Your scalp needs some love too
Extend anti-ageing efforts to your scalp
Your anti-ageing efforts should not stop at your face. Your scalp needs as much (if not more) tender loving care as the skin on your face and body.
When it comes to the signs of ageing, we typically talk about those that affect the skin, like dark spots and wrinkles.
But do you know that our scalp ages too? And at an astonishing rate - six times faster than facial skin, according to the L'Oreal Professionnel Academy.
How can we combat these effects of ageing?
DRY SCALP IN WOMEN
A study published in the Journal of Cosmetics, Dermatological Sciences and Applications found a reduction of sebum secretion in women as they age due to hormonal changes.
The same study found a significant reduction of scalp sebum secretion of women in the 40s compared to those in their 20s. If left untreated, a dry scalp can lead to itchiness and dandruff.
What to do: Try giving yourself a gentle scalp massage while shampooing.
Scalp massages can help stimulate the production of natural oils and help increase blood flow towards the hair follicles. This helps your follicles to receive more nutrients and promote hair growth.
SCALP SENSITIVITY
Sensitivity of the scalp is also found to increase with age according to the authors of Handbook Of Cosmetic Science And Technology. The most common symptoms include an itchy sensation and granules being stuck between your nails when you scratch your head in response.
What to do: Steer clear of shampoos with sodium lauryl sulphate. This chemical can cause the skin's natural protective barrier to be impaired, increase trans-epidermal water loss and cause potential irritants to penetrate further into the skin.
Always opt for a mild shampoo that does not strip the skin of moisture and disrupt the skin's healthy balance. Also, it is important to thoroughly wash away the shampoo as even slight traces left on skin will cause irritation, especially if the scalp is already sensitive.
THINNING HAIR
When your scalp ages, your hair follicles are more likely to get clogged and this may affect the absorption of protein. Since hair is largely made up of a protein called keratin, if your hair follicles are not getting enough protein, you might start to see changes to your crowning glory.
What to do: Exfoliating your scalp can help unclog your hair follicles and help any hair loss or scalp treatment tonic you use to better penetrate the scalp.
Every month, try to go for a scalp exfoliating treatment to stimulate healthy cell turnover on the surface and prevent further hair loss.
This article first appeared on Her World Online (www.HerWorld.com)
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