Why Your Scalp Is Irritated And How You Can Get Relief

Affecting approximately 1 in every 3 people, this skin condition affects a huge portion of the human population. Irritation, an itchy scalp, flaking dead skin… it can be a huge source of embarrassment and inconvenience for many people. But it doesn’t have to be this way! Today we will shedding light into what may be causing your skin to become so irritated and simple solutions you can start doing today to help improve the health of your scalp!

• What’s Causing It?

• The Solution

What’s Causing It?

Dry Scalp – Your scalp is too dry which is irritating the outer layer of skin. This is common if you’re constantly in heated buildings or living in areas with low humidity (especially during the winter). Because of this “dry air” (lack of moisture in the air), this causes the moisture to literally be sucked out from the upper layers of your skin.

Dandruff – Although the exact cause is not known, it is almost always related to an overproduction of oil or an increase in microorganisms that naturally live on your skin (such as the fungus malassezia, which feeds off of your natural skin oils).

Contact Dermatitis – This is triggered by the products you use to style and clean your hair. Styling products can build up on your scalp over time or shampoos may contain ingredients which can irritate your skin or trigger allergies.

Chronic Skin Conditions (Psoriasis & Eczema) – Psoriasis is a chronic autoimmune condition which causes an overproduction of skin cells, while Eczema is normally caused by a hypersensitivity reaction causing the skin to overreact to irritants, many of which are found in shampoos and styling products. We recommend going to a doctor if you believe you have these skin conditions.

Diet – This may come as a surprise, but the type of foods you eat on a daily basis may contribute to an irritated scalp. For example eating a high carb/greasy diet can increase the amount of fungus living on your scalp which can trigger irritation and flakes. Another cause may be from deficiencies in nutrients and vitamins.

The Solution

Once you’ve gotten to the bottom of what’s causing the irritation, you can start to develop a routine to soothe and revitalize your scalp! Below we’ve listed the most effective solutions we’ve found for restoring the health of your scalp!

If you’re suffering from dry scalp, the best solution is to condition after shampooing, making sure to work it onto your scalp so your skin is able to absorb the moisturizers inside your conditioner. Working in Argan oil or coconut oil into your scalp is another great way to bring moisture back into your scalp. Running a humidifier in your room while you sleep is another effective way of dealing with dry skin.

If you find Dandruff is the cause, you will want to use an anti-dandruff shampoo. Working it into your scalp in circular motions and allowing it to sit for a few minutes before washing it out. Using coconut oil as a leave in conditioner can also do wonders because it works as an antimicrobial, keeping the microorganisms that naturally live on your skin from growing out of control.

With Contact Dermatitis you will want to make sure that you’re thoroughly shampooing your hair and scalp to get rid of any hair styling product that may still be sitting in your hair… Or at the very least rinsing it out of your hair before you go to sleep! If you believe there’s ingredients in the products you use that is irritating your scalp, the best way to go about this is to stop using the products one at a time and see if the flaking slows down or if your skin becomes less irritated. Once you’ve found the culprit, you can take it out completely and substitute it for something that won’t be as irritating.

If you’re suffering from Chronic Skin Conditions (Eczema & Psoriasis), please see your family doctor or dermatologist for a proper diagnosis! Normally a medicated shampoo or corticosteroid cream tailored to your medical condition will be prescribed.

By fixing up your Diet, you can greatly reduce the amount of irritation and bring back health and radiance to your skin! Try cutting back on carbs and refined sugars for a few weeks and see how your skin reacts. We also highly recommend supplements such as fish oils and multivitamins and drinking water more often.

Conclusion

Finding out what’s causing your scalp to become irritated and flaky can often times be a journey. We hope this guide has helped you in finding out the cause and a solution to bringing your scalp back to the health it’s meant to have!