Put your best scalp forward for your healthiest head of hair yet.
We condition our lacklustre locks for renewed strength and shine and we exfoliate our face to reveal a glowing complexion free of built-up oil and dead skin cells, but when it comes to addressing our scalp’s health, it tends to fly under the radar.
Warning: mixed emotions may ensue after viewing the following footage…
Welcome to the relatively unknown world of scalp exfoliation, courtesy of Utah hairdresser, Christina Kreital, who shared a simple Instagram post of her performing a scalp exfoliation on a client. In a similar vein to the notorious Dr. Pimple Popper videos, the internet was fascinated, garnering more than 8 million views on the 10-second video.
In the video, Krietel takes a densely bristled brush through the client’s scalp, lifting clusters of dead skin cells with each stroke. Imagine a commercial for Head & Shoulders and multiply it by, say, 200%.
So why is important to exfoliate your scalp?
Contrary to what you may believe, scalp exfoliation isn’t solely for those who experience dandruff. Rather, it’s an important step in maintaining a healthy head of hair. Turns out, the hair requires the same series of crucial steps as achieving a tip-top complexion: cleanse, moisturise and exfoliation.
Not dissimilar from our faces, our scalp contains sebaceous glands that produce sebum (oil) that can build up and cause irritation, inflammation and flare-ups when left to their own demise. Hence why, regular exfoliation to return the rate of skin cell turnover on our scalp is particularly important.
But before you go taking a comb in aggressive strokes to your scalp like the video seen above, there are much more gentle and efficient manners of scalp exfoliation such as scalp masks, treatments, oils etc.
How do you know if you’ll benefit from scalp exfoliation?
Thinning hair?
Exfoliating the scalp clears blockages from built-up sebum and dandruff in the hair follicle which ultimately makes the hair grow better and appear fuller. When left blocked, the follicle can shrink which reduces the number of hairs growing from it. Next stop, hair thinning.
Use lots of hair products, including dry shampoo?
By adopting regular scalp exfoliations, you’re keeping a steady blockage of hair products at bay. Conversely, when you skip scalp exfoliation, products will accumulate and make your hair appear dull. Picture it this way: you wouldn’t layer on a full face of makeup day after day without washing it off the day before, right? Of course, you wouldn’t – that’s a one-way ticket to clogged pores full of oil, dirt, and god knows what. Not to mention your makeup wouldn’t look great or feel good. The same principles apply to your hair care regimen.
Psoriasis, cuts, sores, infections, or eczema?
Scalp exfoliation might not be for you as it may only cause further irritation. Try to cleanse your scalp gently rolling your fingertips through the scalp area and avoid any rubbing or scrubbing.
How to correctly exfoliate your scalp
- Buff the scalp with a teasing brush using gentle strokes to lift the debris
- Massage a scalp treatment into a dry scalp for about 10 minutes
- Once thoroughly worked through, continue to wash and condition and style as normal
- Complete once every fortnight and increase as needed
Conducting a scalp exfoliation can require an extra 10-20 minutes you don’t have. If this is the case, there are regular shampoos available that have exfoliation built in with physical particles to help cleanse the scalp. Otherwise, much like exfoliators for the face, you can opt for products with chemical exfoliants such as salicylic acid.
