Dry and Itchy Scalp - Why Does the Scalp Become Dry and Itchy and How Can it Be Treated?

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We begin our lives with perfectly, flake and itch free scalps, that is how our scalp is meant to be, however, due to elements of our lifestyles, we find that the scalp can become affected. This is often in the form of a dry and itchy scalp.

How Does This Happen?

There are many reasons why our scalp may become dry and itchy. One of the main reasons is because of the chemicals put onto our scalp in the form of shampoo, dyes/bleach, and permanent lotions. The scalp, however able to regenerate, does not react well to certain chemicals, especially with frequent use.

You might think that shampoo cannot be considered to be a chemical, well actually, it is. Everyday shampoo, whether it be a known brand or supermarket brand all contain similar ingredients with variations. These ingredients contain certain substances known as Sodium lauryl sulphate and laureth sulphates to name a few which are included to assist in the formation of lather.

However, these substances are harsh chemicals which are also used to de-grease engines, this gives you an idea of their "cleaning" power, a little excessive when you think about the other uses for them. They have also been reported to cause allergic reactions, skin rashes, hair loss and a dry and itchy scalp.Bleaches and dyes also contain acidic ingredients which play havoc with the scalp. Some people do not appear to be affected by these substances, however if you suffer from a sensitive scalp which is prone to irritation, these hair products should be avoided, and alternatively use organic products.

Other factors in our lifestyle that detrimentally affect out scalp is our diet. The diet should be rich in vitamins such as A, E and C found in fruit and vegetables and healthy oils, such as omega 3, found in oily fish and olive oils. The B vitamins which are found in green leafy veg, fortified cereal, meat and fish are one of the most prominent set of vitamins in the health of the scalp and hair growth.

There also are certain minerals found in vegetables that are beneficial to hair growth such as iron found in green leafy vegetables and pulses. A low iron count in the blood can sometimes result in thinning hair. Stimulants such as coffee and alcohol have been known to cause skin irritation and should be kept to a minimum.