Bye, bye dry scalp ... Ugh, we all have it. That little white halo on our sweater. Bleck! Then the freakout starts;
“DO I HAVE DANDRUFF?!? OH EMMM GEEEEEEE, GROSS!”
The odds are that you don’t. Dandruff is pretty rare and typically denotes a health issue, which is confusing considering the massive amount of wrong information. Even medical-based websites are somewhat misleading and ill-informed. True dandruff is a fungus. This fungus lives on the scalps of most healthy adults without causing any problems, and one theory is that the immune system of someone with dandruff may overreact to the fungus.
Even less common are yeast infections on the scalp, which can look and act much like dandruff. These are contagious. When seen, they are yellow, oily, and sometimes smelly. They look like fish scales, which suffocate the scalp causing hair loss and brittleness. In 20 years, we have never seen it, so don’t get all googling and ‘Web-MD-y’ on us.
LISTEN UP!! Dry skin does not = dandruff Most people have dry skin this time of year. Our lips, legs, and hands feel and look like they’ve aged ten years since September. Since your skin, the largest organ in your body, reacts similarly all over, it isn’t surprising that your scalp reacts equally as dry.
So what's a person to do?
PH BALANCING SPRAYS: Invest in a scalp spray, like our Cult& King Tonik or Super water. It provides moisture and balancing properties to restore the PH of your scalp and correct overly oily or dry issues.
NO MORE AIR DRYING: Next, make sure you’re not going to bed with a wet head, or air drying your hair this time of year. Moisture for prolonged periods creates a breeding ground for scalp issues. Make sure to use the blow dryer to dry your root area at the very least.
CHANGE UP YOUR PRODUCTS: Switch to more moisturizing products and avoid spraying volumizers on the roots. Volume building products typically use alcohol as a base ingredient, which is fairly drying. Switching to a product applied with your fingers will help avoid placing the extra product on your scalp, avoiding additional dehydration. MASK UP: Nah, not covid style -- a hair mask! A once-a-week deep conditioning treatment will do wonders for your scalp's moisture level. Our go-to fave is Davines Quick Fix because it is fast acting, under 3 min can refresh your moisture level.
SCRUBS: Scrubs and detox shampoos are super helpful this time of year. Adding moisture and exfoliation are two key ways to clear away the dull, old, dead skin scales. Davines Sea Salt Scrub, is amazing... Just sayin'
AVOID: Over-the-counter treatments, like Head and Shoulders, contain super heavy chemicals that hide the issue. When you discontinue use, the problem comes back with a vengeance, causing you to be hooked on a terrible product.
Lastly, come talk to us. There are in-salon treatments to help you with any issues you’re having and we are a safer space to communicate these annoying winter blue issues.
XO,
CHS