What can cause dryness and irritation to the scalp?
Sensitive skin is skin that reacts more to aggressions and genetics plays a major role in skin sensitivity. Moreover, the scalp is a particularly sensitive area that we are not used to caring for, even though it faces numerous daily aggressions! Pollution and stress are factors that are difficult to avoid, but that’s not the case for all aggressions.
There are three types of aggressions that affect the scalp: physiological, environmental and lifestyle-related. It’s difficult to control environmental factors like pollution, humidity, UV rays, temperature changes, cold weather, wind etc. Stress is another factor that can be difficult to control too.
Fortunately, others are easier to avoid: the excessive use of heat when drying hair, which dries and weakens the skin, the use of unsuitable or overly aggressive products (a shampoo that is too detergent, certain dyes, etc.) and certain habits linked to our lifestyle: frequent use of motorbike helmets or smoking.
As far as physiological causes are concerned, dermatitis linked to an alteration in the skin barrier, such as psoriasis or eczema, are the most common sources, particularly if your scalp is extremely itchy (in which case you should see a doctor).