Scalp scrub: what is it and how to use it at home

Skin cells are constantly renewed, and the scalp is no exception. Excessive accumulation of dead particles can cause difficulty feeding the hair follicles, increased oiliness, dandruff and even hair loss.

Special scrubs will help to thoroughly and carefully cleanse the scalp. They not only exfoliate dead cells, but also activate natural renewal processes, stimulate new hair growth, reduce oiliness and pleasantly refresh. In addition, such products are a real boon for anyone who often uses styling products. It has been proven that styling products can accumulate in the hair and negatively affect its condition. A special scrub will help cope with this problem and thoroughly cleanse your hair of impurities. After using the scrub, the hair will better absorb any additional care, such as a mask or serum, stay clean longer, be easier to comb, style and grow better.

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How to use scrubs

If you have oily hair, use scrubs once a week; if you have dry and normal hair, use scrubs once every 2-3 weeks.

Scrub only the hair roots and skin. You don’t need to wash your hair before doing this, just moisten it with warm water. After the procedure, wash your hair as usual.

Avoid scrubbing if you have damaged skin or are allergic to the components of the product, as well as in the first few days after coloring your hair: active mechanical action can accelerate color loss.

Types of peeling

There are several types of exfoliation that are used, including for the scalp:

• mechanical - scrubbing with abrasive agents;
• chemical - peeling with acids (glycolic, salicylic, lactic, mandelic, etc.);
• hardware - in relation to the scalp, procedures such as gas-liquid and galvanic peeling are carried out.

Mechanical cleaning involves the use of compounds with natural abrasives, which provide exfoliation.

If we talk about chemical peeling, then only superficial cleaning is used for the scalp. To avoid damaging the hair follicles, preparations with a low concentration of active acids are used. A weak acid solution gently exfoliates dead cells from the surface without penetrating into the deeper layers.

Gas-liquid peeling is a non-contact procedure in which the effect occurs using compressed gas and liquid in the form of a therapeutic solution. The method is based on the use of a high-speed two-phase flow of medical gas (carbon dioxide and oxygen) and fine liquid. In addition to exfoliation and cleansing, the beneficial effect of the procedure is achieved through pressure jet massage, cryotherapy and oxygenation. Jet gas-liquid skin treatment is suitable for those who wish to conduct non-injection mesotherapy. For this procedure, vitamins, peptides, hyaluronic acid or antibiotics are used.

Galvanic peeling is a procedure that combines the effects of galvanic current with peeling serums. It is performed with a special comb with electrode teeth using a composition previously applied to the skin.

Indications and contraindications for the procedure

Scalp peeling is indicated for:

• seborrhea;
• dandruff;
• oily hair;
• hair loss.

By the way, this procedure is indicated for both women and men. Without a doubt, exfoliation is very beneficial, but it has limitations. Peeling cannot be done in the following cases:

• microcracks and other damage to the skin;
• sensitive skin;
• eczema, psoriasis;
• professional chemical peels are not recommended during pregnancy and breastfeeding;
• allergic reaction to acid.

Professional peelings

Today, many well-known cosmetic brands produce various professional peelings for the scalp. The composition of the products may include AHA acids, natural oils and extracts. Exfoliating products are available in the form of creams, mousses, and gels. They can be freely purchased at a beauty salon, in specialized stores or at a pharmacy and used independently at home.

Modern dermatological peelings for the scalp are not only a means of chemical exfoliation, but are also used in the prevention and correction of seborrhea, hair loss and other problems. This is why peeling in hair restoration salons and trichology clinics is often used to prepare the skin for more specialized treatments such as mesotherapy.

How to do scalp and hair peeling in a salon

You can sign up for a chemical peeling procedure for your head at a salon or cosmetology clinic that has a trichology department. At the clinic, the trichologist will initially diagnose the scalp and hair condition.

Depending on the client’s skin type and the existing problem, the specialist will select the optimal drug for chemical exfoliation in the required concentration. The composition is applied along the partings to a damp and clean scalp and hair roots, for which the hair is first washed with a neutral shampoo. After 5-15 minutes, a neutralizer is applied. Then the hair is washed and dried with a hairdryer.

A specialist can suggest a mask for your hair type for the final stage. It is possible to combine the procedure with a head massage.

As a rule, salon procedures are recommended to be carried out in a course. If you don't want to spend money and time visiting salons, this treatment can be done at home.

