Detox your Scalp for Healthier Hair

One way to ensure your hair grows long and healthy is to go a step further than shampooing by doing a scalp detox treatment. At times we forget that our scalp is living and breathing, and the hair strands are dead. We spend so much time, energy, and products on the hair on our head and neglect the reason why we have it in the first place; it grows from the scalp.

With this lapse in judgement, we continue to pile on product after product and wonder why is my scalp so dry? Or itchy? Well, that’s the scalps way of telling you that something is wrong, in other words, “I can’t breath” lol.

Hair products that we use daily can clog pores by creating build up on top of accumulated dead skin, which can cause dull, greasy hair, and slow hair growth. Shampooing alone does not cleanse your scalp deep enough to get rid of all the build up.

Therefore, detoxifying your scalp is a great process to include in your healthy hair care regimen.

How to detox your scalp

A scalp detox treatment includes massaging in a mask to exfoliate the scalp, which unclogs your pores of dead skin and removes toxins from the hair follicles, roots, and oil glands.

For a simple at home DIY scalp mask recipe, you will need:

1 teaspoon of baking soda

• Baking soda is a natural cleansing ingredient that absorbs oils, grease, and product residue from your hair.

2 tablespoons of olive oil

• Olive oil is filled with antioxidants great for fighting dandruff and dry scalp. The oil can prevent hair loss by reducing the chances of Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) production (a hormone that decreases the hair follicle shaft growth which can cause hair loss).

1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon powder

• Cinnamon contains organic compounds eugenol and cinnamaldehyde which are antiviral, antifungal, and antibacterial. This is said to prevent fungal and bacterial infections of the scalp.

Steps to detoxifying your scalp:

To prevent dry hair and scalp, this mask treatment is for a deep clarifying cleanse and should not be used more than once a month.

Step 1: Mix all ingredients in a small container

Step 2: Part your hair in small sections and apply the mask down each part on the scalp

Step 3: Massage the mask into the scalp in a gentle circular motion

Step 4: Cover your hair and scalp with a shower cap for 10 -15 minutes

Step 5: Shampoo and conditioner your hair as normal

For an alternative to shampooing your hair, you can finish the detox treatment off with a apple cider vinegar rinse and then condition as normal. Apple cider vinegar, or ACV, helps to balance the hair and scalp ph levels, kills the bacteria that causes dandruff and itchy scalp, and gives the hair extra shine.