Written By Venus L
An often overlooked element in terms of maintaining healthy hair of all textures and types, having a healthy scalp is an essential element in order to promote healthy, thick, and lustrous natural hair. With the possibility of being stricken with a number of scalp-specific ailments, keeping a close eye on the health of your scalp is vital to the overall health of your natural tresses. With that said, some of these issues may, unfortunately, be a bit difficult to initially spot. Indeed, with common issues such as a dry scalp, in general, and other mild conditions, it may be difficult to uncover some these issues before it’s too late. Therefore, the following is an overview of some of the most common scalp conditions that all Naturalistas should be aware of on their natural hair journey.
Source: msnikkijdotcom
Dandruff and Seborrheic Dermatitis
Two extremely common scalp issues affecting up to 50% of the population, dandruff, and Seborrheic dermatitis typically affect adults much more so than children and adolescents. Simply put, these two conditions are considered the same ailments with varying degrees of intensity; dandruff being the milder of the two. Characterized by itching and flaky scales that freely fall from the scalp, eyebrows, beard, and/or mustache, dandruff can become a fairly serious issue if left untreated. This conditions can be caused by things issues such as oily skin, infrequent shampooing or cleansing, fatigue, stress, or family history among other possible culprits. What’s more, dandruff is said to act as a barrier to hair growth. Therefore, it is imperative to find a remedy for this issue as soon as possible for the sake of the growth and development of your hair. Luckily, there are a number of natural ways to treat this issue. If you are suffering from dandruff or Seborrheic dermatitis, try washing your hair with vinegar, baking soda, or even Listerine and for other possible remedies, click here!
Alopecia
A scalp condition caused by an issue with the immune system and the hair follicles, Alopecia is said to be an inconvenient problem that occurs in otherwise healthy people. Marked by its tendency to cause random bald spots on various hair-covered areas of the body, although there is yet to be an official cure for this condition, natural remedies include: niacin, chlorophyll & zinc, hemp protein, dandelion, licorice root, vitamin e, vitamin c, l-taurine, lavender and other essential oils, kelp, gingko, aloe vera, fenugreek, henna, rosemary, and many other. What’s more, there is also the option of utilizing wigs, headbands, scarves, turbans, hair bows, flowers, crochet braids/ twists, eye liner, and other hair accessories in order to hide your hair loss.
Trichorrhexis Nodosa
An irregularity in the hair shaft marked by nodes- thickening or weak points that cause the hair to break off easily and thus, contribute to the appearance of thin or balding areas of the scalp, this condition is caused by things such as genetics, perming, blow drying, excess exposure to chemicals, and aggressive hair brushing. Clearly an issue that can affect those who have permed hair, are in transition, or have natural hair, preventing and curing this condition is of the utmost importance to people with virtually all hair types and textures. In terms of prevention, the most important thing you can do to protect your natural hair is to avoid aggressively brushing and overly intense blow drying regimens, as well as other harsh hair grooming/ straightening methods. In order to treat Trichorrhexis Nodosa is to use a gentle bristle brush, avoidance of all harsh chemicals, staying away from hot blow dryers, abstaining from any ironing of the hair, not using harsh shampoos, and always using a hair conditioner.
Scalp Psoriasis
A fairly common skin disorder that causes either a single instance of, or several raised, reddish, scaly patches on the scalp, although psoriasis isn’t contagious, doctors believe it is caused by a disorder of the immune system that causes skin cells to reproduce too rapidly and thus, build up into patches. Symptoms include hair loss, burning/ soreness, scaly/ red bumpy patches, and dandruff-like flakes, psoriasis can be treated by topical ointments or shampoos, evening primrose oil, milk thistle, or oregano oil supplements, as well as some prescription medications.
Folliculitis
Marked by an infection of the hair follicles, folliculitis can be caused by things such as viruses, fungi, or even inflamed/ ingrown hairs. Although anyone is capable of developing folliculitis, things such as shaving, soaking in a contaminated hot tub, having acne or dermatitis, or having certain preexisting medical conditions that can reduce your ability to fight off and recover from infections, are also contributing factors to this illness. Although the issue is manageable, there is a potential for the destruction of hair follicles and permanent hair loss as well as skin damage, making this a high priority condition to treat. Potential treatments include creams, pills, shampoos, minor surgery, laser hair removal, amongst many others.
Tinea Capitis
Also known as ringworm of the scalp, tinea capitis is a dermatophytosis of the scalp and hair follicle. Primarily occurring in adolescents and postmenopausal women, this condition appears as gray-patch ringworms protruding from the scalp. Typically treated with both oral and topical treatments, the best method of treating Tinea Capitis is to see your physician immediately.
Source: kennyminaj
Overall, in order to help protect your scalp and hair from preventable conditions, be sure to maintain a healthy hair cleansing/ conditioning regimen, eat a healthy and balanced diet, be seen for any ailments or disorders with the potential to cause long-term damages immediately, and be sure to only allow your head/ hair to lay in/on things that are up to your sanitary standards. While some conditions are clearly unpreventable, making sure you do everything in your power to promote optimal health of your natural hair and scalp is the best way to keep your hair in excellent condition for many years to come.
