Masks for sensitive scalp care

When the scalp peels, suspicion falls on dandruff. Redness, itching, and a burning sensation suggest that this is an allergic reaction to another detergent or styling product. However, upon closer examination, both options may turn out to be erroneous, since the culprit is a sensitive scalp.

February 19, 2017

Causes and symptoms of hypersensitivity

The health of the skin directly depends on the presence of a fat layer. If for some reason the dermis is deprived of it, the process of moisture evaporation accelerates. As a result, the skin becomes dehydrated and its protective function decreases.

She reacts to any impact, be it dyeing, curling or just combing, with redness and itching. The scalp is irritated by cosmetics, sun rays, and hard water.

Important! Excessive sensitivity may be a sign of problems within the body: endocrine disease, lack of micro- and macroelements

This condition differs from dry dandruff in the location and nature of the flaking. With hypersensitivity, white scales do not form all over the head, but in areas with thin skin - near the forehead and temples. Another difference is that these particles practically do not crumble. What is the difference between allergy and sensitivity? In the first case, unpleasant symptoms disappear a couple of days after the irritant is eliminated. In the second, they last a long time, and sometimes even lead to a change in the type of skin.

Care for sensitive scalp

Washing your hair with anti-dandruff shampoo only makes the condition worse. The zinc contained in such products dries the skin even more. The unbearable itching forces you to constantly scratch, which is why sores appear on your head. Instead of self-medicating, it is better to consult a trichologist. The doctor will help determine the cause of dehydration and recommend multivitamins and medicinal cosmetics.

Today, more than a dozen girls are faced with increased skin sensitivity.

The development of the cosmetic market has so filled our lives that it is not surprising when our skin does not have time to “adapt” to all the new products in the industry.

Some experts are already calling skin sensitivity a disease of the 21st century, and dermatologists are offering more and more new solutions to emerging problems.

Skin sensitivity today concerns not only the vulnerable part of the facial skin; the scalp is no exception.

Allergies, itching and flaking of the scalp are the same problem as allergies or itching of the facial skin.

And in today’s article we talk about how to properly care for sensitive scalp in order to maintain its health and prevent unpleasant consequences.

Sensitivity of the scalp: causes and consequences

Healthy hair is impossible without a healthy scalp and hair follicles. The variety of cosmetics intended for hair care today is simply enormous.

Who is to blame if professional hair products turn out to be worse than we expected?

When using this or that product, we must not forget about the individual sensitivity of the skin and possible allergies to the components of the cosmetic product.

If the chosen product does not suit your skin, it will respond with redness, discomfort, itching or peeling.

It is also possible that long-term use of inappropriate (or identical) products will make the skin hypersensitive even to seemingly neutral components.

How can you distinguish simple sensitivity from a skin disease?

As a rule, changing hair care cosmetics, temporarily stopping the use of styling products, and gentle hair care can help clarify the situation.

Yes, it is precisely in improper care that one of the main causes of sensitive skin often lies. Gels, foams and varnishes not only weigh down the hair, but also have a bad effect on cell nutrition.

As a result, the skin becomes irritated, inflammation appears, and the hair itself weakens or falls out.

As a conclusion, we can say that we often ourselves provoke an unpleasant condition for our skin.

How to avoid such a situation?

Caring for sensitive scalp: basic rules

So, if you have noticed increased sensitivity of your skin, you should take a number of steps to provide gentle care for your skin:

1. Get rid of aggressive hair cosmetics at least for a while, replacing them with safer ones. Among the first “enemies” are shampoos and conditioners containing sulfates and parabens.

2. Pay attention to the comb for daily use. It would be better if it were on a wooden base.

3. Limit the use of styling products intended for application to the hair roots.

4. If your scalp is dry, it is better to avoid using a hair dryer.

5.​ Protect your skin from temperature changes - cold/hot water, scorching sun or frosty freshness of the street.

6.​ Folk recipes based on natural ingredients can also help the skin recover and solve some specific problems.

Masks for sensitive scalp: folk recipes

Oils for sensitive dry scalp

For dry scalp and damaged (including dyed) hair, give preference to natural oils. Jojoba oil, olive, coconut or almond oils will not only moisturize the skin, but also help eliminate flaking, promoting active regeneration of the skin. By the way, any oil mask at your discretion will be useful.

Care for oily sensitive scalp

For oily hair, inflamed skin, and a tendency to dandruff, pay attention to natural shampoos based on birch tar. This medicinal component will have a beneficial effect on both the condition of the skin and the appearance of the skin, giving it lightness and shine.

