How To Exfoliate The Scalp For Healthier Hair

Most of us have become accustomed to using face and body scrubs, exfoliating our face has become a regular event in our daily/weekly skincare routine. Despite this, very few people give little or no thought to using a ‘scalp scrub’ and seem to forget that the scalp is living skin too that requires some TLC from time to time.

What Is Scalp Exfoliation?

lady hair mirror

Even though the body naturally replaces dead skin cells with new, every so often you can give a helping hand in the form of exfoliation.

Scalp exfoliation involves using physical or chemical exfoliants to remove the build-up of excess skin cells, oil, and hair products. Many hair experts maintain that regular scalp exfoliation is the answer to having healthier, shinier hair from the roots to the tips.

The perfect way to ensure your hair grows healthy is once a week to go beyond just shampooing your hair by using a scalp detox treatment. With our scalp covered with hair, it is all too easy to keep in mind that the scalp is alive, and the hair strands are in fact going through their cycle and will eventually be shed.

We are all guilty for spending all of our time, and energy applying numerous products to achieve glamorous hairstyles, and overlook the reason we have hair in the first place; it’s all down to the scalp. Then we wonder why this leads to our scalp becoming dry, itchy, and flaky.

Well, it is the scalps way of telling us that something is wrong; in other words, you are suffocating me with products, ‘I can’t breathe!’

How To Exfoliate The Scalp For Healthier Hair

exfoliating hair

To have Healthy looking hair, it begins with a healthy scalp. But this frequently overlooked area is a choice spot for unwanted build-up – from styling products, natural oils, and sweat, all of which can ‘stifle’ the hair follicle, and lead to dull, flat hair with damaged and split ends. A viable solution embraced by many experts is the ‘scalp detox.’

As with the skin on our face, our scalp also contains sebaceous glands that make oil (sebum). In the right amount, sebum is beneficial for our hair and will make hair soft and shiny. The problems occur when there is an overproduction of sebum or build-up of oil on the scalp; this can then lead to dandruff.

Other issues to arise from an oily scalp are flare-ups of seborrheic dermatitis, a painful, chronic skin condition marked by red, greasy patches, burning, itching, and dandruff. Exfoliating by using a brush followed by a scalp scrub can help get rid of the dry flakes.

dry brushing scalp

A lot of women try to wash their hair only once or twice a week because excessive washing leads to the hair thinning and can irritate the scalp. Detoxing your scalp at least once a week with a Purifying Cleansing Scrub is an excellent habit to get into, this will prevent your hair from getting too oily.

More importantly, though, having a healthy scalp is crucial to great-looking hair – and scrubs are great at creating balance and clarity. The primary role from using a ‘scrub’ is to stimulate circulation, get rid of dead skin cells, and eliminate product build-up at scalp level to encourage flourishing hair and a healthy wholesome shine.

To begin your scalp exfoliating treatment, it is best to start by ‘buffing’ the scalp with a’ teasing brush’ this helps to loosen any dry patches of skin on the scalp. Make sure you use gentle strokes because brushing too hard can irritate the scalp. After brushing, massage your scalp treatment into a dry scalp and hair for about 10 minutes.

You should look for a treatment that is lightweight so that it will rinse away quickly, and efficiently. Once you have thoroughly worked it into the scalp, you go through your regular wash, condition, and styling process.

Christophe Robin Hair Detox Ritual

Christophe Robin Hair Detox Ritual 

Discover the Hair Detox Ritual: a gift set in a sublime box inspired by the precious blue of Lapis Lazuli.​ The set includes a selection of 3 purifying treatments for sensitive or oily scalps.

Set Contents:

  • Cleansing Purifying Scrub with Sea Salt 250ml
  • Purifying Conditioner Gelée with Sea Minerals 75ml
  • Purifying Shampoo with Thermal Mud 75ml

Massage Your Head Regularly

Although it’s safe to massage the scalp daily, you should not exfoliate the scalp more than once a week. Massage by ‘kneading’ the roots, this stimulates circulation and promotes a healthier, balanced scalp.

