Your scalp’s natural oils are a wonderful thing—they hydrate your strands, keep them shiny, and even improve overall scalp health. Although, if you’ve ever gone a day or two too long without correctly shampooing your hair (correctly being the operative word, here), chances are you’ve experienced some buildup—where those once glorious natural oils, mixed with dirt, dead skin, and bacteria, accumulate and wreak havoc on your tresses (more on that in a moment). And if you throw some stylers, dry shampoos, and hair care products into the mix? It is all the easier to gather up grime.
If you are dealing white scalp, you’re certainly not alone. Here, we investigate everything you need to know about the issue: why it happens, what it looks like, and—here’s the kicker—how to get rid of white scalp gunk ASAP.
How to get rid of it.
If you have meandered on over here, chances are you have experienced some itchy flakes or oily buildup up top. Good news: It’s not so difficult to clear up! We have uncovered seven ways to rid your buildup, with expert tips below:
Opt For ACV
We’ve all heard about the wonder of apple cider vinegar for the skin, so you’ll be pleased to know it can work its magic on the scalp too. Thanks to its acidic content, apple cider does a great job of breaking down residue that settles on the scalp. To use it, combine half a cup of cold water with half a cup of apple cider vinegar. Once you’ve shampooed, as a final step in the shower, massage the apple cider vinegar mix into your scalp, leave it for 2 – 3 minutes and rinse with cold water.
Choose To Clarify
The simplest way to remove any signs of scalp buildup is with the help of a clarifying shampoo. Created specially for oily hair, this shampoo purifies the scalp and removes any greasiness while reducing oiliness from the root so that hair feels clean. Add it to your hair care routine once or twice weekly and your scalp will thank you.
Scrub your scalp
Like a face scrub, a scalp scrub too exfoliates away residue and dirt that’s weighing down the hair. To make one, combine half a cup of chunky sea salt with 2 tablespoons of lemon juice and 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Massage the mixture gently into the scalp, let it sit for 30 minutes, then wash off with shampoo and warm water. The coarseness of sea salt with lemon’s acidic content dislodges any buildup while olive oil ensures it doesn’t dry out excessively.
Baking Soda
Another household item that works wonders for your hair! Mix two parts of baking soda with one part of water in a large bowl then apply the paste to your hair in a thick layer. Leave the paste to soak into hair for up to a half hour then rinse, shampoo and condition as usual.
Use A Scalp Brush
Scalp brushes are a great way to distribute shampoo to every part of the scalp for a deeper cleanse helping to get rid of product build up, dandruff and dirt. Our O So Curly Scalp Brush is amazing as the silicone bristles flexible and gentle on the scalp,
Regular and thorough washing
If you use hair-care products, it’s also important to wash your hair regularly and thoroughly to get rid of buildup. You may want to wash it every day or every few days, depending on your hair type.
Some anecdotally suggest that average-to-oily hair can be washed every 1 to 2 days, while dry-to-damaged hair can be washed every 3 to 4 days.
Conclusion
White buildup on the scalp is a common issue and one which contributes to hair thinning and loss.
If you are dealing with this issue, then the above two recipes will help you to get your scalp back to its natural, healthy state.
Of course, there are other steps you can take to further prevent the build-up of sebum. These steps include changing your diet and using moisturizing oils, like coconut oil, on a regular basis to prevent scalp dryness and the overproduction of sebum as a result.
