Even though I make sure to shampoo my hair everyday, as well as practice proper hygiene, why does my head still feel itchy… Have you had that experience before? There are a variety of reasons as to why itchy scalp occurs; the combat methods are also depending on the situation. Here we will match the causes with ways you may tackle it, and explain the correct way to shampoo your hair.
[ Causes of Itchy Scalp ]
– Residue of Sweat and Dirt etc. Despite making sure to wash my hair, it still feels greasy and itchy (scalp). For those who feel this way, when shampooing your head do you only wash your hair?
If you don’t properly wash your scalp as well, the buildup sweat and dirt throughout the day are left behind as it is. This can cause itchiness of the scalp.
– Overproduction of Sebum The problem of sebum overproduction comes from insufficient hair washing or natural oily skin(/scalp). Due to the excessive sebum clinging onto the scalp, a breeding ground for bacteria, it can result in dandruff.
– Barrier Function Reduced Due to Dryness Contrary to the previous point, over-washing or naturally dry skin(/scalp) can result in the skin barrier losing its vitality due to the dry conditions. Using shampoos that are too harsh tend to strip too much moisture, and more sebum than necessary, leaving the scalp dehydrated and itchy. Similar to how you have to choose the right skincare for your face’s skin type, it is important to choose the right shampoo that suits your hair and scalp as well.
– Exposure to Ultraviolet (UV) Rays The cause of many problems during the summer. We take extra care to protect our face and arms from the damaging UV rays. However, our scalp and hair unprotected are also prone to the same kind of damage. It is of equal importance to have adequate protection to the scalp and hair as well.
– Wrong Washing Technique Not properly pre-rinsing the hair before shampoo, not washing the scalp, and even over rinsing the hair after shampooing. Washing your hair wrongly can lead to the scalp being easily irritated. The next segment will introduce correct methods of hair washing where you may assess for yourselves which will suit you best.
– Atopic Dermatitis etc. In the case where it is not just itchiness, and it is accompanied with symptoms such as slight redness and swelling, dandruff, and soreness/pain; there is a possibility that it is not due to the shampoo method, but rather a different issue lurking beneath the surface. Especially if it was relatively discovered after hair dyeing or perming, it is recommended to visit the nearest dermatologist for a medical exam.
[ Proper Ways to Wash Your Hair ]
– Choosing Less Harsh Shampoos Usage of the wrong choice of shampoo cleansing strength that doesn’t match your hair and scalp is one of the reasons that can be deduced from hair troubles.
With the growing popularity of organic products in the recent years, silicone-free, additive-free, and natural ingredients only, there are many of such gentle products widely available in the market. We recommend considering a change to these products without harsh cleansing agents and soothe that irritated scalp.
– Pre-rinsing the Hair Make sure to rinse with warm water before washing your hair with shampoo. The best way to do this would be to throughly rinse your head under 37-38°C water, effectively removing any dust etc. clinging on the hair and scalp. We are able to cleanse a reasonable amount of dirt off the head with just this one step alone.
– Massaging the Scalp Whilst washing your hair, massage the scalp as gently as possible using your fingertips. As you do this repeatedly, to get as much residue off as possible, be sure not to use your fingernails to scrub the scalp in the process. The hair should also not be scraped (by the fingernails) whilst washing. Instead, let the bubbles ‘glide’ over it in order to cleanse the hair of any buildup.
– Thoroughly Rinsing off Shampoo After washing the scalp and hair, be sure to rinse off the shampoo, along with the effectively lifted residue, out of the hair. Please ensure more care is taken in doing this as compared to the pre-rinsing before shampooing. The estimated time spent on this step should be roughly twice the amount taken for washing the head.
– Blowdrying the Hair until 80-90% Dry You might think that it is best to blow dry the hair until the ‘damp’ feeling is completely gone. However, the ideal finish should be drying it until it is about 80-90% dry, leaving it with just the slightest amount of dampness. It is crucial to note that over-blowdrying the hair will create frizz. Please make sure to adequately dry your hair such as to prevent bacteria from propagating on the scalp.
[ There are Two Types of Dandruff! ]
– Dry Dandruff Due to Dry Scalp Scalp problems are usually itching, together with the tendency of flaking: dandruff. The root of scalp dryness appears in the form of patchy flaking across the entire scalp and can be categorised as dry dandruff. Dry scalp disrupts the skin cell renewal rate, in turn causing premature keratin loss.
