Scratching your scalp with your nails can cause even MORE flaking and inflammation, and may result in small tears and scabs. Your scalp skin actually has more hair follicles and oil glands than any other part of your body, making it a lot more sensitive and susceptible to skin issues.
Scalp massages can stimulate the hair's follicles and help with removing dead skin cells on the scalp. During cleansing, Women's Healthrecommends massaging your shampoo into your scalp beginning at the front of the head.
Scratching your scalp for long periods of time can damage your hair strands. The outside of each hair strand is covered in cuticlescales, somewhat like scales on a fish. The back-and-forth scratching action chips away at the protective cuticle, weakening the hair and making it more likely to break.
No, there is no medical evidence that scratching your scalp will help your hair to grow. In fact, it may even do the opposite by irritating the skin and causing inflammation. If you're anything like me, you've probably wondered whether scratching your scalp actually does anything to help hair grow.
Have you ever scratched your scalp and noticed white, waxy buildup under your nails? That's sebum mixed with dead skin cells. It's hard for shampoo alone to wash away your oily scalp issues. And issues like stress and weather can increase the scalp's sebum production, making you even oilier.
Little White Flakes
Those are the telltale signs of dandruff. Dandruff flakes are dead skin cells that fall off your scalp. When you have dandruff, your scalp may look scaly or red and feel itchy or raw. Scratching or rubbing your head loosens the flakes.
Your immediate reaction to an itchy scalp might be to give it a good scratch but resist the temptation! Scratching your scalp can damage your hair. While it's a natural reaction to itchiness, scratching your head can cause serious damage to both your hair and scalp. Itch can be a sign that your scalp is unhealthy.
Constant scratching can lead to wounds and scabs, further damaging your scalp. The scalp can also become dry as the outer layer of skin becomes weak and lacks moisture. Scratching leaves your hair weak and your scalp vulnerable.
The good news is that an itchy scalp isn't likely to cause hair loss, at least not directly. However, some skin conditions that cause you to develop an itchy scalp may affect your hair follicles and contribute to hair shedding and patches of hair loss.
Another leading cause of an itchy scalp is dirty hair. If you don't wash your hair regularly enough – dirt, oil, and product build-up can cause your scalp to become itchy and irritated. When your hair is too dirty, it can also lead to unwanted bacteria, sometimes turning into dandruff and other scalp problems.
While you figure out the cause, try not to scratch your scalp. Scratching irritates the skin and can make your symptoms worse. Place a cool, wet washcloth on your scalp for 15 to 30 minutes a few times a day to soothe the itch. You can also apply a cortisone anti-itch cream.
An itchy, dry, and flaky scalp could be telling you that you need to do a better job of rinsing the shampoo from your hair. Leaving some shampoo on your scalp can irritate it. If you have an itchy scalp and a rash, you may have a condition called allergic contact dermatitis.
Do your best to resist the urge to touch your scalp, especially if it's already itchy. Scratching can increase irritation and lead to a vicious cycle. When you touch and scratch, you can also introduce dirt into the mix that can make dandruff worse.
It turns out scratching feels so good because it causes a low-level pain signal to shoot up to the brain and override the itch signal to provide us with relief. That's why pinching or slapping the itchy spot can work, too.
So, the best way to comb your hair with dandruff is to comb or brush it evenly throughout your hair. Doing this regularly will help you get rid of dandruff and give you naturally shining hair!
Not only to your scalp, but also to your health. Scratching too often can actually make the scalp feel itchier, creating an endless lop of irrational and scratching.
“A healthy scalp should be clear of flakes and irritation or redness, and it should be free of dryness, or any signs of infection, or disruption of the skin on the scalp.” Any itchiness, irritation or burning sensations might be signs of an unhealthy scalp.
A Japanese head spa is a scalp massage treatment that gently stimulates pressure points and increases blood flow throughout the scalp. If the idea of immediate stress relief and better sleep isn't already enough, the benefits of this head reflexology treatment extend far beyond basic relaxation.
The scalp should be free of itchiness and feel smooth and supple." A healthy scalp is also free from pain, sun damage, excessive hair loss and hair thinning. A huge red flag is if your scalp feels dry to touch.
Scratching your scalp with your nails can cause even MORE flaking and inflammation, and may result in small tears and scabs. Your scalp skin actually has more hair follicles and oil glands than any other part of your body, making it a lot more sensitive and susceptible to skin issues.