Soothing a Dry Scalp.

   My scalp has been driving me NUTS. I'm not sure if it's the weather change (going from hot, dry weather in Arizona to facing every season and lots of humidity here in Germany) but my scalp has been so dry. Don't confuse dry scalp with dandruff (seborrheic dermatitis). Through the years off suffering and trial and error, I've picked up on a few things. 
   
   Dry Scalp: 

• You know when you see a Head and Shoulders commercial where they have little white flakes on their shirt? More than likely that's dry scalp, not dandruff. And when you think you have dandruff, you'll use Head and Shoulders or Selsum Blue, which further dries out your scalp, making your flakes even worse.
•  If your water is heavily chlorinated or has a lot of minerals in it, it can also dry out your scalp. Instead of buying a ton of money for a water purifier, you can buy a filtered shower head. 
• Using your hair-dryer or flat iron daily can dehydrate your scalp and hair.
• Using too hot of water can dry out your scalp too, since that heavenly hot water strips the moisture and healthy oils straight out. 
• Not drinking enough water can dry your scalp out too, not to mention your nails and skin as well, so to stay hydrated take your body weight and divide that number by 2. The answer is the number of ounces of water you need to drink daily. 

   So for example your weight is 160. Take 160 divided by 2 = 80. You need to drink 80 ounces of water daily.


   Dandruff:

• Dandruff is a little more of an issue than dry scalp, because it's the result of a bacterial or fungal overgrowth, kind of like a buildup. 
• If the flakes you have stick to your hair when you brush or comb it, or if they feel greasy or waxy then it's dandruff. Dry scalp is dry skin, almost translucent like a peeling sunburn. Dandruff is much different.
• If you use leave in conditioner or a lot of styling products like hair gel, hairspray, mousse, volumizer, etc. try to cut down as much as possible. This only aggravates dandruff because you're creating buildup with products, much like your scalp can't breathe.

   In my case, it's dry scalp. So today I used a half cup of Extra Virgin Olive Oil, warmed it in the microwave for 25 seconds and started applying it on my scalp with my fingertips. Working my way to the back of my head, I just kept applying more with my fingertips and massaging in circular motions. When your scalp is completely massaged and oily, use a soft bristle brush or a comb and brush it all back. After slicking it back, tie it up loosely on top of your head. I used a shower-cap to hold it all in and help retain heat (plus I hate the smell of Olive Oil) and let it sit for at least 20 minutes. You can let it sit longer if you'd like, it won't hurt you in any way. After you feel like it's sat long enough, so shampoo your head with a mild shampoo and warm water (not hot.) This conditions my hair so much I don't need to apply conditioner when I'm done. Towel dry your hair, then let it air dry. Your scalp should feel much more relief now that you put some moisture back into it. 
   I'm not a doctor, or hairstylist so if you have a scalp condition you're unsure about, check with your physician first before assuming anything. I can't guarantee this will work for you, but it works for me. Good luck, and if you have any questions or tips please let me know! :)

           Beth

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