5 Dry Scalp Remedies to Treat Your Scalp

If you’re experiencing a dry, flaky, or itchy scalp, odds are something is out of balance. There are a myriad of causes for dry scalp, many of which aren’t your fault! Your scalp is a sensitive ecosystem of good and bad bacteria that can easily be altered and leave you with dryness. ‌

The uncomfortable symptoms of the scalp condition include itchiness, flaking, and redness. Thankfully, there is a dry scalp treatment for restoring dryness! In fact, there is more than one. These at-home remedies for dry scalp will help heal your scalp and restore health to your hair. But first, why are you experiencing these symptoms in the first place? Once you determine the root of the issue, you will better be able to address it and bid dry scalp adieu for good.  

Why Is My Scalp Dry?

The scalp is a unique part of your body that requires special attention. It is affected by three main factors: its microbiome, the environment, and genetics. The balance and interaction of each of these factors determines your overall scalp health.‌

The scalp’s microbiome is made up of a delicate balance of microorganisms like bacteria, fungi, and viruses. Usually, these microorganisms exist in harmony, but sometimes they get thrown out of balance, causing scalp flaking, itching, or irritation. Environmental factors such as the weather, pollution, and stress can also lead to these symptoms. Finally, genetics also contribute to scalp health, potentially making the scalp skin more prone to dryness. 

How to Help a Dry Scalp

Whether your dry scalp is caused by your environment, an ingredient in a hair product, or your genes, you can address it and find relief. Depending on the individual, finding hair repair products and learning what helps dry scalp may require trial and error. Here are 5 ways to get started:

1. Switch Up Your Routine

A healthy scalp starts with a healthy hair care routine. These habits can help you treat an irritated, itchy scalp and maintain its health.‌

When You Wash

Dry scalp issues can be caused by both overwashing or under washing. The key to treating your scalp is getting to know what it likes and doesn’t like. If you’re experiencing excessive itchiness or dryness with frequent washing, try cutting back. If you’re experiencing these symptoms when you go longer between washes, consider washing more frequently. Everyone’s hair and scalp are unique and thus require unique attention. If you attend to yours, it will reward you. ‌

The Water Temperature

Scalding hot showers could further aggravate irritated scalps and dry out even the most hydrated skin cells. Resist the urge to crank the faucet to hot during the cold winter months. By keeping the temperature on the cooler side of warm, your scalp will be safe from moisture-stripping heat. ‌

Incorporate Moisturizing Products

A dry scalp means dry hair. Treat both by incorporating rich, moisturizing products into your hair care routine, especially if you are in a cold season or a cold climate. This will help hydrate your scalp and hair and keep them from becoming too dry. 

2. Use A Scalp Treatment

A scalp treatment that addresses your scalp’s specific issues can relieve symptoms and get to the root of the problem. 

Dry Scalp Treatment

A scalp treatment may be just what you need to transform your dry scalp condition. It can work wonders to soothe and hydrate your scalp skin. We recommend our Dry Scalp Treatment, which is specifically formulated to provide both immediate and long term relief with consistent use. We created this treatment with Hyaluronic acid to deliver instant soothing and sustained hydration to the scalp and Vitamin B3 to support your scalp’s natural ecosystem for lasting relief. 

To apply, simply follow the below steps:

1. Section clean, damp, detangled hair.

2. Apply directly to scalp. 

3. Massage in and do not rinse.

For best results, use the treatment three times per week for four weeks and continue use periodically after four weeks for maintenance.

Revitalizing Treatment

You may also want to consider our Scalp Care Revitalizing Treatment. We formulated this product with the Healthy Follicle Complex™ to nourish the scalp, hair strands, and roots for fullerfuller-looking hair hair growth. The product also contains Jojoba Esters and vitamins to nourish and moisturize the scalp while restoring barrier function for prolonged hydration and scalp care. With this treatment, you’ll not only hydrate your dry scalp, but also see thicker, healthier-looking hair long term.

Use the treatment nightly to see lasting results. To apply, massage and stimulate the scalp with the complimentary massager. A scalp massage has been shown to improve blood flow to the scalp and provide relaxation benefits.

Oil Treatments

While simple oils such as tea tree oil and coconut oil have been used to treat scalp dryness in the past, oils are not actually hydrating as they can often sit on top of the skin. More innovative methods of the present, including the treatments we mentioned above, will ensure you see better results. Until now, oil treatments have only provided quick fixes and don’t address the root causes of scalp dryness, which can make matters even worse.

3. Find The Right Shampoo for You

Not all shampoos are created equal, and the right (or wrong) one can make or break a dry scalp. Keep in mind, your specific hair type and routine may call for something different than your roomie, sister, or partner. 

For example, if you’re experiencing dull hair and an irritated scalp, or you use a lot of products throughout the week, you may need Clarifying Detox Shampoo to rid your hair of scalp buildup. On the other hand, 

if your dry, flaky scalp has resulted in weak and brittle strands, you need a powerful strengthening shampoo such as our Restore shampoo to heal damaged hair cuticles. 

For anyone experiencing a dry scalp, it’s important to use a sulfate-free and paraben free shampoo. Sulfates can strip your scalp of natural oils, causing it to become even more dry and irritated.

When shopping for hair products online or in-store, it’s easy to get overwhelmed. How do you choose the right product for your hair type and needs? If you’re curious about what kind of shampoo you should be using, take our shampoo quiz to identify the right kind of product for your hair type. 

4. Diet Right

If it seems like almost everything can be traced back to diet, it’s true. You can help prevent a dry scalp with a healthy diet.

Take Your Vitamins

While a “perfect” diet is hardly attainable, the right supplements can offer a lot of the nutrients you need to maintain healthy hair and a healthy scalp. An Omega-3 supplement can help fight dryness, while zinc, vitamins A, B, and C, can help hydrate skin. 

Drink Lots of Water

In addition to supplements, drinking ample amounts of water will also keep your skin and scalp healthy. Drinking water really does hydrate every part of your body, scalp included. While you’re increasing your water intake, you may also want to decrease your intake of dehydrating beverages such as caffeine and alcohol.‌

Avoid Sugar

Although it’s been linked to many health problems, most people don’t realize that consuming a lot of sugar can have an unfortunate effect on your scalp. Sweets can cause your blood sugar to increase, which leads to higher androgen levels and shrinks your hair follicles. This can lead to uncomfortable symptoms such as dryness, itchiness, and hair thinning. 

5. Seek Out A Dermatologist

While many scalp conditions can be remedied from home, some can’t. If you think you may have any of these conditions, seek out a dermatologist regarding how to help your scalp symptoms:

Dandruff

If you’re experiencing dandruff, you may think it is because of a dry scalp, but in fact, it is quite the opposite. Dandruff, or seborrheic dermatitis, is the result of too much oil production, which manifests in similar symptoms as dry scalp such as flakes, itchiness, and irritation. While our Dry Scalp treatment can help dry scalp symptoms, you need to see a dermatologist for dandruff.‌

Psoriasis

Psoriasis is another condition that requires the help of a medical professional. It is a skin condition that also causes flakes (that are typically larger than those caused by dandruff), itchiness, and redness. For psoriasis, a dermatologist may also prescribe a topical steroid treatment.‌

Allergies

In addition to prescribing something for dandruff or psoriasis, a dermatologist can test for allergies. You may, in fact, be allergic to certain ingredients in your hair care products, which could be at the root of your dry scalp. An allergy test can be helpful for identifying such ingredients and eliminating the hair care products that contain them from your routine.‌

These remedies will help you not only treat the uncomfortable symptoms of dry scalp but also address the cause so you can maintain a hydrated and healthy scalp and hair.