Scalp Issues: A Common Problem

For obvious reasons, I regularly talk with people about their hair and issues they may be having. Scalp issues come up way more often than most people would think. Conversations usually start with the person's hair and their struggles, but I always ask about the scalp. Sheepishly, they will admit they have issues that are always present or issues that arise occasionally.

As an aside, I want to clearly state here that I am not a medical professional and am not giving health advice or commentary on how to treat any medical conditions. I am, however, highlighting common practices that can contribute to scalp issues and my number one tip on how to ease non-medical problems and the symptoms of medical conditions.

I wanted to conduct a little research on our community, so I posted a survey to our Instagram Stories last week. This survey is by no means representative of the entire population. There were about 50 people that participated, but I have no information as far as demographics.

A whopping 95% of responders said they constantly or occasionally have scalp issues. I knew it would be a majority, but these numbers surprised me.

I then put together a series of questions asking only those with scalp issues to participate. Some of the questions had responses that were too broad to draw many conclusions. The following issue matches my personal experience and the experiences of people I have helped overcome their scalp issues.

The amount of time the scalp is left wet.

If you air-dry your hair, I want you to think about how long your hair is wet.

How long does it take for your hair to dry fully, all the way to the scalp?

I know my scalp is the last place to dry completely; especially the back and close to the neck. If I leave it to air dry, those places are wet for hours.

The Alchemist's Conclusions

While this may be a broad generalization given the lack of detail about each person's unique situation, the results line up with my personal experience and observations. The longer the scalp is wet, the more likely we are to experience scalp issues.

These issues can include itching, flaking, scabs, dryness, and little bumps that form. All of these are indications of some type of irritation.

I know correlation does not always equal causation, but I do think this is the first place we should look when dealing with chronic scalp issues. The solution to many of life's problems can be found in our daily habits.

I struggled with scalp issues years ago. From time to time, my scalp would flare up with little bumps and would begin to flake in patches along my scalp. I tried all sorts of things to fix the problem, including scalp massages with oils, apple cider vinegar rinses, and cutting back on how often I washed my hair.

None of these things worked.

During this time, I exclusively air-dried my hair. I would even put my hair up in a  wet bun or occasionally sleep with it wet.

I switched tactics and began washing my hair more often with our original solid shampoo, the Aqua Aura, back when it was the only option. I also began diffusing my hair to be 100% dry. I quickly started to see improvement in my scalp.

Now, my approach to scalp health is this:

1. I shampoo regularly with mild shampoo. The Aqua Aura Solid Shampoo is the best for my personal hair type (Here's my dream team)

2. I use the Silver Aura Solid Shampoo every 4th or 5th wash to cut through buildup from our hard, mineral-rich water and styling products.

3. I dry my hair completely with a diffuser on medium heat every single time I wash my hair.

4. I never, under any circumstances, sleep with my hair wet.

This approach has completely cleared up my scalp issues. I have not had a flareup in years. I have shared this approach with many people who have had the same issues, and it has worked for them as well.

Yes, cleansing your hair with a mild shampoo along with an effective clarifier on occasion is an important step to scalp health. But, the very first thing to evaluate is how long your scalp is wet.

If you are dealing with a problematic scalp and also air dry your hair or sleep with it wet, I suggest making this change first.

If you would like to switch your shampoo to something designed to work with healthy scalp care habits, check out our Silver Aura Solid Shampoo. Many reviews can testify to its effectiveness in combating chronic issues.

This is a topic I plan on diving into deeper in the future. I would love to hear about your scalp situation and the details of your hair care routine! Please feel free to email me!

Angela Mayorga

Alchemist and Owner

angela@silverstoneapothecary.com