Do your greatest to keep away from hair care merchandise with heavy fragrances, alcohol, sulfates, paraben preservatives, and harsh chemical substances, Nicole Negbenebor, MD, a dermatologic surgeon and director of the Pores and skin of Colour Clinic on the College of Iowa Hospital in Iowa Metropolis, Iowa, tells SELF: “These components can irritate the scalp and trigger burning, dryness, and irritation.”
All the time use conditioner after washing, Dr. Oyerinde says: “Quite a lot of the shampoos created particularly for dandruff or seborrheic dermatitis are typically drying, so in case you don’t situation afterward, you should have extra brittle hair, which might result in breakage and problem retaining size.” Strive Head & Shoulders Royal Oils Moisture Renewal Conditioner or Exederm Eczema Care Every day Conditioner.
2. Don’t add additional hair oil.
“We create our personal sebum, our personal oil, that moisturizes the scalp,” Dr. Oyerinde says. So though you might love your jojoba and castor oil, it’s pointless. In actual fact, the yeast that causes seborrheic dermatitis feeds on them and might develop, which might worsen scalp eczema, Dr. Oyerinde says.
Go for a water-based moisturizer (and apply it to your strands, not your scalp), Dr. Oyerinde says. And don’t use an excessive amount of: Dr. Negbenebor says a pea- to dime-size dollop for skinny hair and a bit extra for thick hair needs to be sufficient.
3. Go straightforward on styling merchandise and sizzling instruments.
Strive your greatest to chop again on how usually (and the way a lot) you utilize hair spray, gel, and pomade, as an extra of merchandise in your scalp can result in flare-ups. And watch out with regards to high-temperature units. “Use styling instruments with warmth sparingly and, in case you do, use them at decrease temperatures,” Dr. Negbenebor says.
4. Watch out with locs, braids, and weaves.
Hairstyles like braids, cornrows, crochet braids, locs, and weaves all pull on the scalp and trigger pressure, which might injury your hair follicles.
On the subject of weaves and extensions, “ask your stylist to keep away from inserting [them] too near the scalp to scale back irritation,” Dr. Negbenebor says. And ensure they’re not tremendous tight.
In case your hair is in locs, keep away from an excessive amount of retwisting to reduce additional pressure in your scalp, as Dr. Oyerinde recommends. “Strive issues like utilizing a gel to tie down versus retwisting each time you are feeling like your edges usually are not as laid as you’ll need them to be,” Dr. Oyerinde says. Then, be sure you (or your loctician) usually are not palm rolling or interlocking too tightly.