rather than on the scalp.

Medicines. One of the most effective dandruff treatments. With his help you can approach the problem comprehensively and get rid of the problem from the inside.

However, this method requires the obligatory supervision of a doctor, because only he can prescribe the medicine you need.

Plus, medications can have a lot of side effects, so consultation with a specialist is required.

Creams and gels. Another good method for treating dry dandruff is treatment with creams and gels.

The fatty base of such products helps to tone the scalp in the best way, restore damaged hair follicles and nourish the hair with moisture.

But this method is rather auxiliary to any other. Therefore, it is better to use it in conjunction with another, more effective method.

Folk remedies

If expensive medications do not help, and you have dry scalp, severe itching and a lot of dandruff, many prefer to resort to the experience of our ancestors.

Traditional medicine is extremely rich in all kinds of remedies for all types of dandruff, including dry dandruff. Let's list some of them.

1. Whisk in a bowl 2-3 eggs with water. Let it brew. Apply the mixture to the head for 1-1.5 hours. Rinse thoroughly with warm water.
2. Mix 2 tsp of cinchona peel with 1 tsp of castor oil. Add 2-3 drops of rose oil, and then pour in half a glass of wine alcohol. Use 2-3 weeks every day.
3. Eat flaxseed oil. At least according to Art. 1. spoon a day.
4. Mix in a bowl 2 teaspoons aloe juice with 1 tablespoon orange juice. Separate the yolk from the white and add 1 yolk to the mixture. After everything, crush the garlic in a bowl and add to the mixture. To stir thoroughly. When the mixture is ready for use, apply the mask to your hair for 30-45 minutes, then rinse thoroughly with warm water.
5. Mix several types of herbs in a saucepan (it is best St. John's wort, nettle, calendula, sage or yarrow) 3 tbsp. l each with water. Let it boil. After boiling, let the broth brew for about 8 hours and then strain. Use every day for 3-4 weeks. Apply to your head once every day.
6. Pour into dishes 1 tablespoon of calendula flowers, pour 2 cups of boiled water over everything. After this, let the solution sit for 30-40 minutes. Carry out a course of treatment for 2-3 weeks, rubbing it in daily for 30-50 minutes, after which do not wash your hair.
7. Mix 10 tablespoons of calendula flowers with 1 or 2 tablespoons of castor oil. Use every day 2 times for 2 weeks.
8. Pour into dishes 5 tablespoons of burdock roots. Add 3 liters of water, put on the stove and boil. When the solution boils, reduce the power of the stove and simmer over low heat for 4-5 hours. After removing from the stove, let the solution sit for 1.5-2 hours and strain. Use the resulting decoction once every day for 3 weeks. After each procedure, rinse everything off with exclusively warm water, without using shampoos and conditioners.
9. Another way to cook burdock decoction: Pour 2 tablespoons of burdock roots with 2 cups of boiling water, place on the stove and boil until the volume of the mass is almost halved. Place everything in a water bath, then add lard to the solution. Cover the dish tightly with a lid and place in the oven for 3.5-4 hours. Use the ointment for 2 or 3 months 2-3 times a week.

IMPORTANT!

In order for nutrients to penetrate the skin much faster and bring more benefits, it is necessary to normalize blood flow in the head.

The constant procedure of massaging the head with your fingertips helps improve blood circulation in the head.

Every time you wash your hair, try to do this procedure for about 5-10 minutes, and then you will significantly speed up the process of restoring your hair.

Prevention

To maintain healthy hair and tone the scalp after getting rid of the problem, we recommend using the following tips:

1. Balance your hair washing schedule (it should not be too rare or frequent);
2. When washing your hair, you must rub the shampoo with massage movements as close to the hair roots as possible;
3. Constantly disinfect all devices used for hair;
4. Include more dairy products and vegetables in your diet, and also limit the consumption of animal fats;
5. Less often resort to thermal and chemical effects on hair;
6. Include special vitamin complexes;
7. Maintain a daily routine.

Useful video

A recipe that will help your skin calm down and relieve itching and dryness:

Thus, we got acquainted with many ways to treat dry dandruff. Armed with knowledge about its nature and reasons for its appearance, you can safely go to fight it.

Excessively dry hair and scalp can be a real problem. The curls get tangled, break, and don’t look very good. But appearance is not the only cause for concern, because dry hair can be a symptom of a serious illness.

Dry hair and scalp is most often just a symptom of some disease; it signals a disruption in the functioning of internal organs. But don’t sound the alarm ahead of time; dry hair can occur due to improper care. Let's figure out why hair becomes dry and what treatment the problem requires.

1 Reasons

First, let's be clear: very dry skin and hair are a serious symptom. If you don’t figure out the reason, you can be left without gorgeous hair.

As a rule, incorrect functioning of the sebaceous glands is responsible for dry hair and scalp. The healthy shine and elasticity of the hair disappears, it gets tangled easily, fragility appears when combing, and unpleasant sensations on the skin appear. Dryness can cause hair loss.

2 Internal reasons

To determine why your hair is dry, you must first check for the following diseases:

Anemia

This disease causes all cells to suffer from a lack of oxygen. Blood microcirculation is disrupted, hemoglobin levels decrease. Therefore, people with anemia usually look paler than healthy people. The skin becomes dry. In the scalp, the flow of nutrients to the hair follicles deteriorates, which worsens the condition of the hair.

Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract

With various diseases of the stomach and intestines, the absorption of nutrients is impaired. This means that curls and skin simply have nowhere to get resources to maintain normal health. This can also cause dry skin and hair.

