No, You're Not Imagining Things, Your Hair Really Does Hurt (and Here's Why)
Of course the pain you feel in your legs after an intense SoulCycle class is real. But the sensation of having your hair hurt has to be in your imagination, right? Wrong. Well, kind of.
If you ever notice your scalp aching, as if your hair itself is sore, it’s probably due to a build up of oils at the base of your hair shaft, which in turn promotes the overgrowth of yeast on your scalp. The main reason for the buildup is not washing your hair often or deeply enough, but there are other factors that can contribute as well.
According to Chaie, hairstylist at the BENJAMIN Salon at the Arts District in L.A., “There are a lot of things that cause [scalp pain]—overuse of dry shampoo, changes in weather and sometimes the actual water we use when we wash our hair.”
The easiest solution is to go take a shower stat, then lather, rinse and repeat. However, if you find yourself experiencing scalp pain on a regular basis, Chaie has a few more pieces of advice to prevent it from coming back.
First of all, ask your go-to stylist for help, since she might have some product suggestions tailored to your specific hair. Secondly, when you wash your hair, you need to really scrub it (like how they do it at the salon) with your fingertips and make sure you’re using clean brushes. And if it’s water quality you’re worried about, Chaie recommends investing in a filter for your showerhead.
Bottom line: Give the skin under your hair the same love and care as the rest of your body. And if that means treating yourself to a cool techy hairbrush or lovely new shampoo, then we’re pretty sure we can get on board.
