Do Scalp Problems Have You Scratching Your Head? Fight Back and Prevent Premature Hair Loss with LUMI!

Scalp conditions can be painful, worrying, and embarrassing to talk about. Their impact can often be more severe and far-reaching than we realise! 

Research shows that the presence of scalp conditions negatively impacts the rate at which hair is grown and retained by the body, leading to premature hair loss. This is because the conditions cause inflammation in the scalp area, which puts cells under oxidative stress (the process antioxidants fight against).

No-one wants to go on a date with dandruff all over their hair and shoulders, or spend an important business meeting constantly scratching their head! Even worse is the thought that our hair may lose some of its thickness, coverage, or youthful appearance thanks to something so treatable as a common scalp issue.

Yet, despite their damaging effect on our wellbeing and confidence, scalp conditions are often left untreated for a long time. Well, we here at LUMI think that’s not right, and we’ve set out to change it!

Today, we look into some common scalp conditions that may be affecting you or a loved one; we’ll show you what to look out for, and help you understand the short- and long-term impacts of such problems when left untreated. 

And don’t worry, you’re not in this alone – we’ll also give you a sneak peek of Professional Prewash AHA-BHA SCALP PEEL, our brilliant new exfoliation treatment that features a blend of AHA-BHA acids and innovative bioactive ingredients. This powerful yet gentle peel can help fight scalp conditions, prevent them from appearing in the first place, and help strengthen and retain your hair!

We’ll have more on Professional Prewash AHA-BHA SCALP PEEL later on, but for now, let’s take a look at what we’re up against!

Dandruff

Dandruff is the single most common scalp condition on the planet, thought to affect up to half of the world’s population at some point during adulthood. It’s characterised by whitish grey ‘flakes’ of skin that make their way from the scalp to hair and clothes. It can also make the scalp overly dry and itchy.

Dandruff can be a very noticeable and embarrassing condition for those suffering with it, despite its prevalence. It can wreck a person’s self-confidence and make them feel uncomfortable socialising with others in any context.

The emergence of dandruff is thought to be dependent on multiple factors, including genetics, sebum production, the health of the scalp’s protective barrier (the stratum corneum), pH balance, and an overgrowth of a fungus called Malassezia globosa. 

It may sound weird that a fungus grows on our skin, but several species of Malassezia can be found on every single person on Earth! Malassezia is a natural and integral part of our skin microbiome, and the fungus has a synergistic relationship with our skin – we provide the fungus with nutrients, and the fungus helps protect us.

Many common dandruff treatments involve an anti-fungal component, designed to eradicate Malassezia from the scalp. But as Malasezzia is part of the makeup of a healthy skin microbiome and has been shown to help maintain balance and restrict the growth of harmful pathogens, eradicating the fungus from the scalp entirely may not be such a wise idea! 

Seborrheic Dermatitis

The skin-savvy experts amongst you may have seen the title of this section and thought to yourself, ‘but wait! Dandruff is seborrheic dermatitis!’. If you knew that already, dear reader, then we congratulate you on your immense knowledge of all things scalp related. We’re impressed!

It’s true that dandruff is considered by medical experts to be a mild form of seborrheic dermatitis. Usually, however, when the term seborrheic dermatitis is used, it is referring to a more severe case of the disease. Seborrehiec dermatitis is tends to appear during infancy, puberty, or in adults between 40-60 years old. It’s estimated that roughly 1 in 30 adults will show symptoms of the disease, making it a very common condition, if noticeably less prevalent than dandruff.

Unlike dandruff, which exclusively affects the scalp and does not cause inflammation, serious cases of seborrheic dermatitis can strike wherever sebaceous glands are found on the body (responsible for producing sebum), and commonly feature noticeable reddening and inflammation, severe itching, scaly skin, as well as an increased amount of the skin flakes caused by dandruff.

Seborrheic dermatitis can be an incredibly painful and embarrassing condition, but there are plenty of ways you can help your skin fight it! 

Clearing excess oil and detritus from the surface of the skin can help reduce the amount of Malassezia fungus present and slow its growth. Research also suggests that reduced skin barrier function plays a clear role in the emergence of seborrheic dermatitis, which highlights the importance of maintaining healthy and strong skin on the scalp (and everywhere else, too!).

