Here at Hinoki Haircare, we believe healthy hair comes from a healthy scalp. Often overlooked, the scalp can be the source of much discomfort and cause of many problems on the hair strand for a lot of people. Lets dive a bit deeper to find out why.

Why does a healthy scalp produce healthy hair?

A healthy scalp starts at the root, each hair grows from and through a follicle, found on the surface of your scalp. In turn, every individual follicle produces sebum (aka oil) via the sebaceous gland, the amount of sebum can vary from person to person, and this sebum is produced as a natural barrier to protect your scalp and hair but is often stripped out by many of us because of the “greasy hair” look you are trying to avoid. When this natural cycle is disrupted, either by over shampooing, overuse of dry shampoo or over exfoliation, many difficulties can occur such as scalp irritation, dry, flaky scalps, blocked follicles and even dandruff. It is essential that the scalp and its follicles are clean, clear, and maintained for healthy hair growth, but not over stripped. 

What defines a healthy scalp?

We believe a healthy scalp is free from:

• Itchiness
• Excessive hair loss
• Redness
• Flakiness
• Irritation
• Dandruff

There can be more sever scalp conditions which can be managed by our range of exquisite scalp and haircare brands, however if your scalp is in severe stress, we would always recommend visit a healthcare professional or a trichologist. 

What are the benefits of a healthy scalp?

Just like in your garden, poor soil will directly affect the wellbeing of the plants that grow there. Similarly, any scalp concerns can harmfully impact on the condition, strength, and existence of your hair. Product build-up or dirt on the scalp can clog follicles and reduce the density and diameter of individual hair strands, and debris on your strands produce weak points and breakage in the hair.

Our scalp contains around 100,000 follicles and like a seed sprouting a tree, each follicle contains a hair bulb which produces an individual hair shaft. A hair follicle goes deep into the scalp and has its own microbiome, so does the entire scalp, the disruption of this has been linked to psoriasis, dandruff (a fungal infection), atopic dermatitis (eczema) and seborrheic dermatitis (a condition that causes scaly patches). These scalp issues are linked to rough hair, hair breakage, reduced hair shine and may also lead to premature hair loss.

How to maintain a clean, clear, and healthy scalp?

This all comes down to where your scalp is at the moment. Do you suffer from an over production of sebum (oily hair)? Is your scalp feeling tight, itchy, or producing dry white flake? Are you noticing more shedding (hair loss) than usual? Or are you suffering from Dandruff?

You need to get to know your scalp on a personal level, everyone’s scalp is individual, and will have its own quirks to deal with. Once you start paying attention to your scalp and finding out what it needs, you’ll be surprised at how the new growth and condition of your hair will improve!

Once you have pinpointed your scalp needs, you can look through our “Scalp Solutions” section and brows the selection of high-quality scalp care products.

Other ways to get a healthy scalp:

• Shampoo gently
• Wash less often
• Try a supplement
• Eat more antioxidants
• Try probiotics