– How to Counteract Dry Dandruff One of the reasons dry dandruff appears is due to the harsh cleansing power of the shampoo in use. Avoid using products that contain combinations of lauryl sodium sulfates and surfactants (surface-acting agents), and instead opt for gentle cleansing shampoos.
– Oily Dandruff • Scales Due to Seborrheic Dermatitis Oily dandruff can be a result of insufficient washing of the scalp, or naturally oily skin. Symptoms usually appear during periods of high humidity, especially from rainy seasons to the summertime.
– How to Counteract Oily Dandruff As overstimulation of the scalp can result in symptoms of this condition to deteriorate further, likewise for dry dandruff, it is also recommended to use gentle shampoos. You may also keep an eye out for products that contain anti-bacterial and anti-fungal ingredients as they are also effective in combating oily dandruff.
[ Methods to Deal with Itchy Scalp ]
– Making the Change to Gentle Shampoos When trouble occurs in the scalp,
the shortcut to abating it is to reduce the stress directed there as much as possible.
It will be good to select additive-free, gentle cleansing shampoos.
– Usage of Scalp Care Lotion and Oil Instead of focusing on just the type of shampoo, consider products such as lotions and oils that are formulated for scalp care. Usage of these, on top off the right shampoo, is recommended as well. The lotion provides additional moisture to the dry scalp, while the oil acts as a seal to lock in the moisture.
– Visit a Dermatologist Despite doing all that you can to fix the problem, the itchiness does not go away. In this situation, it is best to see a dermatologist to get a professional diagnosis. Getting a medical exam done will help you understand the condition of your scalp and hair better. You can also find out information to take note of, with regards to your future lifestyle, as well as advice on what shampoo and cosmetic products that suit you best.
The causes of itchy scalp are specific, so choose the most relevant approach to deal with it!
With an itchy scalp, your concentration at work is hindered, and you can’t even wind down during your relaxation time. Isn’t that so? The causes of scalp troubles are so varied, the approaches to it are significant in number as well. As such, please take the time needed to check what method works best for you. Do not endure it if the itch does not go away, and becomes too much to bear. Please make a trip down to your nearest dermatologist and inquire about your condition there.
