Our scalp is the root – pardon our haircare pun – of all our good and bad hair days. Without a properly balanced, happy, and healthy scalp, our hair suffers. For some, an itchy scalp translates into lanky locks, whereas others may notice recurring dandruff stops their hair from growing long and strong.
At skelp!, we understand the pain (both mental and physical) that comes with suffering from a scalp condition – of which there are unfortunately many. From seborrheic dermatitis to dandruff, eczema and beyond, it’s seemingly impossible to keep on top of all the things that could affect your scalp.
As it often goes in the beauty world, though, knowledge is power – the better you understand what can upset the scalp and throw things out of balance, the more equipped you’ll be to nip these conditions in the bud, should they ever come-a-calling. Throw in our game-changing lineup of skelp! scalp products, and you’ll be good to go.
To help you sort out your scalp woes, we’ve put together a guide to the most common scalp conditions, what causes them, and how to address them with our skelp! all stars for a healthier scalp and hair. Keep reading – better hair days are on their way!
What causes scalp conditions?
Like there’s no one-size-fits-all reason for skin concerns like acne and pigmentation, there’s no singular reason someone might suffer from a scalp condition like excessive dryness or an itchy scalp. While we can’t accurately pinpoint the cause of your issues without getting up close and personal, there are a few known contributors to common scalp issues.
Dry scalp causes
Scalp dryness, like facial dryness, is caused by a lack of hydration. This might be because your scalp is simply not drawing in and retaining enough water, or it could be because something else – like a haircare product or external factors such as dry weather or UV exposure – is sucking out moisture before your scalp has the chance to soak up all that juicy goodness. Our skin also tends to dry out as we age, and the skin on our scalp is no exception to that rule – so the older we get, the more likely we are to experience dryness.
Oily scalp causes
On the flip side, an oily scalp usually comes down to an overproduction of sebum. Sebum is a substance that’s secreted by the sebaceous glands, and its role in the body is to protect and hydrate the skin. While sebum is inherently a good thing for our hair and scalp, as it’s designed to keep them from drying out, too much sebum can lead to a greasy look and feel. Where some of us only notice this sebum build up when it’s been a few too many days since we last washed our hair, others simply have bodies that produce too much sebum, leading to regular oiliness and a waxy, often irritated scalp.
Itchy scalp causes
If you’ve ever wondered ‘why is my scalp itchy?’, then you’ve probably run through a bunch of different scenarios in your head, from dandruff to dermatitis, and perhaps even head lice (yikes!). Well, it’s time to put the nit comb down, and listen up… although you may not like what we have to tell you. The simple answer is that there’s no one specific cause of an itchy scalp – in fact, there are too many potential causes to count, including clinical conditions like psoriasis, seborrheic dermatitis, ringworm, and acne. Itchiness may also be a symptom of a dry or an oily scalp.
How to know if your scalp condition is serious – and what to do next
While awesome hair and scalp care like ours can work wonders for a generally dry, oily, or itchy scalp, you’ll need to bring in the big guns if you think you’re suffering from a true scalp condition like dermatitis or eczema. So, how do you know, and what should you do about it?
If you’re not sure if your scalp woes are a serious condition or an imbalance that can be addressed with quality scalp care, look for telltale signs it’s something more, such as rashes, hair loss, thinning or breaking hair, scabs, and pain. If you’re experiencing symptoms this severe, head to your doctor or dermatologist to diagnose and treat the condition.
However, if you don’t notice any of these warning signs, chances are your scalp’s just going through a little rough patch – and we can help with that.
How to treat a dry scalp using skelp!
If you’re not dealing with a clinical condition, here’s how to fix a dry scalp – starting with reintroducing hydration. The best way to do this is by using ingredients that lock in moisture, known as humectants. Perhaps our fave humectant is Hyaluronic Acid, which can hold and bind up to 1,000 times its weight in water, meaning it’ll give your hair and scalp a serious splash. You’ll find Hyaluronic Acid in our new skelp! Stay Hydrated Moisture Mask, which works on both the hair and scalp to combat dryness and deeply nourish. 
Another go-to dry scalp defence mechanism is exfoliation. Just like the skin on our face, our scalps need exfoliation to turn over dead cells and stay smooth. In fact, it’s even more important to give your scalp a good scrub, especially if you want long, healthy hair, as excess skin cells can clog the hair follicles and impede growth. We recommend grabbing a product like our Head First Pre-Cleanser, which contains expert exfoliator Lactic Acid for gentle resurfacing, and working it through the hair and into the scalp with a scalp brush.
Our top tips for balancing an oily scalp
If your scalp’s more on the oily side, it’s all about finding balance. Seeing as you can’t treat your scalp to a yoga retreat, the easiest way to bring about that balance is by using products that contain an ingredient that treats the entire scalp ecosystem – such as Defenscalp, which you’ll find in a lucky few skelp! products, including our Clean Sweep Shampoo and The Healer Serum. Defenscalp uses prebiotics to balance the scalp microbiome, levelling out sebum production and minimising oil for hair that feels cleaner longer, and fewer greasy flakes.
How to stop an itchy scalp with skelp!
Ahh, the itchy scalp – perhaps the hardest to address, and the most annoying to deal with! If your itchiness isn’t a symptom of a more serious underlying scalp condition, then it’s likely you’re just dealing with the aftereffects of your scalp’s ecosystem being too dry, or conversely, too oily. (Psst – if you’re not sure which one you are, chances are you’re oily if your hair only takes 1-3 days to look greasy after washing, whereas you might be dry if you can last upwards of 4 days without reaching for the shampoo.)
Once you know your scalp type, we suggest trialling our scalp balancing recommendations for a few weeks and seeing if the itching subsides. If it doesn’t, it might be time for a trip to the doctor, as you could be dealing with a scalp condition you can’t see or that doesn’t have a noticeable presentation.
Our top tips for a healthier scalp
Regardless of whether your scalp is dry, oily, itchy, or perfectly balanced (lucky you!) there are a bunch of good practices you can add into any routine for a happier scalp and healthier hair.
Perhaps the easiest and most effective is using a scalp scrubber, AKA a scalp massage brush, to stimulate blood flow and slough away dead skin cells. The skelp! All-Rounder Scalp Brush is made with pliable yet firm silicone bristles to provide a solid scrub without hurting the scalp. It’s the perfect dandruff brush if you’re dealing with flakiness, as it’ll help to move those dry scales along with each wash. It’s also ideal for massaging in your fave shampoo, conditioner, or hair treatment to ensure you don’t experience excess product build-up on the scalp, as this can make scalp conditions look and feel even worse.
To use the All-Rounder Scalp Brush, simply apply your go-to product as usual and distribute it evenly through the hair and scalp. Then, gripping the handle, exfoliate your scalp with the brush at the desired pressure. Be sure to massage all areas of the scalp, including the upper nape of your neck and top of the head. Rinse out your product, and voila – hello, happy scalp! We recommend using the skelp! All-Rounder Scalp Brush at least once a week for best results.
Other things you can do to optimise your scalp health include regularly brushing your scalp to promote better circulation, always washing or brushing out products to avoid build-up, and washing your hair on a consistent schedule – as a rule, aim for once every 3 to 4 days.
Scalp care, sorted
Every product in the skelp! range is designed to put your scalp first, because we know just how critical a happy scalp is to healthy hair. Turn your haircare routine into a scalp-loving ritual with our multi-step system for restoring scalp balance, for good – explore the range now.
