The Better Blog

It is easy to forget about our scalp until it starts to act out. We take our scalps for granted when they are smooth, clean, and healthy, and the hair that grows from it is thick and lustrous. However, when they start to itch, become sensitive, flake, turn red, shed hair, and produce thinner hairs, we begin to pay attention.

A healthy hair count starts with a healthy scalp. Through the years, our bodies change, and our skin becomes dryer and loses elasticity. This is true for our scalps as well. Located in the outer layer (epidermis) are tiny pockets called hair follicles in charge of growing nearly 100,000 hairs on your scalp. Physiological changes in your body lead to "follicular miniaturization," where strands grow in wispier, and some follicles shut down completely.

Usually, we can expect to shed about 100 hairs each day. It’s part of the natural balance of your hair biology. Your hair follicles go through a cycle that includes growth, transition, and rest — but for many women, it may seem like their follicles are spending too much time resting. When your growth cycle is interrupted, and more hair falls out then grows in, hair loss occurs.

Our scalp is covered by hair. As we age, however, our tresses thin, exposing more skin to damaging ultraviolet (UV) rays. Most of us are sticklers when it comes to adding SPF to our faces before heading into the sunshine, but end up neglecting our scalps. Protecting your scalp is just as important as protecting your face.

As the years go by, the volume and shine associated with young-looking hair may be replaced by brittle, fine, and dull hair, generally linked to aging. This transformation results from environmental and genetic influences that affect your hair shaft and follicle cells. Locating the best hair serum to counteract the unique hair-raising issues of aging is not a simple task. This is because not all serums are created equally — some can weigh your hair down while others leave it feeling sticky and often fail to treat the root problem.

In our quest for shiny, beautiful hair, we put our aging hair and scalps through a lot — we switch from sticky gels to mousses, to sprays, trying to infuse life into our dull, frizzy locks. The more products we use, the more residue is left behind on our scalps. Product buildup can interfere with the natural pH of your scalp, making it impossible to sprout glossy, hydrated locks. Cleaning the gunk and toxin buildup from your scalp unclogs your hair follicles, balancing your natural sebum oils and scalp pH.

Many women feel reborn in their 40s and beyond, and exfoliation can bolster that renewed energy feeling. After all, through exfoliation, we literally buff away dead skin cells while making room for new ones to shine. This renewal-through-scrubbing has become a perpetual component of our face and body’s daily or weekly skincare regimen. Nevertheless, many of us forget that the scalp that anchors our hair is made of skin, too.

To achieve healthier, stronger, and thicker hair, you need a thriving scalp. Oil, dirt, sweat, and bulky hair products can leave residue behind that builds up on your scalp. This buildup causes dryness, itching, flakes, and ultimately leads to thinner and weaker hair.

Maybe you have practiced social distancing for too long and are skipping regular shampoos — or you have been experimenting with bolder styling products trying new looks before a return to society. Changes to your routine can lead to flakes and an itchy head from sticky scalp buildup. Over time dry shampoos, hairsprays, mousses, gels, oils, sweat, and dead skin cause residue accumulation clogging pores and blocking new follicle development. When this happens, your hair thins and can grow at a snail’s pace.