Maintaining A Healthy Scalp
It is often said that by maintaining a healthy scalp you will delay the onset of hair loss. Unfortunately, this is not the case, as the hair actually starts to grow from below the scalp, meaning therefore the scalp has very little to do with hair loss or hair health.
When hair loss occurs due to male genetic hair loss, or any other cause, the blood supply to the area drops because it is not required where there is no hair. When a hair transplantation takes place the circulation of the scalp improves as the new hair grow out. In other words it recruits the blood supply it needs.
It is generally advised that patients use a good shampoo and conditioner once a day to help keep the scalp moist and well taken care off. The condition of your scalp can be affected by many things, some direct and some by indirect ways. The following are things which are bad for the scalp and its circulation:
- Smoking – smoking reduces scalp circulation. Over a long period of time, and with every cigarette smoking may contribute to whatever hair loss is occurring on the head. There are many doctors who believe there to be a connection between hair loss and smoking, however there is no definitive scientific proof to date.
- Sun exposure – by repeatedly suffering from sunburn to the scald may impact on structures deep in the scalp causing the hair producing cells to shrink. The combination of genetic hair loss and intense ultraviolet light may hasten the balding process.
- Skin cancer – skin cancer can appear in three different ways in the body, two of which can be deadly by spreading through the body (malignant melanomas and squamous cell cancers). These cancers generally appear in sun exposed skin. When balding takes place the scalp can become exposed to the impact if ultraviolet light from direct sunlight, and this can cause the skin to change from smooth, and uniform in colour, to a skin which has spots and discolouration throughout. Hair is there to protect the scalp from direct sunlight and can produce sufficient shade to reduce the risks of skin cancer.
- Dermatological conditions – there are many different types of this type of condition which can impact on the skin and scalp.
- Folliculitis – this is a condition where the hair follicles become infected. It will appear as acne or red or white bumps on the scalp or skin and may be required to be treated with soaks, antibiotics, or a minor surgical incision. It is important not to pick at or scratch the infected area as this may increase the risk of permanent scarring and may spread the infection from an infected hair follicle to one that is not infected. This type of infection may not in itself cause permanent hair loss, but it may cause the hair to prematurely enter into the sleep (telogen) phase of the hair cycle.
- Chlorine and salt water – frequent swimming in chlorine pools or in salt water without shampooing and conditioning afterwards may cause damage to the hair and scalp from the heavy salt or chlorine level of exposure. Salt can in fact dry out the scalp.
It is often the case that many people believe that dandruff may cause balding, but this is not true. Many other people complain of having a dry, itchy, or tingling scalp, and believe this to be a precursor to the balding process. This type of complaint is relatively common and may in fact be a sign of early genetic hair loss.
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