Video: How to Detox the scalp.

Physical Exfoliant Scrubs

Physical exfoliants consist of ingredients that create friction when rubbed against the scalp, for them to work best they require massaging into the scalp; this helps to remove dead skin cells. When shopping for a ‘physical’ scalp exfoliant, look for words like ‘scrub’ to identify the

Chemical Exfoliant Peels

Chemical exfoliants contain active ingredients, these work to exfoliate the scalp without the need to create any friction when in contact with the scalp. Always read the label to ascertain how long you should leave the product on, and to see if it’s safe to style as you usually would straight after using it.

How To Maintain The Results

What a lot of people don’t realize is that there is a significant distinction between shampooing the hair and exfoliating the scalp. The current craze for dry shampoos and only shampooing the hair once a week is also not great for the scalp.

It compares to a lady wearing her makeup to bed and waking up and applying more makeup, without removing the previous days. It is the same if you re-apply styling products and not shampooing the hair for 3 or 4 days or once a week.

And, even if you do shampoo your hair many times a week, it doesn’t mean you’re getting everything removed from the scalp.

One way to help is to try and avoid using smoothing silicone, often found in hair styling products, these tend to attach to the hair, and this leads to extreme build-up on the scalp. Also, go easy on the amount of shampoo you use, you don’t need that much, and the same can be said for conditioner, an excess of these can lead to clogged follicles.

Instead of using traditional shampoo all the time, you can use non-foaming cream cleansers to gently loosen any dirt or oil and rotate these with your regular shampoo to try and eliminate any unwelcome ‘build-up.’ The same should be done with your conditioner, instead of the traditional rub in type, use the spray mist-on formulas that do not ‘sit’ on the scalp so much but on the hair strands instead.

Christophe Robin Scalp Exfoliator

Click To Read – Christophe Robin Purifying Scalp Scrub Review

Comparable to doing a facial skin exfoliation, a scalp detox involves applying cleansing ingredients – such as a Purifying Cleansing Scrub – to draw out impurities and restore shine and vibrancy to hair. While this purification routine should be performed at various stages all year-round, it is especially vital and necessary during the warmer summer months when sebum production is at its peak, and your scalp is often coated in residue from your summer activities – sweat, sunscreen, salt water, and chlorine.

After exfoliating, you should avoid exposing your scalp to direct sunlight. If you go outdoors, make sure you wear a hat or apply a sunscreen with a high SPF formulated for your scalp and hair.

Certain people should not, however, try scalp exfoliation or only use a very mild formula. It includes people with psoriasis, cuts, sores, infections, or eczema. People with these issues should stick to shampooing gently, with no rubbing or scrubbing. If you have a psoriasis issue, then scrubbing the scalp to will increase the risk of scalp flake formation. If you experience any discomfort, swelling, or irritation while exfoliating, rinse off immediately, and discontinue using it. Talk to your doctor if the pain/discomfort continues.

Final Thoughts – How To Exfoliate The Scalp For Healthier Hair

All in all, having a healthy scalp means healthy hair. Exfoliating regularly can help hair grow naturally thicker, shinier, and less oily. To experience the cleanest, healthiest scalp, and the stunning hair benefits that come with it, you should never underestimate the power of scalp treatment.

How often do you exfoliate your scalp? Do you find it improves the condition of your scalp and hair? I hope that you found this article on How To Exfoliate The Scalp For Healthier Hair to be helpful. Please leave any comments or questions below, and I will be happy to discuss them with you.

2 Replies to “How To Exfoliate The Scalp For Healthier Hair”

  1. Hi, thanks for pointing out some things that you can sometimes over look, like how using so many products on our hair day after day is going to lead to a build up on the scalp. This had made me aware that I really do need to treat my scalp to a scrub.

    1. Hi, most people are doing their hair in a rush to get somewhere and all to often don’t realise just how many hair products they are applying on a daily basis! It really is worth to give the scalp some much needed air with a thorough scalp scrub regularly.

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