General principles of hair and scalp care

Modern principles of hair and scalp care are largely based on determining the hair type. The division into types is based on the characteristics of shine, fragility, thickness, condition of the hair ends, as well as the rate of their contamination. It should be emphasized that the division of hair into different types largely depends on the condition of the scalp.

There are normal, oily and dry hair types.

Normal hair is defined as hair that has a healthy shine, is not brittle, and is not split at the ends. People with normal hair notice that their hair gets dirty 6-7 days after washing. Normal hair dries relatively quickly after washing and is manageable when styling.

Dry hair is defined as hair without natural shine, thinned, brittle and split at the ends. Dry hair shows serious changes in structure and composition. Unevenness of the cuticle, separation of scales from its surface, increased porosity, absence of cuticle at the ends of the hair are noted. Low sulfur content, degradation of polypeptide chains, and disturbance of ionic composition are detected in damaged hair. The causes of such hair changes can be endogenous and exogenous. Endogenous causes are reduced to decreased sebum production by the glands of the scalp and disruption of blood supply to the hair follicles in atherosclerosis, cervicothoracic osteochondrosis and other diseases. In young people, the main predisposing factors are hypothyroidism and hormonal contraception. Exogenous causes of dry hair are varied. First of all, it is inadequate hair care, leading to intense physical or chemical effects on hair and skin. Physical factors include frequent, intensive combing, constant wearing of tight hats, metal and rubber hairpins, frequent use of a hair dryer for drying and styling, as well as hot curling irons. Chemical factors include frequent washing with alkaline soaps and shampoos with cationic detergents, hair contact with chlorinated water in swimming pools, abuse of hairsprays, hair bleaching, and chemical curling. Climatic factors also play an important role, including insolation, wind, low or high ambient temperatures, low or high air humidity, and others. It is believed that the main climatic inducer of hair damage is sunlight. Under the influence of ultraviolet rays, not only does light-brown hair become discolored and a yellowish tint appear in light-brown and dark-brown hair, but also photooxidation of cysteine bonds in proteins of the surface layers of the hair occurs, which leads to the penetration of free radicals into the cuticle and the formation of its porosity. Bleached hair or hair after a perm are most susceptible to such physical and chemical changes. It should be emphasized that in the presence of seborrhea and increased oiliness of the scalp, thinned hair with no natural shine, split ends and brittleness can be found. At the same time, increased oiliness of hair at the roots and dryness at the ends are noted. Side effects can be explained by inadequate hair care in patients with seborrhea. Unfortunately, recently such a combination has become more of a natural process rather than an exception to the rule. This should be taken into account when prescribing recommendations for scalp care. It should also be noted that with dry hair and decreased sebum secretion, the appearance of bran-like flaking of the scalp, or dandruff, is possible.

Dandruff is a result of chronic damage to the scalp, manifested by the formation of parakeratotic scales without signs of inflammation. Most often, this is due to early manifestations of the so-called "dry" type of seborrheic dermatitis of the scalp. With this disease, dandruff occurs in the form of small foci, mainly in the occipital-parietal region, but can quickly spread to the entire scalp. The boundaries of the lesion are unclear. Hyperplasia and hypersecretion of the sebaceous glands characteristic of seborrhea are absent. Peeling has a bran-like character, the scales are dry, loose, grayish-white, easily separated from the skin surface and dirty the hair, as well as outerwear; Typically, there are no inflammatory phenomena and subjective disorders. In case of seborrheic dermatitis in combination with dry hair, it is necessary to prescribe medicated shampoos.

Oily hair is typical for people with manifestations of liquid seborrhea. In this case, the hair quickly becomes greasy, sticks together in strands, and lacks its natural shine. Hair is difficult to style, and the hairstyle does not last long, since the constantly secreted sebum significantly weighs it down. Dust quickly sticks to oily hair, which gives the head an untidy appearance. People with oily hair note that the scalp quickly becomes dirty, and therefore they are forced to wash their hair often (once every 2-3 days, daily, and even more often). In some patients, the components of sebum oxidize quite quickly in the air, which leads to an unpleasant odor. This is also facilitated by the vital activity of opportunistic flora. To combat this unpleasant symptom, some cosmetic companies produce special deodorants for the scalp. Many researchers believe that the condition of oily hair is a complex phenomenon, only partly caused by increased production of sebum. In addition to the increased rate and volume of sebum secretion, seborrhea is accompanied by a change in its composition due to the enzymatic hydrolysis of triglycerides and the formation of saturated fatty acids. An imbalance between saturated and unsaturated fatty acids leads to a decrease in the bactericidal and fungicidal action of sebum. The most common complication of seborrhea on the scalp is seborrheic dermatitis, the main manifestation of which is flaking of the scalp in the form of "oily" (stearic, or waxy) dandruff, accompanied by itching. Since this manifestation occurs against the background of increased sebum secretion, the scales are oily, have a yellowish tint, stick together, are more firmly held on the skin and in the hair than with dry dandruff, and can form layers. The scales usually separate from the skin surface in large flakes. In the presence of the described manifestations, the use of medicated shampoos is indicated.

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