PSA: Scalp-care is the ultimate haircare. While conditioning oils, nourishing shampoos, and masks are all great for tackling environmental damage on frazzled ends and dry lengths — if your hair never seems to look its best, it might be worth getting to the root of the problem, and chances are, it starts at your scalp.
Yup, achieving the happiest and healthiest head of hair is truly impossible without a happy, healthy scalp. Your scalp is a living tissue, a mini-ecosystem of sorts, that supports hair follicles and the hair that emerges from them. The scalp is also a hotbed for dirt, debris, and build-up that clog the follicles and lead to dullness, shedding, and thinning of hair. If you feel that your hair and scalp need a reset, or you need ways to really clean your crown — allow us to introduce you to the scalp steam treatment.
What Is Scalp Steaming?
First, let’s look into what it actually is. The name pretty much describes what it is. Scalp steaming is a treatment that applies moist heat to the scalp (and hair) usually for about 20 to 30 mins. The steamer is directed towards your scalp, usually whilst your head is resting in the washbowl, and carefully gets rid of build-up and deeply cleanses the hair. A scalp massager is often added to the treatment for maximum benefits.
The Benefits Of Scalp Steaming
Detoxifies The Scalp
There are actually a bunch of benefits, besides just feeling great. The combination of heat and water softens dead skin cells/scales, making it easier to wash off the scalp without having to use harsher methods to exfoliate. Think of it as a deep clean for your scalp without any harsh scrubbing necessary.
Hydrates The Strands
As the hair will also be exposed to steam, it helps improve hydration of the hair, as well as the scalp skin. The moist heat swells and opens the cuticle layer allowing water molecules into the hair shaft.
Conditions The Hair
Curly hair types, which are inherently drier, especially benefit from steaming as a gentle yet effective conditioning method, particularly when combined with moisturising treatments that lock in the water content in the hair. This means that the products you use afterwards will work more efficiently.
Helps In Better Penetration Of Scalp Treatments
Sloughing off dead skin also means that the treatments applied to the scalp thereafter will be able to work more effectively. Scalp steaming when combined with the right products can also help restore the curl pattern.
What Are The Other Ways To Detoxify Your Scalp?
There are a couple of other ways to help get rid of the scalp build-up. If the scaling is relatively mild, or you’re simply maintaining a healthy cell turnover, then this can be achieved using scalp exfoliants, which contain actives such as glycolic and salicylic acid. In addition to this, a weekly clarifying shampoo can also help remove the product build-up.
Because, a happy scalp means a happy hair – period.
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