What's the key to healthy hair? Under all those gorgeous tresses there's skin that needs TLC. A healthy scalp is foundational to maintaining beautiful, healthy hair. Your hair follicles are fed and nourished by the blood and tissues of the scalp. Keep your scalp happy and healthy by following these five tips:
1. Add Nutrients
Just like your body, your hair and scalp need nutrients and thrive when fed good things. Vitamin E in hair products can help improve scalp circulation and stimulate hair growth. Olive oil is one of the top ingredients to seek out in your hair care products. It's very hydrating to the hair and rich in beta-carotene, fatty acids and antioxidants. It softens and moisturizes the scalp and helps to create the optimal conditions for hair growth.
2. Avoid Irritants
Any ingredient that has a drying effect on your skin will have an even worse effect on your scalp. Fatty alcohols like stearyl, myristyl and cetyl are moisturizing; other types of alcohol are drying, such as denatured alcohol, propanol, ethanol and isopropyl. Be sure to check the list of ingredients in the hair products you buy and avoid the ones with the drying alcohols. Salicylic acid can be found in products that treat flaking scalps, but these products should be used sparingly -- no more than once per week. Menthol is another ingredient to use in moderation; while it can have a cooling, refreshing and invigorating effect (like peppermint), it can also cause itching in sensitive scalps.