Home peeling recipes

There is nothing easier than preparing scalp peeling at home. The easiest way to quickly cleanse the scalp of impurities and sebum is to use sea salt, which is rich in various microelements: iodine, calcium, iron, sodium, zinc, etc. But other abrasive components can also be used: table salt, sugar, coffee, soda . To prevent irritation and dryness from peeling, softening and moisturizing ingredients are added to the scrub, such as oil, kefir, egg yolks, etc. With such cleansing, the scalp will also receive nourishment.

Cleansing the skin with scrubs at home does not require large financial costs, does not take much time, and is technically very simple.

General recommendations:

• For salt peeling, choose finely ground salt, because large fractions can severely scratch the skin. Coarse salt can be ground in a blender or coffee grinder;
• apply peeling only to damp hair and exclusively in the root zone;
• wash your hair after peeling, not before;
• if the homemade scrub contains nutritional components, after the massage it can be left on the hair as a mask for 10-15 minutes with insulation with a cap and towel;
• for oily hair, the optimal frequency of the procedure is 2 times a month; for dry hair, it is enough to scrub once a month;
• Calculate the amount of ingredients for a homemade scrub depending on your hair length.

Be careful: dyed hair from the scrub may lose its color brightness; it is better to use store-bought peelings for it.

Recipe 1. With salt

• 1 tbsp. l. finely ground sea salt
• water
• 3 drops essential oil

Combine sea salt and room temperature water in a 1:1 ratio, stir until the consistency of liquid sour cream. Instead of water, you can use hair balm; give preference to natural balms. Add a couple of drops of essential oil suitable for your problem. For example, lavender, lemon, and tea tree oils are recommended for oily hair and dandruff; jasmine, chamomile or rose oils are suitable for dry hair. Apply the mixture gently along the partings and then massage the skin for a few minutes. After this, wash your hair as usual.

Recipe 2. With sugar

• 1 tsp. Sahara
• ½ tsp. olive oil

Mix the ingredients and massage your scalp with this mixture for a few minutes, then rinse.

Recipe 3. With clay

• 3 tbsp. l. finely ground table salt
• 2 tbsp. l. any clay, for example blue
• 1 tbsp. l. Water

Combine salt and clay and add water to the container. The resulting mixture is applied to the scalp with massage movements, then rinsed off.

Recipe 4. With coffee

• 2 tsp. coffee grounds
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 tsp. liquid honey
• 1 tsp. lemon juice

Apply a mixture of these ingredients to your scalp with massaging movements. Leave on for a few minutes, then rinse with warm water and organic shampoo. To prepare this scrub, you can use coffee grounds, coffee cake or ground coffee. The grounds and cake have a softer, more delicate effect.

Please note: coffee is a natural dye, so fair-haired girls are advised to choose a different scrub to avoid darkening of the roots.

There are many other homemade hair peeling recipes. Choose the one you like best, or come up with your own: the main thing is to dilute the abrasive with a liquid (water, herbal infusions, green tea, mineral water); you can add a few drops of essential oil suitable for your problem to any recipe.

To consolidate the effect, use high-quality hair cosmetics, preferably with the most natural composition. For example, shampoo, conditioner and care mask can be selected from the ALERANA® line. Shampoos and hair strengthening balm contain natural oils and growth stimulating extracts, as well as other useful components necessary for nourishing and restoring hair, the effectiveness of which has been proven in clinical studies. ALERANA® intensive nutrition mask, enriched with wheat proteins, plant extracts, jojoba oil, nourishes and heals hair follicles and hair along the entire length.

Cleansing the scalp while nourishing and restoring the hair will give the best results!

Sugar and oil scrub for hair shine

wholenewmom.com
Sugar gently removes dirt, oil and dead skin particles. The oil moisturizes the skin and gives hair a healthy shine.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons sugar;
• 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil (olive, burdock, almond or grape seed oil).

Preparation and use

Mix sugar and butter thoroughly. Apply the scrub to your skin and massage your head. Move from the back of the head to the frontal part. After 5–7 minutes, rinse off the product with warm water.

Popular Homemade Cleansers

You can make your own scrubs at home from available ingredients.

• 
  Saline .
  The basis of this product is regular table or sea salt. You can add vegetable oils, egg yolks, kefir to it, and mix with balms until a homogeneous mixture is obtained.

  Application should be combined with a light scalp massage.

• 
  Coffee .
  Natural ground coffee is used, and both stale and freshly ground coffee are suitable for scrubbing. Slept coffee has a milder effect, while fresh coffee performs a deeper cleaning.

  Olive or burdock oil, lemon juice, cinnamon essential oil and chicken egg yolk are usually added to the abrasive composition.

• With clay.

