A solid foundation is the key to a strong and stable house. Similarly, the scalp is the foundation of your hair and any crack in that foundation can bring the whole house down. On the positive side, if you take good care of that foundation, it will show.
If you dedicate time, good natural hair care products, and attention to maintaining the health of your scalp you’ll be rewarded. If however, your scalp isn’t well taken care of, it will result in dullness and lack of growth. Not to mention the excessive dryness, itchiness, and flakes that you’re also likely to experience.
Dryness is the number one cause (and consequence) of scalp irritation. Unfortunately, natural hair is already prone to increased brittleness and dryness since it’s more difficult for moisture to travel down coily and curly hair strands.
A dry scalp on textured hair types tends to occur because the follicles are lacking moisture, whether it’s added moisture from products or naturally produced in the form of sebum. When the dryness gets to a certain level the scalp may get itchy and eventually the skin begins to flake off, turning into dandruff.
If you’re experiencing any of this, don’t fret! We know it can be irritating, uncomfortable, not to mention embarrassing, but getting itchy scalp relief is more achievable than you might think.
Simply switching up your hair care routine and natural hair products, like adding a nourishing dose of our moisture miracle oil or hydrating hair with our coconut oil and honey leave-in conditioner, can make a world of difference.
Introducing a few new rituals to your natural hair care routine can relieve your dry, itchy scalp and continue preventing it from happening again in the future. Your curls and coils crave extra moisture and caring for the scalp is the key to keeping your whole head nourished, soft, and shiny.
Keep reading to learn more about why you’re suffering from a dry scalp and how to finally get relief with five easy at-home solutions.
What Causes a Dry Scalp?
Before you start treating your scalp, it’s important to pinpoint the likely causes of its irritation so you can lessen the chances of it ever occurring again later. The root of the problem could be external or internal factors or a mixture of both.
Some of the most common internal causes include stress, lack of sleep, medications that cause dehydration, and skin conditions like dermatitis or psoriasis. You can also be genetically predisposed to it or have certain hormonal imbalances that affect the skin and hair.
Aging and the excessive consumption of sugar and fats can also impact the production of the sebum that naturally moisturizes the scalp. Some of the typical external causes include cold or dry weather, over-washing, harsh hair products, and environmental pollution.
Across the external and internal factors, many of them are things you can’t necessarily fix (you just can’t change your DNA) so it’s important to do your best with the ones you can. Examine your lifestyle and determine which things are reasonable for you to alter like consuming less sugar, taking better care of your health overall, and avoiding harsh ingredients in your hair care products.
Easy Natural Remedies For a Dry Scalp
In addition to making a few lifestyle changes, ones that will benefit your overall health as well, there are easy things you can do when it comes to caring for your natural hair. Read on to see five easy ways to remedy your dry scalp.
Scalp Massages With Moisture Miracle Oil
Once you’ve done what you can in terms of preventative measures, the best immediate relief can come from a nice scalp massage. It’s an effective way to increase hydration and deliver that much needed moisture quickly.
Grab an oil like our lush African Pride 5 Essential Oils and rub into the scalp with your fingertips in a gentle, circular motion. This is not only therapeutic, alleviating stress and giving you a moment of relaxation, but its unique blend of olive oil, coconut oil, vitamin E, and more greatly benefit the scalp.
The massaging movement stimulates the production of your hair’s natural oils, kickstarting it so that it can continuously provide more moisture. The African Pride 5 Essential Oils also deliver a restorative boost that soothes irritation, calms itchiness, and replenishes lost nutrients.
However, remember to avoid scratching the scalp with your nails so that you don’t cause more harm than good.
Proper Cleaning and Conditioning
Washing hair properly is a big factor in your overall scalp health. Products with sulfates, alcohol, or other harsh chemicals can dry out hair and can end up damaging the delicate follicles of the scalp. Our Coconut Oil Shampoo is a gentle cleansing formula that removes dirt and buildup without stripping the hair of its natural oils. The coconut oil deeply penetrates the hair shaft to deliver hydration and the honey seals it in for better retention.
This nourishes the scalp with the moisture it’s lacking without damaging the hair’s natural oil production. Following with the Coconut Oil Conditioner compliments the shampoo by adding the intensely restorative benefits of chocolate in the form of natural cacao. Both of these moisture restoring combos are made specifically for textured, curly, and coily hair so they can deliver hydration directly to where it’s desperately needed in the scalp.
Even with nourishing products, however, the hair still needs time for its natural oils to replenish themselves so continue to be aware of how often you are cleansing.
Moisturizing With Coconut Oil & Honey Leave-in Conditioner
The scalp’s lack of moisture is what causes it to be dry, so adding moisture is the best way to fight it. Water itself is moisture, so water-based products deliver the most hydration to the hair. Our African Pride Moisture Miracle Leave-In Conditioner is a lightweight formula that nourishes curls all day long while adding definition and shine.
Just applying the moisture however, isn’t quite enough to alleviate your entire dry scalp. Adding a moisture miracle oil in addition to our coconut oil & honey leave-in conditioner is a necessary extra step that seals the moisture into the hair so it can retain it for longer amounts of time. Continue using our essential oils blend or opt for our Hair & Scalp Sealing Oil for the added benefit of tea tree oil’s anti-inflammatory, conditioning, and soothing properties. Either will do the important job of being a sealant to lock in moisture and work against dry scalp all day long.
Deep Conditioning Treatments
For improved scalp care, the small changes like washing less and using lush leave-in conditioners are important, but there is another step that should be added to your usual hair care regimen.
Consistent deep conditioning treatments will pack an extra punch of moisture that is key in the continuous prevention of dry scalp in the future, especially if its causes are things you can’t control.
Our Deep Penetrating Conditioner Treatment is exactly the type of intense hydration needed to treat the severity of dry, itchy scalp. It penetrates hair strands to restore moisture where other products fail to.
For the first month, do the treatment weekly to alleviate the symptoms of dry scalp. After that, go down to about twice a month to continually ensure the scalp and hair are conditioned and moisturized.
Nourishing the Scalp With a Balanced Diet
As some causes of dry, itchy scalp are internal, it’s important to pay attention to what’s going on inside the body that may be a culprit. Certain nutrients specifically nourish the skin and hair so if your diet is lacking them it can contribute to dry scalp and dry skin in general.
Zinc, Omega-3 fatty acids, Vitamin B, and Vitamin A are all essential for skin health. In addition to taking vitamins, incorporate foods containing these into your diet. Most importantly, make sure you are drinking enough water. This provides the ultimate hydration for your body, skin, and scalp.
Dry Scalp Issues: When to See a Doctor
A dry, itchy scalp is usually a treatable lack of moisture that can be easily fixed with these natural hair care tips. However, if after exhausting these methods for months you still experience no change in your scalp’s condition, we suggest seeing a doctor.
Most likely however, integrating a balanced diet, increasing your water intake, and incorporating these five hair tips will quench your curls thirst for moisture.
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