Between school drop-offs, meal preps, and keeping the household running, self-care often takes a backseat. But if you’ve been noticing more hair in your brush or a little extra thinning around the hairline, it might be time to show your scalp some love.
Hair loss can be influenced by hormones, postpartum changes, stress, and lifestyle habits, but a healthy scalp plays a major role in keeping your strands strong and full for as long as possible.
If you don’t prioritise scalp care, you may start noticing increased shedding, dryness, or thinning, which can impact confidence. The good news? A few simple steps can help you nurture your scalp and keep your hair looking its best.
Why Scalp Health Matters for Hair Growth
Your scalp is quite literally the foundation for your hair—kind of like the soil in which your hair follicles grow. If your scalp is healthy, it provides the ideal environment for strong, thick hair to thrive. But if it’s neglected, issues like buildup, dryness, or poor circulation can suffocate hair follicles, leading to thinning or increased shedding.
Many mums experience changes in hair thickness due to stress, hormonal shifts, or postpartum recovery. And while maintaining a healthy scalp can help prolong strong, healthy hair, sometimes hair loss needs a little extra support. And while scalp health is essential for you, if your partner has been noticing thinning or a receding hairline, they might also benefit from scalp care—or even regrowth treatments from Gro Clinics.
By maintaining your scalp’s health, you will ensure that your hair follicles are well-nourished and continue to function optimally. Therefore, giving you the best chance at keeping your luscious locks fuller for longer.
Signs of an Unhealthy Scalp
Before looking at ways to maintain your scalp, it’s important to recognise the signs of an unhealthy one, as many people may not realise there’s an issue.
Some of the more common signs of scalp issues include the following:
- Dryness and flaking
- Excessive oiliness
- Itching or Irritation
- Hair Shedding
- Redness or Bumps
If you’re experiencing any of these conditions, you should make an appointment with your doctor. They can be symptoms of underlying issues, such as clogged follicles, inflammation, or infection, or skin conditions, like folliculitis, that need to be addressed.
Tips to Maintain a Healthy Scalp
So, how can you keep your scalp healthy and protect the vitality of your strands?
Here are some proactive steps you can follow:
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Keep Your Scalp Clean
The cleaner your scalp, the more likely you are to avoid a buildup of oil, sweat, and product residue that can clog hair follicles. For this reason, it is essential to wash your hair with a gentle shampoo and conditioner that uses natural ingredients like tea tree oil or aloe vera.
If you have an oily scalp, you should wash your hair every day. But if you don’t, then 2-3 times a week is a good amount of time because you risk drying out your scalp if you do so daily.
However regularly you wash your hair, just make sure the brand you use does not have any of the following ingredients in it, as they can do damage to your hair.
When washing your hair, it is a good idea to use a scalp scrub or an exfoliating brush once a week to remove dead skin cells and any other impurity buildups.
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Stay Hydrated
Your scalp needs moisture just like your skin because if it is overly dry it can lead to itching, irritation, and flaking, which can be made worse by your scratching it.
To help you do this, use a lightweight scalp moisturiser or apply natural oils like argan or jojoba oil to keep your scalp hydrated. Get your partner or massage in the oils yourself to aid your circulation.
In conjunction with the moisturiser or natural oils, you should also aim to drink 2.5 litres of water a day, as this will help hydrate your hair and skin from the inside.
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Exercise
Maintaining a good blood flow is vital to delivering oxygen and nutrients to your hair follicles, and a great way to do this is to exercise regularly.
This significantly improves your blood circulation, so you should try to complete at least 30 minutes of aerobic or cardio activity every day.
Regular exercise is also a great way to counter stress, which is another contributing cause of hair loss.
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Manage Your Stress
Talking of managing stress, the condition of telogen effluvium results in hair loss as a result of it by pushing hair follicles into the resting phase.
As hard as it might be with life’s daily struggles, it is important to reduce your levels of stress as much as possible.
Therefore, apart from exercising, make a point of doing yoga, meditation, and other self-care activities, such as walking on the beach, drawing, or playing an instrument.
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Sleep and Eat Well
Eating and sleeping well go hand-in-hand with good health, and they also have a direct impact on your scalp.
Try to get at least seven hours of good quality sleep every night because doing so allows your body to heal and regenerate hair cells. It is also a good way to combat stress.
Where possible, you should also try to maintain a healthy, balanced diet that includes plenty of protein, omega-3 fatty acids, biotin, and zinc, which promote healthy hair growth.
The Bottom Line
Whether you’re dealing with postpartum hair loss, stress-related shedding, or just want to keep your hair as healthy as possible, taking care of your scalp is a simple but effective step.
By keeping it clean, hydrated, and well-nourished, you’ll create the best possible conditions for stronger, fuller hair—because mums deserve to feel confident and radiant, too!