Mask for sensitive skin with aloe juice

Home remedies with aloe juice are another remedy for sensitive scalp. You can use shampoo with aloe extract, or you can prepare a simple lotion - aloe juice diluted with a small amount of water - and rub it into clean hair roots after washing.

Fermented milk products for scalp care

Another home remedy for sensitive scalp is fermented milk products - kefir, fermented baked milk or yogurt. Such products perfectly moisturize the skin and help restore normal skin sensitivity.

To prepare the mask, yogurt or kefir is heated to a temperature of 37° and rubbed into the hair roots. The head is insulated with plastic wrap, leaving the mask on for 30-40 minutes. Wash off with cool water.

When flaking and redness appear on the scalp, many people suspect dandruff or allergies. However, behind these symptoms lies a completely different problem - scalp sensitivity. If you self-medicate or do nothing, you can get serious illnesses and lose a good half of your hair.

Passion.ru experts - Alexandra Edelberg, stylist at Schwarzkopf Professional, Ekaterina Chernovskaya, technologist at Paul Mitchell Russia, Sergey Tishin, training manager at Kerastase — reveal the meaning of the concept “sensitive scalp” and talk about how to cope with the problem.

Signs of a sensitive scalp

Experts say the first step to increasing skin sensitivity is dehydration. For a number of reasons, the dermis is deprived of its lipid-fat layer, moisture is not retained in the deep layers and quickly evaporates. As a result, the skin becomes defenseless against any external influences - from simple scratching to washing your hair or exposure to the sun, a feeling of discomfort, burning, itching occurs, redness, inflammation and peeling appear on the surface of the skin.

Hormonal imbalances, an incorrectly selected hair care line, mechanical or thermal damage during styling, chemical damage during coloring, sudden climate change, vitamin deficiencies, endocrine diseases, aggressive exposure to the sun (burns) can all contribute to the process. Therefore, the scalp can become sensitive with any hair type.

Marks of Excellence

All the symptoms listed above are similar to several problems at once. Thus, flaking can be easily confused with dandruff, redness and itching with an allergic reaction. But there are fundamental differences here.

For example, with dandruff, fairly large particles cover the entire surface of the head; they very often separate and end up on clothes. With sensitive scalp, peeling appears in the thinnest areas - along the edge of the hairline, in the temporal areas, on the lower part of the back of the head. The keratinized scales always remain on the skin and do not fall on clothes.

As for allergies, this is a temporary, passing phenomenon: a reaction to a shampoo or styling product, which may disappear in the absence of irritants after a few days. If the scalp is sensitive, then itching and redness haunt the person for a long period.

By the way, sensitivity can even lead to changes in the type of scalp itself. Dry and tight, it strengthens the work of the sebaceous glands in order to somehow protect its surface. As a result, the hair quickly becomes oily.

Sensitive scalp - solution to the problem

In all of these cases, people who do not know the problem begin to self-medicate. Use anti-dandruff shampoos containing zinc, or products for oily scalps that contain drying ingredients.

The damaged scalp from such “reanimation” begins to dry out even more, become irritated, and deep wounds and cracks appear on it, which open the gate for bacteria to enter the deep layers of the dermis. As a result, if you self-medicate or, conversely, do nothing, a sensitive scalp can cause dandruff and hair loss. Therefore, it is strongly recommended to deal with this problem when its first signs appear, without waiting for side effects.

How to treat sensitive scalp

To rehabilitate the scalp, it is necessary to restore its hydro-lipid and water balances. Therapy includes home care and a visit to a trichologist. The doctor will help you find out the root cause of the problem and prescribe an additional course of vitamins and recovery procedures.

Home care

Your home care should include products with active moisturizing, regenerating, nourishing and soothing ingredients. These include:

1. Aloe Vera — enhances the protective functions of the skin, creates a protective film on the surface, softens and moisturizes.
2. Calophyllum oil – effectively relieves inflammation and redness of the scalp, eliminates discomfort.
3. PS21 - a molecule that is designed to relieve spasm of blood vessels. It soothes the scalp, relieves redness and discomfort.
4. Peppermint extract – contains menthol, allows you to instantly soothe the scalp and relieve discomfort, has a pronounced cooling effect.
5. Piroctone olamine – in small concentrations helps exfoliate dead skin cells and restore blood flow in the scalp.
6. Glycerol – a powerful moisturizing and regenerating component.
7. Macadamia, jojoba, shea oils – moisturize, create a protective film on the surface.
8. Lavender extract – relieves irritation, soothes the skin.

Many forums advise using shampoos and balms from the children's series if your scalp is sensitive. There is some truth in these words. The fact is that children have the thinnest and most delicate skin, which is susceptible to allergic reactions.