Give Your Scalp the Royal Treatment – Scalp Care Tips

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Get ready to take onboard and absorb some of the most effective scalp care tips. If you want to show off your crowning glory beyond a summer season, you’d better be good to what lies beneath. Sun, salt water and chlorine can all punish your scalp, leaving it dry and itchy and draining the luster from your locks. Here’s how to keep your scalp healthy and your hair looking its best while you savor the season.

Practice Sun Smarts Towards Your Scalp Health

With skin cancer rates “significantly” on the rise, according to the Centers for Disease Control, most of us have gotten the message to slather our faces and bodies with sunscreen. (The American Academy of Dermatology recommends a broad-spectrum, water-resistant sunscreen with SPF 30, reapplied every two hours.) Find non-toxic and reef-friendly sunscreens for the body HERE.

But we may be skipping our scalps, says Dr. Rebecca Kazin, a board-certified dermatologist in Washington, D.C.

“Women don’t realize that even if they have a full head of hair, their part is prone to sunburn and potential skin cancer,” says Kazin. Ditto for spots where your hair may be thinning or your hairline is newly exposed by a summer ponytail or short haircut.

Scalp Skin Care Suggestions from Dermatologist

To avoid a greasy head, soak a cotton-tipped swab in sunscreen and run it along vulnerable areas.

Wear a broad-brimmed hat (not a paparazzi-tempting V. Stiviano visor!). Many versions now have built in SPF.

Get a skin checkup from your dermatologist at least once a year, and watch any moles for changes that could indicate deadly melanoma. (The American Cancer Society predicts that 32,000 melanomas will be diagnosed in women this year.)

Make your hairdresser or colorist a scalp scout. The Skin Cancer Foundation offers a free “Heads Up” training program to help stylists recognize troublesome symptoms.

Hair Brushes for Optimal Blood Circulation in Scalp

Great scalp care tips would be incomplete without a quality hair brush.

Some of the best hair brushes you could use in your daily hair care is the ones with boar bristles. Without causing any tear or split ends, your hair would receive an optimal brushing. Besides, your scalp skin will get gentle, yet so effective stimulation from a brush.

Depending on my daily needs, I use both cushion and round brushes. The latest favorites come from Nick Stenson collection. Each brush has a collection of boar bristles and nylon bristles. This combination of bristles allows to do two important functions for your scalp and hair health.

First, natural fiber bristles absorb and redistribute hair oils from the root along the entire length of each hair strand. It smoothes and lengthens the hair. Besides, your natural sebaceous oil protects the hair from damage and UV rays as well.

Second, nylon bristles help natural boar bristles to comb through more thoroughly, gliding into the midth of the hair tangles. Natural fibers of the boar bristles help to keep brushing smooth, without an overload of static electricity.

Check out my favorite Curious oval cushion brush by Nick Stenson . For a limited time in July 2021, when you buy any Curious hair brush, receive a frees set of hair clips by Nick Stenson. They are gorgeous!

Read up on more hair care tips and how to do scalp facial at home for the best spa-quality treatment ever.

Food for Healthy Scalp Skin

Your hair and scalp need plenty of lean protein and a variety of nutrients to stay supple and strong, says New York nutritionist Marjorie Nolan Cohn, a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

Throw some salmon, skinless chicken, lean beef or veggie burgers on the grill for some perfect summer protein. Other nutritional headliners for warm-weather appetites:

Seafood: Smoked salmon, sardines, and shellfish such as oysters, clams, mussels and crabs can deliver zinc and essential vitamins, as well as lean protein.

Low-fat dairy: Greek yogurt and cottage cheese are loaded with follicle-friendly protein and vitamins.

Salad-worthy fruits and veggies: Try vitamin-rich cantaloupe, blueberries, strawberries, fresh carrots, tomatoes and baby spinach, as well as that year-round favorite, sweet potatoes.

Olive and flaxseed oil, walnuts, almonds and avocados: Use these in dressings, marinades and salads. All pack lots of omega-3 fatty acids, which help our bodies produce the natural oils that condition the scalp.

Practical Tips for Your Healthy Scalp

Flaky, dry scalps can have numerous causes, ranging from year-round conditions like dandruff – an inflammatory reaction to yeast – to seasonal hazards such as poison ivy, bug bites or over-exposure to pool chemicals and salt water.

Check out this post for soothing homemade hair mask that works for dandruff as well.

In response, Kazin suggests the following scalp care tips.

Don’t scratch your scalp. It might worsen the condition and invite infection. Slap an ice cube on the afflicted spot to fool the nerve endings and block the itch.

Pick the right shampoo to sooth the scalp skin. If you’ve got showers of white flakes, use an over-the-counter dandruff product. If you’ve been swimming in the ocean or pool, choose a salt- and sulfate-free shampoo. And next time, wet your hair before hitting the beach to limit absorption of salt and chlorine.

Check out these soothing and anti-frizz natural hair care products for women.

Try scalp massage, which can increase blood flow, says Kazin. Do your own or enlist a significant other. If your scalp seems dry, use a dab of anti-inflammatory tea tree oil.

Check this detailed post for a list of essential oils to use for itching scalp and dandruff.

Condition your scalp skin. Apply a treatment under your bathing cap while you swim.