You’re Not Neglecting Your Hair, It Could Actually Be Hurting

Have you ever felt your scalp tighten whenever you try to style your hair a different way? 

If you have spent some time styling your hair, you might be familiar with the dull ache in your scalp a day or two later after you style your hair. 

It sounds like a gimmick to many people. "Your hair doesn't hurt. That type of thing doesn't happen." But the reality is that it does happen. You're not delusional. You're probably just describing it the wrong way. 

Scalp pain mostly flares up when you're tired or stressed, but the number one reason for a sore scalp is unwashed hair. 

Why It Happens:

When you don't use shampoo or conditioner for a while, the natural oils produced by your hair begin to build up around the hair shaft and create yeast. The yeast is what leads to dandruff. Because the scalp is surrounded by hair follicles, oil glands, and sensitive nerve endings, the buildup makes it feel like your hair hurts, but it's your scalp that's tender. 

Your scalp hurts because the blood vessels in your scalp are not receiving proper blood circulation. The restricted blood flow is what causes the aching sensation in your scalp. 

Preventions:

We make another styling mistake that further enhances the problem of putting our hair up. We usually tend to tie up our greasy hair on the days where we're too busy for a hair wash. Tying up hair, especially in tight braids, ponytails, or buns, damages the hair follicles in the long run. When we tie up our hair in these tight hairstyles, we pull back the hair strands, further inflaming an already irritated scalp. 

Let Down Your Hair:

So if your hair hurts right now, the first thing you need to do is take it out of whatever hairstyle you put it up in and give your hair a break. As a rule of thumb, you shouldn't style your hair in a tight hairstyle more than three times a week. And even in those three days that you put your hair up in tight styles, don't leave them for the whole day. Your hair needs a break, and being wound up too tight can be damaging for your hair and your scalp. It is also a significant cause of hair fall. 

Dry Shampoo Is A Good Friend But Not Your Best Friend:

Let's face it. Dry shampoo came into our lives as a knight in shining armor. It allows us to put off washing our hair for a day or two. But what we don't realize is we're adding more product to our already blocked hair follicles. Limiting the use of products like dry shampoo can help solve the problem of a sore scalp. 

Lather, Rinse, But Maybe Don't Repeat:

Washing your hair often is necessary to maintain a healthy scalp. Washing your hair too often can harm your scalp because it strips your hair of the natural oils it needs to be better protected. It is crucial to balance how often you wash your hair and stick to it. 

The most important thing to prevent an irritated and itchy scalp is to make sure the scalp gets stimulated. You can do this by massaging your scalp with your fingers to improve blood flow.

The next time you hear someone say their hair hurts, know that they're probably telling the truth. That person might not be phrasing it right, but what they're experiencing is a common issue many individuals face.