正しいシャンプーの洗い方も紹介 きちんと毎日シャンプーしているし、清潔に保っているはずなのになぜか頭がかゆい…そんなことはありませんか？頭皮のかゆみは複数の原因があり、状況によって対応は様々です。こちらでは、原因別の対処法や正しい洗い方をご紹介します
[ 頭がかゆくなる原因 ] 汗や汚れが残っている ちゃんと洗っているのになんだかベタついてかゆい。そんなあなたはシャンプーの時に髪ばかり洗っていませんか？髪だけでなく頭皮もしっかり洗えていないと、日中の汗や汚れが残ったままになり、かゆみを引き起こすことがあります。
皮脂が出すぎる 洗髪不足やもともと脂性肌の方が陥りやすいのが、皮脂の問題。頭皮の表面に必要以上に皮脂が付着していることによって、雑菌が繁殖したりふけの発生に繋がることもあります。
乾燥によるバリア機能低下 先ほどとは逆に、洗いすぎやもともと乾燥肌の方が陥りやすいのが、乾燥による肌機能の低下です。洗浄力の強いシャンプーも、必要以上の皮脂が取り除かれ頭皮のかゆみを引き起こします。自分の肌に合ったシャンプー選びが重要になってきます。
紫外線による刺激 夏に多いトラブル要因がこちら。顔や腕などの紫外線予防には充分気を配る方が多いですが、頭皮や髪も同じように紫外線のダメージを受けます。
間違ったシャンプーの洗い方 予洗いが充分でない、頭皮を洗えていない、シャンプー後にすすぎきれていない、など髪の洗い方が間違っていると頭皮のかゆみは起こりやすくなります。後ほど正しい髪の洗い方をご紹介しますので、あなたの洗い方が合っているかどうかぜひチェックしてみてください。
アトピー性皮膚炎など疾患 頭皮のかゆみだけでなく、赤みやしこり、ふけ、痛みも伴う場合は、シャンプーの仕方ではない別の原因が潜んでいる可能性があります。カラーやパーマなど症状が現れ始めたタイミングが明確な場合も、近隣の皮膚科を受診することをおすすめします。
[ 正しいシャンプーの洗い方 ]
低刺激のシャンプーを選ぶ 頭皮や髪に対してシャンプーの洗浄力が合っていないということは、肌トラブルの原因の一つと考えられます。オーガニック商品の人気が高まっている近年、ノンシリコン、無添加、自然由来の原料のみ、など低刺激のものが多く販売されていますので、頭皮をいたわってそちらに変えてみるのもおすすめです。
予洗いをしっかりと行う シャンプーの前にお湯で予洗いをしましょう。
正しい予洗いの方法は、37~38度の温度で1分程度、髪や頭皮に付着したほこりなどをオフするようしっかり全体的に濡らすことがポイントです。
この一手間で、かなりの量の汚れを取ることができるとのことです。
指の腹で頭皮をマッサージしながら洗う 指の腹を使ってなるべくやさしく、頭皮をマッサージするように洗っていきます。くれぐれも汚れをしっかり落とそうとして、爪を立ててゴシゴシと洗わないようにしてくださいね。髪も同様に擦り合わせて洗うのではなく、泡を滑らせて汚れを落としましょう。
シャンプーをしっかりとすすぐ 頭皮も髪もしっかり洗うことができたら、すすぎ残しのないようシャンプーをしっかり洗い流しましょう。予洗い以上に気を配って、丁寧にすすいでください。シャンプーで頭を洗うのに使った倍の時間が目安です。
髪の水分が8～9割くらいまで乾かす 髪を乾かす時、濡れた感じがなくなるまで完全に乾かしてしまいがちですが、理想は髪に水分がやや残っている、8~9割の状態に仕上げること。乾かしすぎると髪のパサついてしまうため注意が必要です。頭皮は雑菌の繁殖を招いてしまうため、しっかり乾かしてくださいね。
[ フケには2種類ある！ ]
乾燥したフケの原因は頭皮の乾燥 頭皮のかゆみとともに陥りがちな頭皮トラブルがフケ。ポロポロと乾燥したタイプのフケは、頭皮の乾燥が原因です。頭皮は乾燥するとターンオーバーのリズムが崩れ、まだ剥がれ落ちるべきでない角質が剥がれるようになってしまいます。
乾燥したフケの対処方法 乾燥フケの原因の一つは、使用しているシャンプーの洗浄力が強いということが考えられます。ラウリル硫酸ナトリウムや界面活性剤などを配合しているものは避け、低刺激のシャンプーに変更することをおすすめします。
脂っぽいフケ・かさぶたの原因は脂漏性皮膚炎 頭皮を充分に洗えていなかったり、もともと脂性肌の方などは脂っぽいフケが出ることがあります。梅雨から夏にかけての湿度の高い時期に多くみられる症状です。
脂っぽいフケの対処方法 こちらも頭皮に刺激を与えると症状を悪化させてしまうため、低刺激なシャンプーの使用をおすすめします。また、殺菌成分や抗真菌剤入りのものなども有効ですので、ぜひ探してみてください。
[ 頭がかゆいときの対処方法 ]
低刺激のシャンプーに変更する 頭皮にトラブルを抱えている時は、極力頭皮へのストレスを軽減させることが近道となります。無添加かつ低刺激のシャンプーなどを選ぶのが良いでしょう。
頭皮ローションやオイルを使う シャンプーに気を配るだけでなく、このような頭皮ケア用品を使用することもおすすめです。ローションは乾燥した頭皮に潤いをプラスし、オイルは潤いが逃げないよう蓋をする役割があります。
皮膚科に行く できる限りのことはしたけれど一向にかゆみが治らない、という方は医師の受診をおすすめします。頭皮や髪の状態を診察してもらうことで、今後の生活において気をつけるべきポイントや、あなたに合ったシャンプーや美容液についてのアドバイスがもらえるでしょう。
頭がかゆいときは原因を特定し適切な対処方法を選ぼう！ 頭皮がかゆいと仕事をしていても集中できないですし、リラックスタイムも心地よくないですよね。頭皮トラブルには様々な原因が考えられますので、自分がどれに当てはまるのかチェックし、それぞれに合った対処を施してくださいね。どうしてもかゆみが治らない、というときは我慢せずにお近くの皮膚科へ問い合わせてみてください。
S.A.D's hair design
233 RIVER VALLEY ROAD #01-01,
SINGAPORE 238291
+65 9673 0570
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