Healthy Scalp

Protecting and maintaining the scalp is essential to healthy hair. Hair growth begins in the 100- 150,000 follicles found in the dermal layer of the skin. The skin of the scalp is as vulnerable to the environment (particularly the sun) and damaging effects of modern life, as that on any other part of the body. As we grow older, the vitality of our bodies diminishes and the signs of aging manifest, not as wrinkles but in the scalp’s inability to maintain healthy follicles. Cell regeneration diminishes, the skin becomes thinner and less able to retain moisture and the delivery of nutrients that detoxify the follicles reduces significantly. Keeping the scalp clean with regular massage, and using products designed to maintain the natural balance of the scalp, will improve the quality and health of the hair. Think of it as maintaining the earth from which a plant grows although the analogy is short lived. The hair which grows from our heads, unlike plant life is made of dead protein cells (keratin) rendering the scalp, and its ability to shed hair and yield new hair, paramount in the pursuit of healthy hair.

A dry and itchy scalp results from a disturbance in the scalp’s natural moisture levels. There are many factors that cause a dry scalp including age, stress, genes, hormonal changes, temperature, lifestyle, the environment and cosmetic shampoos and products.

To nurture a healthy scalp, dermatologists recommend using exfoliation to prevent a build-up of dead skin cells and unwanted deposits. The residue of hair care products and oil from the scalp can trap dead skin cells as they shed, blocking the follicle. An accumulation of debris on the scalp can result in inflammation and interfere with optimal functioning of the hair follicle. Exfoliation (using massage or a gentle scrub) removes dirt and oil, while botanical hair products cleanse and purify the scalp while simultaneously locking in moisture.

How often a person washes their hair will depend on hair type. Dry hair types may require shampooing twice weekly, while oilier hair types may require washing daily. Regardless of hair type, appropriate brushing of the hair and scalp several times daily is more important to the health of the hair than how frequently it is washed. To maintain a healthy scalp and grow lustrous hair, brushing is recommended daily and washing as required.

The Mind Brush was designed to bring ‘mindfulness’ to the act of maintaining a healthy scalp and hair. As with our health generally, the onus is on us to take responsibility for the wellbeing of our scalp and hair. The rounded wooden pins of the brush are carefully bevelled and positioned to massage and protect the hair follicles in the scalp. Sprung on natural, anti-static rubber, rather than tearing through the follicles like many popular brushes, the Mind Brush glides gently across the scalp and neck. The handle was ergonomically engineered to act as an extension of the hand enabling you to reach every part of the head and neck. We recommend a daily brushing routine (morning and night, and when washing) that serves to lift debris away from the follicles and to distribute natural oils throughout the lengths of the hair creating a cleaner scalp and balancing moisture levels. All of our products serve to protect and enhance the hair, but our Nourish Treatment was developed for use also as a treatment of the scalp. The high levels of aloe vera in our treatment help to maintain moisture levels in the scalp; we recommend rubbing a drop of the Nourish Treatment directly into the scalp after washing and towel drying the hair.

Hair is made up of a protein called keratin that is produced in hair follicles in the outer layer of the skin. As follicles produce new hair cells, old hair cells grow through the surface of the skin at a rate of approximately 6 inches a year. The average adult head has 100-150,000 hairs and hair loss is part of the natural cycle of healthy hair in that we lose on average 100 hairs each day. Each hair follicle has a 3-stage growth cycle that is impacted by age, disease, diet, lifestyle and other factors which combine to cause hair loss at critical levels. There are many types of hair loss including involutional alopecia (as the hair thins with age), androgenic alopecia (genetic hair loss affecting men and women) and telogen effluvium (changes in the growth cycle of hair causing large numbers of hair to enter a resting phase). Hair loss can be gradual, sudden, partial, complete, temporary or permanent and how ever it manifests, it causes anxiety and, in some cases, lasting psychological effects.

Hair loss may be hereditary giving rise to the male and female pattern baldness commonly associated with a receding hair line and thinning hair. Alopecia may also occur in consequence of hormonal changes (pregnancy, menopause, disorders of the thyroid); the use of prescribed medications (to treat for example cancer, depression, blood pressure and arthritis); or a stressful and shocking event. Excessive styling, using cosmetic treatments (that expose the hair to heat and chemicals) and environmental toxins are also known to engender hair loss.