  
  Blue clay acts as a sorbent, effectively absorbing and removing contaminants. A popular recipe, in addition to clay, includes granulated sugar or table salt and a small amount of clean water.

  For the scrub to work better, keep it on your hair for up to 10 minutes.

Other abrasives are used to make homemade exfoliating scrubs:

• white or brown sugar;
• candied honey;
• baking soda;
• nuts or fruit seeds crushed in a coffee grinder;
• crushed grains of buckwheat, oatmeal, rice.

You can add as additional components:

• cream;
• kefir;
• cognac;
• aloe juice;
• herbal decoctions;
• fruit pulp.

Indications for use

First, let's figure out why this procedure is needed. Hair has an outer protective shell consisting of keratin microscales. The use of shampoos, unfortunately, gives only partial results, so even after washing your hair, particles of dirt, dust, subcutaneous fat, decay products, as well as residues of cosmetics remain on the hair.

Over time, they accumulate, which leads to dandruff, increased oiliness of hair and even brittleness. To solve the problem, you can use a scalp scrub. The use of such funds is recommended in the following situations:

• If your scalp is prone to oiliness.
• With periodic or constant occurrence of dandruff.
• If you have to use styling products (mousses, sprays, varnishes, etc.) every day. These substances contain alcohol, which can dehydrate the skin, causing various irritations. Products containing silicone cause blockage of the mouths of hair follicles, which causes dandruff.
• During the period of using additional cosmetics for the scalp and hair (various serums, leave-in masks, etc.).

Rules of application

• Before starting the procedure, you need to choose the right product according to the condition of your scalp and hair.
• Then it is important to test it to exclude the occurrence of allergic reactions . This is easy to do: just apply a small amount of scrub to your wrist or elbow, wait no more than 20 minutes and assess the condition of the skin. If no changes have occurred, you can safely proceed with the procedure.

• The scrub should be applied to dirty strands. They can be slightly moistened to make combing easier. When the hair is processed, you need to massage the scalp: you need to start from the back of the head and smoothly move to the temples and ears. The upper part of the head is massaged last . To do this, you need to start from the top of the head and slowly move towards the forehead.
• The procedure lasts 15-20 minutes depending on the type of product used, and then the remaining scrub should be washed off with warm water and the hair should be washed using shampoo.

Symptoms of high blood pressure

High blood pressure is often called the "silent killer" because in most cases it causes no symptoms. The only way to find out if it is there is to measure it with a tonometer. High blood pressure can sometimes be accompanied by one or more of the following symptoms:

• Strong headache;
• dyspnea;
• dizziness;
• nosebleeds;
• severe anxiety.

Usually the headache is in the back of the head; during crises, one often feels dizzy and is accompanied by nausea and vomiting.

What beneficial properties does it have?

The scrub cleanses the skin of:

• pollution;
• excess silicone;
• sebum.

Such a remedy:

1. allows you not to disrupt the nutrition of the hair follicles;
2. has a beneficial effect on hair growth;
3. stabilizes antioxidant status;
4. promotes the integrity of the stratum corneum.

It is important that the scrub is capable:

• It is good to remove a variety of styling products, silicone from shampoo, conditioner, so that pores are not clogged and the skin is more saturated with oxygen;
• eliminate dead skin particles and fatty secretions;
• accelerate hair growth;
• relieve itching, soothe irritation;
• reduce sebum production for some time;
• effectively fight dandruff;
• keep hair roots clean longer.

If your hair is growing poorly or thinning, then proper comprehensive scalp care will help :

1. healthy metabolism;
2. renewal of skin cells;
3. increasing the level of microcirculation.

This will create favorable conditions for the growth of new healthy hair.

In some cases, cleansing with a scrub can give a small amount of volume both to the roots of the hair and along its entire length.

After a scrub procedure, it is very good to apply a nourishing mask, because deeply cleansed skin absorbs nutrients easier and faster.

High blood pressure danger

A hypertensive crisis (high blood pressure or BP) is a condition when blood pressure rises quickly and sharply, with readings of 180/120 or higher. The consequences of uncontrolled blood pressure in this range can be serious and include:

• stroke;
• loss of consciousness with dangerous injuries;
• memory loss;
• acute cardiovascular diseases;
• eye damage and visual disturbances;
• loss of kidney function;
• aortic dissection;
• angina pectoris (unstable chest pain);
• Pulmonary edema (fluid reserve in the lungs).

If you have been diagnosed with high blood pressure, monitor your readings and take your medications. During an emergency, having the notes with you can provide valuable information to the medical team providing treatment.