4 of the best scalp care tips recommended by hair experts.

As a kid, sitting down to blow-dry and straighten every one of my tightly knotted curls was an event — one that only took place on special occasions (those being school picture day or a grandparent’s 60th). 

Getting the job done was an hours-long affair because each strand my mother expertly ironed within an inch of its life also came with the responsibility of shampooing, conditioning, lathering with some sort of stinky leave-in cream, detangling with a comb, and then with a hairbrush, and then once more with an even smaller comb for good measure.

Alas, my relationship with my still very curly, very thick and very knotty hair is a complicated one.

Nevertheless, hair is one of those things that really matter, and by extension, so does our scalp. Achieving shiny, glossy hair begins with a healthy scalp and just as you care for your face, it's essential to give your scalp the same attention. So let’s look at what the experts have to say when it comes to keeping the scalp healthy.

1. Do your best to avoid excessive heat styling.

Unfortunately, some of the hair tools we love to use to give us pin-straight hair or sleek waves are drying out our scalps and leaving us with itchy, irritated heads.

If you’re like me, you might even get an intense case of dandruff if you turn that styler on too often. It’s important to find the right hair tools that prioritise our hair health, or else it becomes increasingly difficult to protect the barrier function of our scalp, leading to lower moisture retention.

While there are plenty of good hair tools on the market that can give an incredible blow-dry, there aren’t many great ones that don’t damage our precious hair in the process. 

Luckily for us, Dyson Supersonic Nural Intelligent Hair Dryer has the kind of revolutionary technology that is a game-changer for the look and feel of your hair. Their latest launch uses smart sensors to lower the heat settings when the drying function gets close to your scalp. 

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This feature not only guarantees that your blow-dry is both effective and safe for your hair but also works hard to protect the scalp barrier and enhance moisture retention by auto-adapting the heat to 55 degrees Celsius at the scalp. The result? You’re left with a natural shine every time.

One of my favourite features, Pause Detect, adds a touch of brilliance to the Supersonic Nural. When you set the machine down, it automatically deactivates the heater, reduces airflow and cuts down on unnecessary noise, making your styling session a breeze.

The beauty of the Dyson is its range of intelligent attachments that offer versatility when styling. The Supersonic Nural comes with five attachments, including the new wave and curl diffuser, the classic flyaway attachment, the gentle air attachment, the styling concentrator and the wide-tooth comb. 

Each one is equipped with recommended airflow and heat settings that you can easily customise. Plus, the sensor knows which attachment is connected and automatically switches to your last-used settings.

Essentially, you have everything you need for a blow-dry, whether you’re aiming for a wavy, curly or straight style.

2. The cold water theory about washing your hair — it’s a myth.

By now, most of us have already implemented some great products to keep our hair looking shiny and healthy, but it’s what we do before and after we apply anything to the strands that really makes the difference.

With that being said, it’s long been debated what water temperature is best when washing our hair. A lot of beauty experts online claim it helps to lock in moisture and provide more shine. We get why a lot of people believe this, considering using extreme heat when blow-drying can damage our delicate strands. However, research has shown that it’s best to use warm water. That’s right — neither too hot nor too cold.

Chemists from TRI Princeton found that there isn’t much of a difference whether you choose to wash your hair in super hot or super cold water, but perfectly warm water can actually make your hair glossier. Better yet, the independent research group found that cold water can’t properly remove residue that might still be in our hair after washing. 

3. Glycolic acid is your friend but use it sparingly.

For those not in the know, glycolic acid is typically used to smooth texture and even skin tones, but now it’s also being used by beauty influencers as a five to 10 minute scalp treatment.

Dermatologist and content creator Dr Chris Tomassian addressed the viral glycolic acid trick that says applying it to the scalp keeps it healthy as it is an AHA exfoliant.

"It weakens the ability for your skin cells to stick together and speeds up the cell cycle," he explained. "This could get rid of those loose flakes [on the scalp]."

However, too much of anything isn’t good for you.

"Remember," he added. "Too much exfoliation causes dryness and irritation to the scalp."

So basically, don’t do it every day. Not even every week. 

4. Invest time in exfoliating your scalp. 

Every time winter rolls around, my head feels dry and irritated. Despite trying everything — including not washing my hair with shampoo for a week (big mistake) — there’s really only been one method that’s kept my scalp from flaking.  

And that's a scalp massager. They’re relatively affordable, incredibly handy and can be kept in the shower (or by your bedside table, which is where I keep mine). 

I've watched dozens of videos from content creators who convinced me it had helped to address their itchy heads by using it for as little as five minutes a day before jumping in the shower.

All you need is a little hair oil, a scalp massager or even both your hands to apply light to medium pressure to the scalp while moving in small circles. Doing this for about five minutes a day promotes hair growth and a healthier scalp. It’s a win, win!

Shop Dyson's Supersonic Nural Intelligent Hair Dryer for root-to-tip protection and long-term shine. 

Feature Image: Instagram/@erinlouisecamilleri/@dyson_anz