Tired of dealing with slow hair growth and clogged follicles? Buildup may be getting in your way, so here’s how to get rid of it quickly!
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If you’ve got greasy roots, flakes that won’t go away, and your new hair growth doesn’t feel all that healthy…you probably have some scalp buildup going on.
It’s clogging up your hair follicles, weighing your hair down, and feels kinda gross, right?!
Removing all that gunk and buildup from your hair and scalp can do wonders for hair and scalp health, and hair growth.
In this guide to scalp exfoliation, we’ll get into the reasons behind clogged hair follicles, and the benefits of scalp exfoliation.
Plus, you’ll learn the difference between chemical and physical exfoliation methods to promote hair growth and improve scalp health. Here’s how to clean scalp buildup at home!
What Causes Buildup & Clogged Hair Follicles
- Using dry shampoo often
- Using heavy styling products
- Never (or very rarely) clarifying your hair and exfoliating your scalp
- Only using gentle shampoos
- Environmental pollutants
- Only cowashing or doing ‘no poo’, and using hair products that build up
How To Know If You Have Buildup on Your Hair & Scalp
- Greasy scalp, along with dry ends
- Hairstyles won’t hold
- Hair tangles easily
- Hair strands seem to clump and stick together, especially near the roots
- Itchy scalp
- Scalp flakes (and you know it’s not dandruff)
Benefits of Exfoliating the Scalp
Adding scalp exfoliation into your hair care routine can lead to stronger, shinier hair and a fresh-feeling scalp! Here are some of the other awesome things it can do:
- Remove dead skin cells, and product buildup
- Help improve blood circulation to the scalp
- Get rid of scalp acne
- Reduce dandruff and flakes
- Remove excess oil, reduce scalp greasiness
- Help hair care products to penetrate deeper into the follicles, so you get better results
- Make hair feel bouncier, lighter and less weighed down
- Get rid of an itchy scalp
- Allow hair to hold styles well
- Get rid of a dry scalp
- Prevent scalp issues that cause hair loss
It’s an essential part of a healthy hair growth routine, so you have to try it out if you haven’t yet!
Is Using Shampoo Enough to Exfoliate?
Shampoo alone may not be enough to fully cleanse the scalp and remove all buildup.
While shampoo is great for removing dirt, oil, and product residue from the hair, it may not always be enough to thoroughly exfoliate the scalp.
Buildup can accumulate over time, especially with the use of styling products, dry shampoo, and environmental pollutants.
Regular shampoo may not be able to break down and remove all of this buildup, leading to a less-than-ideal environment for hair growth.
This is where scalp exfoliation comes in, as it provides a deeper cleanse and helps to unclog pores, and get rid of impurities that can get in the way of hair growth.
It’s important to regularly exfoliate and clarify your hair, especially if you normally use gentle shampoos.
Ways to Exfoliate the Scalp
There are a few different ways you can detox your scalp with exfoliation. You can either use physical methods, or chemical exfoliation.
The best way to remove buildup from your hair is whichever method works for you, and that you do regularly. Experiment, and see which method you like best!
When choosing products to exfoliate with, look for ingredients like:
- Salicylic acid
- Glycolic acid
- Tea tree oil
- Lactic acid
- Charcoal
These ingredients are all great to help unclog pores, remove dead skin cells, and get rid of a greasy scalp.
Physical Exfoliation
What to Use:
1) Scalp scrub: you can use a store bought scrub, or make a DIY scalp treatment with coffee, epsom salt, or ground bee pollen
2) Exfoliating shampoo: for the girls who like to waste no time, you can cleanse and exfoliate at the same time! Great for removing buildup from both hair and scalp
3) Scalp brush: can help release buildup but may be less thorough than other methods
With physical exfoliation, the scalp massage also promotes blood flow to the hair follicles, helping to grow your hair faster!
Chemical Exfoliation
What to Use:
1) A liquid exfoliator: such as a skin care toner, or scalp rinse/treatment with AHAs or BHAs
Apply the product to the scalp, ensuring that you cover all areas. Leave on according to the product directions.
If using a toner, leave on for 10-15 minutes, then rinse.
Best Scalp Exfoliators
> Grow Gorgeous Scalp Care Scalp Detox Scrub
> Oribe Serene Scalp Exfoliating Scrub
> Briogeo Scalp Revival™ Charcoal + Coconut Oil Micro-Exfoliating Scalp Scrub Shampoo
> Briogeo Scalp Revival™ Charcoal + Tea Tree Buildup Detox Spray
> The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution
> Briogeo Scalp Revival™ Stimulating Therapy Massager
You May Also Like: The Best Ways to Massage Your Scalp for Hair Growth
Scalp Exfoliation FAQ’s
Scalp exfoliation can be done with a scrub, or a chemical exfoliant. You can gently scrub your scalp with a physical exfoliant, or leave a chemical exfoliant on the scalp for a few minutes, then rinse.
Depending on your use of hair products and level of buildup, 2-4 times per month, maximum once weekly.
You don’t want to do it too often, because that can backfire and make your scalp irritated.
Exfoliating dandruff can help remove the flakes and excess oil. Experiment with different exfoliation methods to find the one that your scalp responds to the best.
Exfoliating your scalp creates a healthier environment for your hair to grow.
Exfoliation can make a big difference in promoting healthy hair growth and maintaining a clean, balanced scalp.
Using physical exfoliation methods can stimulate the scalp and increase blood flow to the follicles, which boosts hair growth.
Using scalp exfoliation in your hair care routine creates a clean foundation for healthy hair growth. Take the time to try different scalp detox methods to find which one makes your hair and scalp feel healthiest!
