Scalp dilemma

Nigel Russel

Nigel comes to Get Frank as an experienced Hairdresser and certified Trichologist, working with clients who had irritating scalp and hair problems led to the berth of Holistic Hair™ - a range of products that target the cause of the problem, not just the symptoms. Check out www.holistichair.co.nz

What’s up with my scalp.!!!Have you got the tell tale snow  flakes on the collar ,do you itch and scratch your head when the pressure is on, is it starting to get embarrassing?

Fear not as there could be some very simple answers to your dilemma.

Dandruff is one of the most common conditions of the scalp in both men and women .It has a close association with yeasts that naturally occur on our skin and is also dependant on a sebaceous (oil y) state specifically on the scalp. If it is left untreated it may begin to get worse and develop into Seborrheic dermatitis which is a very oily scalp and flakey condition that leaves the skin inflamed.

The trouble is what you may think is dandruff could , in fact be something quite different so it is important to recognize what is causing the condition before racing off to the chemist to by a product. Psoriasis  is an auto immune condition known to affect 4% of the world’s population .It creates a dry itchy scalp that can develop into sores  and may spread if not treated properly. Then of course it could be as simple as you using the wrong type of shampoo. Soap!! Is especially bad to use as a shampoo as it is quite alkaline and is hard to remove from the hair properly and if you are not washing your styling product out properly then this may appear as a flakey condition.

The good news is none of these conditions will lead to baldness!! But an unhealthy scalp does not breed good healthy hair remember she may not be so keen to run her fingers through your hair if it causes a snow storm all over her Elle Macpherson intimates!! So the key things to remember are what to look for to enable you to buy the right product for your hair.

·         Is it dandruff or is it a dry scalp?

·         If it is dandruff it is associated with an OILY condition so you need to look for a good anti dandruff shampoo that contains pyrithione zinc and always wash the hair twice to fully remove the flakes and oil .do not have the water on too hot as it will stimulate the oil glands and make it worse so don’t rub too hard as well. Try head and shoulders or L,Oreal anti dandruff shampoo.

·         If it is psoriasis or just an itchy scalp then there is a LACK of oil so you need to moisturize the scalp by using mild calming shampoo’s that do not contain harsh chemicals and detergent, you should also  check your diet as dairy products and refined sugars worsen this condition and you may need to lay off the turps for a while ,sorry fellas . Good products for this condition are Holistic hair sensitive scalp shampoo and Kerastase nocto clam products.

·         If it is product build up then get out of the supermarket habit of buying the cheap and nasty stuff and get better quality range styling products such as Redken for men  rough paste L,oreal play ball material or Sebastian Clay. To remove product try Redken so clean.

Its not that hard to keep your hair looking great but knowing what to use on it will go a long way in maintaining what you have got and ensuring your hair  and scalp stay in optimum condition all through the year.