Keeping A Clear Head

Autumn traditionally brings with it darker clothing and damp days, so it’s important to keep your shoulders flake-free.

The modern style-conscious gent will often spend good money on all the latest hair tools and styling products – to ensure their quiff is perfectly coiffed or they have just the right amount of texture in their ‘bed head’ look – yet the majority will completely neglect the condition of their scalp.

Looking after your scalp not only helps combat and control embarrassing problems such as flakes, but it also increases the vitality and overall appearance of your hair. In the end, this means that the new hairstyle you have picked as part of your signature style looks even better.

Common Problems: Flaky And/Or Itchy Scalp

There are generally two main reasons for a flaky, itchy scalp: dandruff, or a mild reaction to a product you are using.

There are other causes, of course, but these are the most common and it’s important to determine which one is troubling you so you can follow the right hair cleansing routine.

What Is Dandruff?

Courtesy of Wikipedia: “Dandruff is the shedding of dead skin cells from the scalp. As skin cells die a small amount of flaking is normal; about 487,000 cells/cm2 get released normally after detergent treatment. Some people, however, experience an unusually large amount of flaking either chronically or as a result of certain triggers, up to 800,000 cells/cm2, which can also be accompanied by redness and irritation.

Dandruff is a common scalp disorder affecting almost half of the population at the post-pubertal age and of any gender and ethnicity.”

It is important not to confuse dandruff with simply having a dry scalp. Dandruff is caused by excess oil (sebum) production, meaning the flakes produced are greasy and yellowish white in colour. It can also cause itching and irritation (along with red patches), and usually produces scalp odour.