The key to luscious locks

Paying more attention to your scalp could be just the trick to getting stunning hair

Most of us wouldn’t think twice about splashing out on a pricey anti-ageing cream to improve our complexion, but would you spend the same on your scalp?

It seems for many, the answer is yes, as the ‘skinc-hair’ trend has us turning to nourishing, nutrientrich and regenerating formulas to get the healthy locks we all want.

And Simone Thomas, trichologist at Simone Thomas Hair Loss Clinic, is all for people investing in their scalps.

‘First of all, your scalp is skin and people tend to forget that,’ she says. ‘We spend hundreds of pounds on face creams but just pick up the cheapest thing in the supermarket aisle to cleanse and condition our scalp when actually it can suffer from the same skincare complaints, like dryness, redness, dermatitis and eczema, as our faces do.’

And all of these issues can have a big impact on the condition of our hair. If your scalp is unhealthy, you may notice sluggish hair growth, thinning locks, itchiness or flaking skin. But it’s important to look after it now, before you get to this stage.

Simone adds, ‘What usually happens is people leave it until they notice their hair is really thin or they have bad dandruff and then they seek help instead of looking after their scalps in the first place.’

Being run-down, having thyroid problems or a bad diet, medication and environmental changes can all lead to an unhealthy scalp. ‘Also, cheap silicone-heavy products that cause an excessive build-up of product and block hair follicles can be to blame, especially when it comes to slow hair growth,’ she says.