Imagine yourself on a dinner date. Or, you are pitching your best idea yet to your office’s entire boardroom.
You are confident because of how well you look and fit the setting. Subconsciously, your hand starts to claw its way up to your head. Then you decide to relieve a minor itching sensation. Before you know it, you just want to scratch your whole scalp relentlessly.
When the feat is done, you awaken to reality and realise your embarrassment, knowing what a funny little monkey you must have looked like.
This is what you would call suffering from an itchy scalp. Relax, it is not something to worry about deeply as this is incredibly common. Quite frankly, it is also easily treatable!
First things first. In order to completely stop the itching, we need to understand the root cause of the problem. What is causing the itch?
Here are 5 of the most common reasons that your scalp is itching:
1. Your scalp is as dry as the desert
An itchy scalp is commonly a symptom of having dry skin. Most commonly, those grainy flecks of ‘sand’ that swirl around you when you scratch your scalp, are none other than dandruff.
Dandruff is the result of your body’s inflammatory reaction to yeast overgrowth, causing all the itching and flaking that you find annoying. Sounds gross, eh? Yeast normally resides on the scalp and other hairy parts of the body too, in case you are wondering.
2. Not cleaning your scalp properly
We get it, we wouldn’t want to spend too much time in the bathroom. But that doesn’t mean that you can speed through your hair care routine and not thoroughly wash your scalp!
When you do not “scrub” your scalp properly (with your fingers), you potentially miss out on clearing off the likes of dirt from some areas on your scalp. Also, the soapy suds of your shampoo can be trapped on your scalp. And before you know it, itching ensues!
3. Allergy who?
Shampoos contain a ton of chemicals. Thus, you can expect an allergic reaction to occur. The allergen is most commonly fragrance or a moisturizing agent called propylene glycol.
4. Too sensitive of a scalp
A sensitive scalp is also another sign of having an itchy scalp. Severe symptoms of a sensitive scalp would mean that you may have a hyper-reactive or hypersensitive scalp. The result of a delicate scalp is probably caused by an imbalanced diet or the use of an unsuitable shampoo.
5. Having a tomato-red scalp
If you noticed that your scalp constantly feels warm or looks like a red tomato amidst all the scratching, that can mean that you have a condition known as atopic dermatitis.
At times, the scalp feels a burning sensation from this condition. But it is usually genetic. So hold your horses and catch some breath as you’re only likely to get it if someone in your family has it too. This also means that you should visit a skin doctor for treatment.
Now that the common issues are explained, let’s dive into saving our scalp with 3 simple fixes:
Use the right shampoo
Many shampoos are actually labelled to tackle either the hair or the scalp only. Therefore, it is very important to pay attention and choose the right shampoo that will benefit both of them.
Usually, there are several over-the-counter anti-dandruff shampoos that work great in combating dandruff whilst being gentle on your sensitive scalp.
The right number of shampoos
There’s a wide spectrum of different shampoo brands out there, itching us to give them a try (pun intended). Yet, using too many different shampoos at once can actually confuse your scalp and cause an opposing reaction.
This is because every shampoo is manufactured with different ingredients to fulfil different hair care needs. Your safest bet? Stick with two max at a time that works especially for your scalp and hair.
Soothe the scalp with a scalp spray
Remember how we said that an itchy scalp is commonly caused by a dry scalp? This means you need the scalp to be moisturised. But, it’ll feel greasy to dump oil onto it.
So, if you’re looking for something to combat your issue, try a scalp spray. It’ll provide instant relief to all that itching without stressing the scalp with loads of content on it at once.
Before and after 1 month of using the Suu Balm Rapid Itch Relief Scalp Spray Moisturizer.
One such effective scalp spray is the Suu Balm Rapid Itch Relief Scalp Spray Moisturiser. You’ll be able to soothe your itchy head when the cool menthol sensation hits your scalp with just a little spritz.
This scalp spray is free from any harsh ingredients. It is developed by the National Skin Centre in Singapore and is formulated to work on all scalp types including sensitive ones.
Many users have praised it for its instant effectiveness, as in how the itch is suppressed within 5 minutes! Because it’s made to relieve scalp itches on the go, go ahead and spray it whenever you find yourself scratching your head.
Now that you know an itchy scalp is as common as it can be, there is nothing to worry about. Just follow the wits and whims of Nancy Drew. By figuring out the root cause of your scalp problem and selecting the right contingency plan, you’re on your way to solve the case!
Note: All of the points stated herewith are based on our own experiences and research. Do also know that we may get a commission for each click on the links in this article, with no cost at all from your end.
[This article is sponsored by Suu Balm]