Kidney or lung disease

Many diseases of these organs may not have the best effect on hair quality. But in this case, this is not the worst of the consequences that can be encountered if the disease is neglected.

Sources in the mouth

It seems incredible, but foci of infection such as carious teeth or constantly inflamed tonsils can cause dry skin, including the scalp, as well as many other diseases.

Parasite activity

If you seem to be quite healthy and are wondering why your curls have become stiff, get tested for the presence of parasites in your body. Usually, a separate sample is taken to detect each type of worm. Parasites are so called precisely because they live off the resources of our body, which means that the carrier himself does not receive enough of these resources. Often brittle hair is the only sign of helminthic infestation.

Hormones

Hormonal imbalances are a common phenomenon. There is no need to be surprised if dry skin, fragility of curls, and cycle disruption occur simultaneously. In this case, you should consult a doctor, he will refer you for a blood test, which will allow you to find out for sure whether the hormonal balance is disturbed. After this, the doctor will select the appropriate treatment.

Dry seborrhea

This is a fungal skin disease. It affects the hair, not necessarily the scalp, being localized in the sebaceous ducts. If the scalp is damaged, pink spots appear on it, and the skin becomes covered with scales. Washing your hair with cool water becomes unpleasant and it starts to itch. Seborrhea usually does not “touch” a healthy person; people get it when the body is already weakened. The reasons should be sought deeper.

3 External reasons

In addition to the above, there are other causes of dry scalp and hair. They are not so “scary”; you can easily cope with their elimination on your own. These include:

Errors in care

Due to improper hair care, your hair can suffer greatly. Many people think that oily scalps require drying agents and frequent washing. But this is the main misconception.

If you use too aggressive shampoos, intending to “dry” the scalp, the skin will respond with even more sebum.

This is the most common cause of the combination “oily roots - dry split ends.” As a result, you will get dryness immediately after washing, brittle hair, and an oily head by the evening.

There is the opposite problem - not washing your hair thoroughly enough. Some cosmetics, such as hairspray or hair gel, are difficult to wash off from your hair.

For better results, experts recommend rinsing your hair thoroughly with warm running water for at least ten minutes before applying shampoo. After this, thoroughly foam the shampoo, massage the scalp and distribute the product through the strands, and rinse thoroughly. It is important that the product does not remain on the strands or scalp; there should be no sticky feeling after washing.

Choice of funds

If you use products for oily curls on dry hair, you can only worsen the situation. You should opt for products for dry hair and scalp. As a last resort, take shampoos for all hair types. Dull and brittle curls will thank you if you also purchase moisturizing and nourishing masks for them and choose a good balm.

Coloring and bleaching

Everyone knows how the use of coloring agents affects the condition of the hair. The causes of dryness are often found in frequent or inept dyeing. This is especially true for those who like radical changes in appearance, for example, bleaching dark hair to platinum blonde in a short time can turn into a real disaster. The bleach penetrates deep into the hair structure and damages it.

Perms also have a negative effect on hair.

To avoid troubles in this field, entrust such manipulations as hair coloring to a master. Give preference to the choice of soft tint products, and in no case be partial with the procedures. If your curls are already damaged, you will have to give up dyeing and curling altogether for some time. Choose a non-aggressive shampoo, use moisturizing masks and balms.

Hot dryer and stylers

Another reason for the deterioration of hair condition. The problem is especially relevant for those who dry their hair every day. It’s very hard to give up reasonable time-saving and beautiful styling, but the result of this daily “labor” is usually not pleasing: dull, brittle hair.

If this is your case, consider changing your hair dryer and curling iron to a more “professional” one; they have several modes and are less damaging to your hair. Also, when drying and styling, you should use products with a thermal filter to protect your hair from the effects of high temperatures.

Dry air, dust, cold, sun, salt water

Even if you treat your hair with care and use suitable care products, you can still experience dry scalp and related problems.

External factors such as dry air (especially during the heating season), ultraviolet radiation, cold, and dust can harm your scalp. In hot and cold weather, you need to wear appropriate hats; in rooms with a dry microclimate, use air humidifiers. Chlorinated and salty water are also negative factors. After swimming in the sea or pool, you need to thoroughly wash your hair with shampoo and apply a moisturizing mask.

Poor nutrition

This reason has something in common with anemia. When a person does not monitor his diet, eats monotonous food poor in vitamins and minerals, a shortage of these very elements occurs. To correct the situation is quite simple - include more varied foods in your diet. You can purchase special biologically active food supplements and take them in a course according to the instructions.

Hairstyles

During recovery, you should be especially careful with your hair. It is best to go for a haircut that requires minimal styling effort; any graduated shape will do.

Do not pull your curls too tightly and try not to use tight elastic bands!

Experiment with mousse or low-hold hairspray. The main rule is minimum manipulation, maximum effect.

4 Solution

After consulting a doctor and finding out the causes of dry scalp and hair, you must follow the doctor’s instructions.

If the causes are internal to the body, treat them; if they are external, change your care.

The beauty salon can offer you a variety of strengthening and health-improving activities to choose from.

Mesotherapy is a procedure for introducing “vitamin cocktails” under the skin, in other words, improving the nutrition of your hair. Massage is a great way to increase blood circulation.

Keratin straightening is the filling of voids in the hair structure with the most natural material for it, which is called “keratin”. It is a protein, and since proteins are the building material for our curls, products based on it work wonders in the hands of a master.

Start taking care of your health in general, and very soon you will forget about dry hair.