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The best tressed: Advice from celebrity hairstylists could mean you will look like Kate Beckinsale
Most of the time, we don’t give it a second thought. It’s our hair that we notice, that bothers and perplexes us. Our scalp? Well, it’s just... there. But as hairdressers and trichologists – trained specialists who deal with hair problems – point out, the health of the scalp is fundamental to the look, feel and even the quantity of our hair.
Celebrity hairdresser Julien Farel (whose salons are responsible for the tumbling tresses of A-listers Kate Moss, Rachel Weisz and Kate Beckinsale) feels strongly about this: ‘In the same way that grass can’t grow in sand, hair can’t grow in an unhealthy scalp,’ he says.
So how can you keep yours in optimum condition? The answer is to tend to it as assiduously as we do the skin on our faces.
The age-old problem
Scalp – and therefore hair – problems become more apparent as we get older. Farel explains: ‘As we age, our hair ages, too. With each passing year, our scalp and hair become more dehydrated while follicles become weaker. This leads to dryness, dullness, breakage and thinning.’
Dr Jeni Thomas, Principal Scientist for P&G (Procter & Gamble) Beauty, where for the past eight years she has focused her research on hair and scalp health, says: ‘At some point in their adult life, 50 per cent of adults will experience some form of scalp concern.’
‘A healthy scalp should look similar to healthy skin; flake-free, blemish-free, not overly oily and without redness or irritation,’ says leading trichologist Philip Kingsley. ‘Most people know if their scalp is unhealthy as it will be itchy, irritated and perhaps red, scaly or overly greasy, or both. You may also find small, raised pimples on the scalp.’
Don’t be a flake
Kingsley continues: ‘Research shows that a flaky or itchy scalp can trigger or worsen hair shedding in both men and women. Simply not washing your scalp regularly enough can allow for the build-up of flakes and an imbalance of micro-organisms – both of which can worsen, or trigger, hair loss. More severe scalp conditions, left untreated, such as psoriasis and seborrhoeic dermatitis, can lead to hair breakage and secondary infection from scratching.
Get your head examined
If you think you might have a problem, a knowledgeable hairdresser can give you a first opinion. Many salons that stock Phyto, a specialist hair care range, have specialised magnifying cameras (see phyto-haircare.co.uk for your nearest one). Any diseases can be identified and treatment suggested.
Cleanse and moisturise
It’s the skincare mantra most of us apply to a regular face regime – but should also be used for our scalp. Firstly, take a look at what you’re washing your hair in: most shampoos contain foaming sulphate-based ingredients (commonly sodium lauryl sulphate, or SLS) which remove oil from the hair – but also from the scalp, which can end up dry and inflamed.
Look for shampoos free from SLS, such as Pureology (£11; pureology-uk.com) or branch out and try one of the many new ‘Conditioning Cleansers’ in the shops. As the brand Grow Gorgeous puts it, ‘smart girls don’t strip’, a reference to the way its conditioner (£17.99 at Boots) will get your hair and scalp clean without stripping out all the oil from it.
Julien Farel Anti-Ageing Haircare Hydrate Restore (£28, Selfridges.com) claims to hydrate and nourish rather like a face moisturiser.
For a more budget-conscious option try Palmer’s Olive Oil Formula Cleansing Conditioner, which costs £5.99 for a big bottle at feelunique.com or Macadamia Oil Flawless (£8.75, lookfantastic.com).
Exfoliate, exfoliate...
Quality name: Luxury brand Kerastase offers a range of hair 'Rituals': treatments designed to nurture the hair and scalp, from £15
In the same way that we exfoliate our faces to get rid of dead cells that clutter up the surface and make skin look dull, it’s a great idea to exfoliate your scalp. At home, try a product such as Alterna Caviar Exfoliating Scalp Facial, £32 (01925 578000 for stockists) which you use before your normal shampoo to decongest your scalp (it’s gentle, so good even for sensitive-skinned scalps) or Philip Kingsley Exfoliating Scalp Mask, £16, www.philipkingsley.co.uk).
Try a hydrating ritual
Intensive hydrating treatments to cosset and soothe the scalp are increasingly popular. Luxury brand Kerastase offers a range of hair ‘Rituals’: treatments designed to nurture the hair and scalp, from £15 (kerastase.co.uk).
At the Aveda Institute in Covent Garden, the Botanical Hair and Scalp Treatment (£60) combines massage with aromatherapy essential oils (avedainstitute.co.uk).
In salons such as Michaeljohn, the popular celeb-hairdresser in London’s West End (michaeljohn.co.uk), you can try a Nioxin Scalp Dermabrasion service (from £15).
It is designed to regenerate the scalp skin surface and reduce hair-loss. The treatment removes excess oil that builds up around the hair follicle, helping to restore the scalp to its optimum condition.
Pick up a tonic
There is an array of scalp tonics on chemist shelves now. Choose one backed by clinical trials. Growth Factor Treatment Serum from Nanogen (£29.95, nanogen.co.uk) is popular with dermatologists and hair-transplant surgeons. Another top-notch option is the new Tricho 7 Daily Scalp Drops in Philip Kingsley’s Trichotherapy® kit (from £50 for the drops, £95 for the whole kit, philipkingsley.co.uk) which support hair health and growth via the scalp.
Blitz the dandruff
Dandruff is the fault of a tiny organism called malassezia globosa, which we all have on our scalps and which feeds on sebum, the oil produced by our hair follicles – though we’re not all sensitive to it.
If you are sensitive to malassezia, your scalp becomes irritated and sheds skin faster than it should – seen as dandruff. A shampoo containing zinc pyrithione (ZPT), such as Head & Shoulders, will do the trick nicely, which is why this is the top-selling shampoo around the world. Phyto produces the ‘decongesting’ Phytopolleine – a bracing mix of essential oils, £24.50, that will soon get clogged follicles back to normal. If that doesn’t work, see a specialist. GPs don’t have any training in hair issues, surprisingly, but a trichologist could help you (trichologists.org.uk) as can a dermatologist who specialises in the scalp.
Dr David Fenton (drdavidfention.com) or Dr Jennifer Jones and Dr Vicky Joliffe (of londonhairspecialists.com) can help with problematic scalp issues.
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