Scalp Psoriasis

Psoriasis is a chronic condition that affects around 2-3% of the world’s population (an estimated 125 million people). It’s thought that somewhere between 45-to-80% of psoriasis cases involve the scalp, making it the most commonly afflicted area of the body. This is doubly unfortunate, because the highly visible nature of psoriasis can have a substantial impact on people’s confidence and self-image, whilst the presence of so much hair also makes the condition quite difficult to treat effectively!

Scalp psoriasis usually manifests itself as patches of inflamed, reddened skin that may itch or burn, and often features hardened scales (sometimes called plaques) of silvery-white skin. Skin affected by psoriasis is usually very dry and cracked, and scalp psoriasis is associated with significant psychological issues, owing to its negative impact on wellbeing.

Because psoriasis is a lifetime condition with no current cure, treatment focuses around minimising symptoms and improving skin’s condition. Corticosteroids are often employed for severe outbreaks, but mild outbreaks can be treated with keratolytics – compounds that help break down and remove dead skin cells and other detritus, making them excellent exfoliators.

Folliculitis

Folliculitis is the infection and/or inflammation of hair follicles. It’s a broad term used to describe a variety of conditions that have similar symptoms but varying causes. 

On the scalp, folliculitis will usually present as a series of very small and itchy pimples found all over the skin, including around the hairline. These pimples, properly called pustules, can be contained to one area or cover the whole head, and they often become crusted and sore. The temptation to itch them can be unbearable, but it will only make the issue worse!

The most common cause of scalp folliculitis is a bacterial infection – typically by very prevalent strains of bacteria such as Cutibacterium acnes and Staphylococcus aureus. Other bacterial infections are also fairly common, as well as infection by microorganisms such as viruses and fungi, including our friend from earlier, Malassezia. It’s even possible to get folliculitis caused by mites! 

Most cases of folliculitis, especially if caused by bacteria, will clear up on their own after a week or two. More serious infections may require antibiotic, antiviral, antifungal, or other specialist treatments, depending on what is responsible for the infection. Keratolytics that exfoliate the skin can also help to clear follicles and reduce the chance of clogging, which can cause or exacerbate certain types of folliculitis.

Rejuvenate Your Scalp and Reinvigorate Your Confidence with Professional Prewash AHA-BHA SCALP PEEL!

Scalp conditions such as those we’ve explored above may seem daunting, but the vast majority of cases can be resolved with at-home treatment. We’ve specially formulated Professional Prewash AHA-BHA SCALP PEEL to help combat common scalp issues, as well as packing the peel full of cutting-edge bioactives that help hair bounce back from scalp irritation and thrive once more!

Exfoliate and rejuvenate your scalp, freeing pores and follicles from dirt and detritus!

The willow bark extract contained in the peel is a natural source of salicylic acid. This BHA acid is brilliant at exfoliating skin and keeping pores clear, and has been consistently shown to effectively treat dandruff. 

This is achieved by reducing the amount of sebum and dead skin present on the surface of the scalp, thereby lowering the amount of Malassezia fungi present. Crucially, however, Professional Prewash AHA-BHA SCALP PEEL does not contain harsh antifungals and is not designed to eradicate this natural and integral microorganism from the skin microbiome!

A blend of AHA acids complements the willow bark extract, creating a fabulously effective exfoliator that keeps the scalp clean and clear, whilst also reducing the scaling associated with conditions such as scalp psoriasis. The peel also clears dirt and detritus from follicles and slows the build-up of dead skin cells, helping to protect your hair from some forms of folliculitis.

We use shampoo regularly to free our hair from dirt and other impurities – so why would we neglect our scalp, where hair is grown and nourished?

Make Your Hair Stronger and More Resilient!

LUMI’s Professional Prewash AHA-BHA SCALP PEEL doesn’t just exfoliate and clear the scalp, however! Included cutting-edge bioactive ingredients extracted from plant stem cells stimulate hair growth, improve hair anchoring, and help regenerate the scalp and hair. A curated blend of natural fruit and roots also provides a wealth of benefits, improving hydration, circulation, elasticity, and increasing hair’s shine and strength.

Incredibly, there’s more! Natural hyaluronic acid provides intensive hydration to both skin and hair, and microalgae extract delivers energy to cells, outperforming the body’s own epidermal growth factor and helping your hair become thick and luxuriant. It’s a personal pamper session for your scalp!

The end result of using Professional Prewash AHA-BHA SCALP PEEL? A scalp that is cleaner, clearer, more resistant to common scalp issues, and better equipped to grow and nourish your hair. It’s a no-brainer!

References

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