Hey Curl friends, there is so much contradicting information in the natural hair care realm. We are here to provide evidenced based information to help you learn how best to care for YOUR hair.
Treating flakes with oils and oils for hair growth are two topics we are going to tackle in this blog. First, your scalp is an Organ! That means scalp health is dependent blood supply. The skin’s main function is to protect, so the integrity of the barrier (epidermis and dermis) is important. If the barrier’s integrity is compromised it is weak and at high risk of irritation. A damaged barrier also leaks moisture which makes it prone to dryness.
Flakes can occur when your scalp is stressed (ex. Tight protective styling, chemicals, excess heat) due to increased inflammatory factors being delivered to the hair root. Inflammatory factors cause damage and swelling which increases moisture loss and creates flaking. Organic carrier oils use is beneficial because will coat the scalp aiding in moisture retention. Kitchen Concoctions hair oils go a step further by using essential oils to target the inflammation and stop the cause of flaking (Note decreasing the stress factor is the ultimate treatment.)
Depending on Your scalp this may be all you need, but for others their flakes can be caused additional factors. Again, your scalp is skin which has a natural bio film. A biofilm is the natural bacteria coating on your skin that functions as a protector. If there is a shift in the biofilm (bacterial or fungal) inflammation occurs and flaking results. An example is seborrheic dermatitis, in which oil itself does not treat flakes, it actually helps nourish the bacteria and fungi worsening flakes. See curl friends this is why knowledge is power!
Select Essential oils have antifungal and antiseptic properties. So, they decrease the growth of bacteria and fungi creating less flakes! Also, essential oils (ex. tea tree peppermint and eucalyptus) can break down the flakes allowing for easier removal during cleansing. Essential oils have multiple functions which makes them so beneficial in hair care. For example, peppermint oil stimulates blood vessels, increased blood flow to the hair follicle delivers more nutrients (what you eat is important) making it stronger and more productive.
Hair grows in phases and no hair oil can alter this natural process as it is controlled by our hormones and other physio factors. Anagen is the active growth phase, so using essential oils that stimulate and organic oils that nourish will improve hair growth results. Catagen phase is an arrest period where select hair follicles dry up, so using hair oils will coat the scalp and healthy hair strands to lock in moisture and protect from irritants (like its natural protector sebum.) Next is Telegen phase, hair shedding phase (yes loosing hair is natural) and hair oil use can aid in the removal of shedding hair to prevent breakage of healthy strands. As you can see using hair oils throughout the hair cycle will aid in hair retention and promote hair growth.
Everyone is different, you may require a prescription to ultimately treat your scalp condition and that is ok! As a Medical Doctor founded hair company it is our mission to provide evidenced based information so you can learn what works best for your scalp and hair type. Check out our blog next month as we expand on the hair follicle and how it effects your texture and hair health.
Summary
- Scalp Health = Hair Health
- Scalp is an Organ
- Hair growth is multifactorial
- Flakes have multiple causes
- Learning about your hair needs is a Priority
- Hair oils cannot change the hair growth cycle
Please leave any questions or comments
Love
KC