Treating hair loss is a challenging and potentially expensive business with ever growing numbers entering the multi-billion-pound marketplace in the race to offer a miracle cure. Treatments for hair loss range from the use of supplements, prescription only drugs and hair boosting shampoos, to therapies and procedures such as mesotherapy and hair transplants.

Healthy hair begins with good maintenance of the follicles in the scalp and The Mind Brush was designed to recreate the art of massage in the act of brushing. The massaging effect of brushing with the Mind Brush alleviates muscle tension in the head and neck increasing blood flow to the hair follicle and accelerating the delivery of vital nutrients and oxygen. The benefits of massage are well documented; its capacity to trigger the major systems of the body and in particular the endocrine, lymphatic, circulation, muscular and skeletal systems, has known positive effects on hair growth. Stimulation of the endocrine and lymphatic systems increases the circulation of hormones which are essential to healthy hair and aids the bodies’ natural process of filtering away impurities and eliminating unwanted toxins that are harmful to the hair and scalp. The Valentino Cleanse Shampoo, Balance Conditioner and Nourish Treatment contain botanical ingredients including aloe vera, lemon peel oil, bergamot, sweet almond and grapeseed oil. These extracts contain collagen and vitamins (A, C, E and B-12) which together strengthen the hair, promote cell regeneration and help prevent hair loss. The magnesium, calcium and zinc found in these botanicals block the production of hormones that cause hair loss, and the aloe in all our products helps preserve a healthy scalp and promote hair growth while simultaneously adding lustre and shine to the hair.

Dandruff is the term commonly used to describe white or grey flakes of skin that appear on the scalp and hair. Dandruff is neither contagious nor serious but excessive shedding of the skin cells of the scalp is a cause of discomfort (as it may be accompanied by oily, red and itchy skin) and embarrassment. Dandruff is a common condition affecting 1 in 2 people worldwide.

There are three different types of dandruff. Pityriasis simplex capitis is the term used to describe a white flaky scalp; seborrheic dermatitis is the condition associated with yellow flakes of skin, redness and an oily scalp; and psoriasis is the most severe form of dandruff causing itching, redness and bleeding. When dandruff amounts to a severe disorder of the skin, medical attention should be sought from a dermatologist or endocrinologist as the scalp is an indicator of a persons’ general state of health.

There are multiple causes of dandruff including dry skin, sensitivity to hair care products and environmental toxins and stress. The most common cause of dandruff is a microbe that naturally occurs on the top layer of the skin called Malassezia globosa which in some people thrives in the hair follicle where it breaks down the oil on your scalp producing oleic acid. Scalps sensitive to oleic acid respond by shedding the skin at an excessively rapid rate in a bid to rid the scalp of the irritant.

Globally, the anti-dandruff market is a multi-billion-pound industry. Most over the counter anti-dandruff treatments contain at least one of the following active ingredients ketoconazole (an anti-fungal agent), selenium sulphide (to reduce the production of natural oils), zinc pyrithione (to inhibit yeast production) and salicylic acid (to rid the scalp of dead skin cells).

Dandruff is not related to hygiene but a simple routine of brushing and washing the hair daily will help you to maintain a healthy scalp and alleviate the symptoms of dandruff. The Valentino Mind Brush has smooth, rounded maple wood bristles that are sprung on a natural, anti-static rubber base to glide across the scalp without tearing the follicle. As the brush massages the scalp, it releases tension and increases blood flow; lifts debris away from the follicles and distributes oil throughout the lengths of the hair in preparation for washing. Brushing regularly stimulates the major systems of the body triggering a series of biological functions that are essential for a healthy scalp and radiant hair. Balancing the pH of the scalp is critical when dealing with dandruff. Human hair and sebum have a pH of between 4.5 and 5.0 and this natural acidity prevents fungi and bacteria building up in the hair, leaving the cuticle closed and healthy. The Valentino Cleanse Shampoo, Balance Conditioner and Nourish Treatment contain botanical ingredients including aloe vera, lemon peel oil, bergamot, sweet almond and grapeseed oil. These naturally occurring extracts have properties designed to deep cleanse the hair by removing excessive oils; to promote healthy cell regeneration; to restore the pH balance of the scalp; and to maintain appropriate moisture levels in the hair and scalp.