Hair is an integral part of your personality whether it is beautiful or not. It also project the internal wellbeing of the body means if your body is healthy then your skin and hair will glow but if there is any problem in the body’s internal environment then your skin and hair would appear dull and lifeless. Your hair gets nutrition from the scalp which is a layer of supporting cells which gives a ground for hair growth. Nutritional deficiency, diseases, infection or other factors affect the health of scalp which results into hair related problems like hair fall, thinning of hair, dandruff etc. Here we will discuss the factors which directly affect the health of the scalp.
Heredity
Genetic configuration is responsible for dry scalp in many cases and also causes thinning of hair. The person can inherit the condition from their mother or father’s lineage. These heredity based hair disorder generally occurs when a person hit the mid age and if not taken care then this condition can cause baldness.
Seborrheic dermatitis or seborrhea
This is a skin disorder which causes flaking, itching and redness on different parts of the body and when it occurs on the scalp then it is known as dandruff. This can be treated by anti dandruff shampoos but chronic cases are recommended steroid creams and prescription strength shampoos.
Scalp psoriasis
It is a skin condition in which the immune system triggers the skin cells to grow quickly and person suffering from this condition is most likely to suffer from dry and flaky scalp.
Stress
Stress has been found to be related with hair fall. The stress hormone cut off the supply of nutrition to the scalp which causes dryness in this region and it also stops the growth of hair. Thus, the hair becomes thin and dull.
Dermatitis caused by irritants or allergens
Some people are sensitive to hair products like shampoos, hair gels or other styling products and if they use them then the body reacts adversely. Such products are known as irritants or allergens. These allergens can cause dryness and flaking of the scalp. This condition can be avoided by stopping the use of that particular product.
Weather changes
Extreme weather conditions such as summers, winters or even monsoon can adversely affect your hair. The summer heat can damage the melanocytes of the scalp as well as removes the moisture from it and thus makes it itchy and dry. The humidity and dust in monsoon makes the scalp dirty which can become breeding ground for bacteria and result into dry flaky scalp. Same goes with winter when you cover your head to protect it from cold air then the scalp loses its moisture and it becomes flaky.
Pollution
This is another major factor which damages the cells of scalp. The chemical pollutant present in atmosphere regularly hit the scalp and makes it dry. People who work in an environment where dust and chemicals are commonly present (such as construction, mines, outdoor sports or field job), then the scalp and hair cells are more vulnerable to damage. All these conditions can cause dry and flaky scalp.
Care of scalp and hair is very important for healthy and shiny hair. Here are some points which you should keep in mind.
- You should regularly wash the hair and massage it with oils like olive oil, mustard oil, sesame oil which are rich in vitamin E.
- You should also take balanced diet which include all the nutrients so that the cells of scalp get enough nourishment.
- You should also cover your hair while going out to protect the scalp from dust, heat and pollutants.