I recently read an article about the “skinification” of hair care. Essentially, the article was explaining how the concept of a multistep care routine that people have been utilizing for skin care is starting to catch hold with hair care. At one time, the focus of hair care was a good shampoo and conditioner, but over the last few years, there has been an explosion in different types of hair care products, like scalp cleaners, pre-shampoos, hair serums and much more. The question becomes is this a good thing or just a marketing ploy to get us to buy more products?
Let’s start with the good! The fact that people are giving greater thought and attention to their hair care routine is very good. The truth is that a healthy scalp and follicles are essential to growing healthy hair. While poor scalp and follicle health are typically not the main cause of hair loss, they can definitely aggravate the condition for someone experiencing hair loss. Unfortunately, many of the styling routines, such as tight hair styles, applying lots of heat, or using chemicals in our hair can contribute to poor scalp and follicle health. While using a hair healthy shampoo and conditioner is essential, it is also important to incorporate products that can focus on cleansing the scalp and hydrating the hair. A good scalp cleanse will help to remove buildup around the follicles. A deep conditioner and hydrating serum also play vital roles in rehydrating and strengthening the hair.
So is there any downside to this “skinification” of hair? The biggest issue is just the sheer number of products now available for hair care. It can be difficult to determine which ones are actually worth using. Even as hair care professional, it can be overwhelming to evaluate new products with so many now available. We have a saying in our office whenever we look into a new treatment or product; “follow the science”, which just means make sure there is valid research behind it. All of the products we offer have been vetted by our staff to ensure that we are offering the best possible options for hair care routines.
The bottom line is that we needed to change how we thought about hair care, so we are happy to see that hair care routines have grown to include scalp and follicle health, but make sure you are using products that have actually been proven to benefit the hair.
Posted by Dr. Mary Wendel
