The rise of ‘skinification’ has seen just about every beauty product become enhanced with active-packed ingredients. Which has done wonders for our body care and haircare routines alike.
But aside from picking up an active-laden product, what can we actually do to support our scalp health and get healthier, stronger strands? Because realistically, aren’t silky tresses always the goal?
To find out more, we spoke to certified trichologist Lena Hovardas to find out why this new wave of haircare has taken over and what we can do to support our strands.
Why Has Scalp Health Become So Important?
To get to the bottom of why we’re seeing the rise of scalp-focused haircare products, we asked Horvardas to explain the shift to active ingredient-focused formulas. She finds that scalp health has become a major focus “because people are far more aware of the connection between overall wellbeing and healthy hair.” This stronger understanding plays into people taking a more proactive approach to their lifestyle and even “encourages people to seek preventative care.”
How Does Scalp Health Impact Hair Health?
The rise in caring for our scalps has been driven by a desire for healthier, stronger strands. But how does scalp health impact our hair health? Hovardas tells us “the scalp is where the hair follicle lives, so the health of the scalp directly affects the environment where hair grows. Healthy follicles are more likely to produce stronger and healthier hair.”
To encourage this healthy hair follicle environment, it’s best to support your strands with nourishing ingredients. Horvardas recommends looking for “ingredients that support both scalp and hair fibre, while helping to maintain scalp barrier function and hydration. Peptides, niacinamide and proteins” are all prime examples, which the OGX ProGrowth + Peptide range manages to combine into a trichologist-recommended formula.
How To Keep Your Hair Healthy From A Trichologist’s Perspective
If you’re dealing with thinning, breakage or a slow growth phase, you aren’t alone. Many of us are experiencing hair frustrations of our own. Whether it’s the dramatic post-breakup chop or the harsh bleach used to perfect your colour. So, to bring our tresses back into a state we’re happy with, we asked Horvardas to give us a look into the everyday habits that are secretly doing our strands dirty.
Her top habits to put an end to? “Overusing dry shampoo, avoiding regular washing, aggressive scratching and wearing very tight hairstyles” as they “can all negatively affect scalp health.” Because “allowing too much buildup to sit on the scalp for long periods may also contribute to irritation and inflammation.”
So, to counter that, Horvardas said that “maintaining a healthy scalp comes down to consistency, proper cleansing and supporting the scalp environment.”
Effective Techniques:
- Regular cleansing to remove excess oil, sweat, product build-up and environmental debris that can disrupt the scalp microbiome.
- Scalp exfoliation to gently remove dead skin cells and build-up while supporting healthier follicle function.
- Scalp massage to help stimulate circulation and support nutrient delivery to the hair follicle.
- Using targeted scalp serums or treatments with ingredients that hydrate, calm inflammation and support the scalp barrier.
- Protecting the scalp from excessive heat and sun exposure, which can contribute to dryness, irritation and inflammation.
- Managing stress, nutrition and sleep, as internal health has a direct impact on scalp condition and hair growth.
- Avoiding overuse of harsh chemicals or excessive styling, which can compromise the scalp barrier and lead to sensitivity or inflammation.
And especially finding a haircare range that not only balances cleansing, exfoliating and a treating serum, along with the active-packed ingredients Horvardas suggested. OGX ProGrowth + Peptide Scalp Serum and Serum Mist tick several of the scalp-supporting, hair-strengthening boxes, such as, hydrating, plumping and reinforcing from root to tip. While also protecting your strands from breakage and fall due to heat and styling damage.
OGX ProGrowth+Peptide range is a scalp first system developed with Trichologists to support natural hair growth & achieve fuller and thicker hair.
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