Scrubs, cleansers, toners, moisturisers, sunscreens, serums – the list goes on and on! We do so much for the skin on our face to prevent aging, peeling and breakouts. By comparison, we do so little for the skin on our scalp. But why? Turns out, we’re skipping our scalp skin which is just as vulnerable.
Beneath the surface, face skin and scalp skin are essentially the same, but above the surface, the differences between the two are more obvious..
The skin on your scalp
Unlike the skin on your face, the scalp is (usually) covered with thick, longer hair. This makes your scalp prone to more problems than your face - and it’s the reason why your scalp needs special care.
The hair on the scalp creates a warm, dark and humid environment, where microbes like Malassezia thrive.
It also provides plenty of oils, which Malassezia breaks down for energy.
The irritants it produces during this process cause dandruff. The presence of hair also makes the scalp harder to clean than the skin on your face.
Your scalp microbiome
Not sure what a microbiome is or what it’s doing on your scalp? The good news is, we’ve been looking into this for a while, so we’re happy to guide you through it.
You may have heard of the microbiomes in your gut that help break down food and release energy. Basically, a “microbiome” is the natural ecosystem of microscopic bacteria and yeasts that exists in an area. Of course, since the conditions on your scalp are really different from your gut, the types of bacteria and yeasts that live there and their behaviour are different. Here’s what you need to know:
When the microbiome on your scalp is balanced, your scalp will look and feel healthy, but when the balance is upset you can experience itch, irritation, redness and dandruff flakes.
A lot of people think that washing their hair is just about the hair itself - but their scalp is just as important, if not more so.
Taking care of your scalp should be a top priority if you’re aiming for healthy-looking hair.
At Head & Shoulders, we’ve led over 30 clinical assessments in the last 10 years to better understand how to keep it in good shape.
We’ve even discovered new ways to detect changes in your scalp condition, like measuring histamine (a compound involved in immune responses) to see how irritated or inflamed the skin is and measuring how well your skin holds on to essential moisture.
Signs a scalp needs extra care
When your scalp isn’t in good shape, you might notice:
If your face was dry, you’d apply a lotion - but that’s not as easy on the scalp.
A great place to start is with a good scalp care shampoo like Head & Shoulders Apple Fresh Shampoo & Conditioner. It’s not only effective at leaving your scalp dandruff free,* it also provides total scalp protection. In fact, using Head & Shoulders is clinically proven to improve scalp skin by:
- improving moisture
- relieving itch
- calming irritation
- helping eliminate flakes
- restoring balanced microbiome
- strengthening skin
- protecting skin from irritants
- creating a good foundation for healthy hair
The benefit of caring for your scalp is that it will be comfortable, flake-free and your hair will look fantastic. Make skin care for your scalp a priority and enjoy healthier, fresher looking hair.
*visible flakes with regular use