Dealing with an itchy scalp

PHOTO | FILE A client gets her hair sprayed at Airo’s Salon, Nairobi.

What you need to know:

  • Ask your hairdresser to check your scalp for any changes. A healthy scalp looks it, so if there are any changes, they will let you know

A reader wrote me a letter the other day. She has fantastic hair and she prefers to braid it frequently. But the problem is braiding leaves her with an itchy scalp. What could be the problem? Several things immediately sprung to mind.

1. She could be allergic to synthetic braids. If you have ever had any synthetic stuff against your skin be it hair or scalp, then you know that it itches.

If you tend to have a reaction to lace or clothing labels you may be a candidate for reacting to synthetic braids. They have plastic in them, which makes them unyielding and stiff.

And if a synthetic braid sticks out at an angle, it will stay that way until it is time to take it out, which will lead to repeated abrasion in that particular area. The best way to avoid this is of course to use natural braids or get the very softest synthetics you can find in the market.

2. The braids could have been too tight. This happens a lot the first few days of braiding. Women have woken up in the middle of the night to undo their hair. One was a weave that cost several thousands.

Needless to say, that was the last weave I ever saw on that lovely head! Cornrows are especially guilty of this, pulling your hair in an entire line from one end to the other. Moreso if you have tightly braided hair with synthetic hair! Never was there a better definition of a double whammy.

3. Shortly after your hair is braided, the first thing most hairdressers will do is oil the scalp. Which oil/butter/crème/cream/lotion or ointment do they use? Is it something that you have used before? Do you know what the ingredients are?

And, before braiding, women will almost always shampoo and condition or treat their hair, followed by a blow dry for manageability whether your hair is processed or natural.

An itch could be an allergic reaction to one of the ingredients in the process. And, if you have a routine in the same salon, the same way with the same products, it might be difficult to tell. You would have to break off some parts of your routine to establish if this is the case. Finally, what is your scalp type?

We are often quick to presume an itchy scalp is automatically dry. Your scalp could just as likely be oily but reacting to the products you selected because you thought it was dry.

4. Check hygiene. Salons have the ability to disinfect and clean as often as they must and should. Sometimes they just don’t.

There is that wooden half comb that has been used on heads since your mother’s time favoured for precisely slicing off little bits of hair in preparation for micro-braids.

They rarely get more than a causal rubdown on the side of a khanga or piece of tissue. Who knows what they transfer?

5. There is an interesting theory about scalp itch that I once came across. Apparently, if you normally wear your hair unbraided, then braid it, it leaves your scalp exposed. This exposure makes your scalp sensitive and it protests, and the protestations are manifest as an itch.

6. What is the condition of your scalp? If you have a naturally dry scalp the process of braiding hair aggravates it. Alternatively, it may be product build up. Salons prefer to start on a clean slate and will normally ask to wash your hair or ask how recently you washed it.

Carry your own products for consistency’s sake. What that means is that you should have a hair care routine that is not dictated by salon visits.

You should know how to take care of your hair and have at-home care products that supplement what happens at the salon. Only half of the magic ever takes place there. The real hard work is yours. Away from the hairdresser.

7. Are you transitioning? It would appear that the crossing over from one hair type to the other causes some irritation. Prior to opting to go natural, a woman’s growth is arrested before it has a chance to flourish.

With transitioning however, the two textures almost appear to be at war. On some level, it should be expected. Part of the reason though, is the cross over products. Finding something that works for both textures is challenging.

Budding naturals are advised to avoid sulphates, silicone, mineral oil, petrolatum and parabens, mostly found in products favoured by women with relaxed hair.

There is another reason for this. Naturals are hyper-vigilant with their hair and products and by the time they opt to go natural, they have valid reasons for being a little more careful with their hair than they were prior to the transition. It makes the transitioning period uncomfortable on many levels.

Ask your hairdresser to check your scalp for any changes. A healthy scalp looks it, so if there are any changes, they will let you know anyway. If after cosmetics change over one to three months, depending on how long your braids last, your itching has not gone away, visit a dermatologist. It could be anything from dandruff to psoriasis, both conditions that inflame the scalp.

Prevent itching by buying an anti-inflammatory hair spray. Use it liberally on your scalp. It should have a refreshing feel. Look for sulphur, tea tree and rosemary. Use an antiseptic. It was done in high school.

If you have micro braids, dreadlocks or braids that stay for over two weeks, use a cotton bud or tip and cleanse your scalp. Consider co-washing and dump the sulphate-rich shampoo. Use light oils on your scalp, the kind with a nozzle. Feeding your scalp is feeding your hair.