August 18th is the National Hair Care Day, and dandruff and hair loss are the most common problems. The health of hair mainly depends on a healthy scalp. This year, high temperatures and rainfall alternate in many parts of China, and the sultry and humid weather has significantly increased the number of patients with scalp diseases. Dermatology departments in major hospitals have ushered in a peak of visits.
Experts say that the scalp, as a special part of the skin, is thinner than most parts of the face, and because of the shielding of hair, scalp cleaning is more challenging than facial cleaning.
Zhou Cheng, Deputy Chief Physician of the Department of Dermatology, Peking University People's Hospital, said that when oil is particularly abundant, it can easily trigger some fungal and bacterial infections, especially Malassezia infection, which may cause seborrheic dermatitis on the scalp, prone to some symptoms such as erythema, itching, and increased dandruff. Of course, there are some bacterial infections and there may be folliculitis on the scalp. People often pick their scalp and there may be some small beans. In these cases, there may also be some peculiar smell if it lasts for a long time.
The humid and hot environment is conducive to the reproduction of Malassezia, while the stimulation of Malassezia metabolites and sweat can aggravate inflammation, and scalp itching can be more significant. The overall prevalence of seborrheic dermatitis ranges from 1% to 5%, with a higher lifetime prevalence rate, which can occur in all age groups. Epidemiological research shows that the prevalence rate reaches its peak in three age groups, namely, infancy (especially within three months of birth), adolescence, and adults aged 40-60. Nearly half of male hormone alopecia patients are accompanied by seborrheic dermatitis, and the problem of alopecia is difficult to cure.
Zhou Cheng, Deputy Chief Physician of the Department of Dermatology, Peking University People's Hospital: If everyone has significant itching and erythema on the scalp, and the seborrheic dermatitis symptoms are also severe, when choosing a shampoo product, you can choose some shampoo containing antifungal ingredients, such as compound ketoconazole, and so on.
Experts tell us that the criteria for healthy scalp include: no itching, moderate sebum secretion, and healthy survival of hair follicles and sebaceous glands on the scalp; Stable scalp microecological environment; No dandruff occurs. So how often do ordinary people wash their hair is more beneficial to their scalp health?
Zhou Cheng, Deputy Chief Physician of the Department of Dermatology, Peking University People's Hospital: The frequency of shampoo varies from person to person, and is related to the condition of our own scalp and hair. If everyone has a neutral scalp and hair texture that can be washed every other day, this may be a better state. If everyone's scalp is particularly oily and produces a particularly strong amount of oil, and the weather is very sultry, sweating, and emitting more oil, you can wash it every day. However, it is not recommended that everyone use shampoo with strong cleaning power every day, in order to better reduce the increase in oil production caused by scalp irritation.
In addition, experts also remind everyone that some women's hair is prone to drying, branching, and breakage, which may be related to excessive cleaning. If you vigorously clean your hair too often, some of the protective sebum on your hair can be washed away, which can damage your hair. In addition, to minimize the frequency of perm dyeing, it is recommended to have a perm interval of at least half a year and a dyeing interval of at least 3 months to minimize the damage to the hair.
