How High Temperatures Impact and Damage Your Scalp and Hair

If you spend most of your time outdoors or rely on heated styling tools, your hair and scalp integrity are incredibly important. There’s nothing more frustrating than an irritated, inflamed scalp and dried-out split ends. So here’s how high temperatures can impact and damage your hair and scalp. We also provide tips to ensure your hair and scalp stay healthy.

Ways High Temperatures Impact Your Hair and Scalp

High temperatures can massively impact hair and scalp quality in various ways. The last thing you want is to struggle with dry ends, an irritated scalp, and having to get your hair chopped to preserve its integrity. So here are some reasons why your hair and scalp may lose luster and silkiness.

Itchy, Dandruff-Ridden Scalp

Dandruff occurs when Malassezia yeast grows too much, attacking the scalp cells frequently. This results in itchy, sticky patches and flakes, along with inflammation on the skin. Exposure to high temperatures can worsen this and result in accelerated scalp irritation. Excessive sweat is also a breeding ground for yeast. So limiting how many products you use with hotter temperatures is important.

If you use waxes or gels, you want to cut back on the hair products you use to deter yeast growth. You can incorporate argan-oil-based serums in your hair routine instead of heavier serums, as they can promote scalp buildup. Lastly, a zinc pyrithione or selenium shampoo can help kill yeast and cool the scalp.

Bacterial Folliculitis

So, what exactly is folliculitis? It occurs around the hair follicles and is a common skin condition in which follicles become inflamed due to bacteria. They appear as small pimples around the tiny hair follicle pocket, then turn into itchy sore spots.

Irritating Scalp Burns

Exposure to high temperatures can impact your scalp and hair by damaging the skin on your scalp, leading to burns. It’s especially true if you constantly use heated styling tools and spend all day in the sun. Excessive sun exposure can eventually lead to sunburn, which can become incredibly painful.

Proper skin protection with high temperatures can save you the pain and discomfort later. For instance, if you spend much of your free time or work outside, you can use a wide-brimmed hat to protect and preserve your skin. Furthermore, straw hats, especially with perforated holes, can help prevent excessive sweating and cool your scalp. Applying a broad-spectrum spray-on sunscreen before going out in the sun can help protect your skin from various UV rays types. If you experience scalp burns, an ice pack and cold compresses can help reduce irritation and signs of sunburn.

Dry Ends and Greasy Hair

One of the main functions of your skin is to preserve body temperatures. It’s why your body produces sweat during a hot summer day, and sebaceous oils protect your skin and hair’s integrity. However, when exposed to an increased temperature, your body works harder to cool itself down and increases oil production.

As a result, your hair can become noticeably greasier. However, increased shampooing can start drying out your ends while also leading your oil production systems to go into overdrive. Only using protein-based shampoos during the drier, colder seasons can help prevent excessive oil production. This can help with reducing frizzy strands and a increasing your scalp health.

Tips for Preserving Your Scalp and Hair Integrity

Now that we’ve covered the risk of high-temperature exposure, we’ll get into some tips to help preserve your hair and scalp from heat damage. By doing things like adding heat protectant and getting regular trims, you’ll notice a considerable difference in how your skin and hair feel and look. Before you know it, you’ll feel more confident.

Add a Protective Layer

If you tend to blow dry and style your hair with heated styling tools, you should always incorporate a heat protectant beforehand. The last thing you want to do is skip the heat protectant, as it helps preserve the integrity and quality of your hair. Adding a heat protectant can reduce the chances of heat damage, regardless of your hair’s texture, length, treatment, and quality.

High-quality heat protectants can provide a protective layer around your hair cuticles to prevent hot tools from causing split ends, frizz, and coarseness. You ideally want to find a heat protectant that protects against temperatures upwards of 400 degrees Fahrenheit or more. Try not to add hair oils until you’ve fully dried your hair, as it can cook your hair under heated tools more quickly.

Reduce Styling Tool Temperatures

One of the most common mistakes people can make while using heated styling tools is cranking the heat up to full power. However, that’s the last thing you want to do. While it’s tempting to work through your hair as quickly as possible, it’s more likely to create hair damage and scalp irritation. So keeping your heated styling tool temperatures lower while working in smaller sections is crucial.

It's especially important to consider your hair’s texture and density. For instance, if you have thin, low-density hair, you want to keep styling tool temperatures on the lower side. Conversely, those with curly, thick hair can work with higher temperatures in smaller sections to ensure a smooth cuticle. You want to do everything you can to preserve your hair and skin quality without getting a big haircut.

Trim Your Hair Regularly

If there’s one way to preserve your scalp and hair for a longer period, it’s to schedule regular trims with your hairstylist. For starters, finding the right hairstylist who cares about you and your hair’s needs and understands the importance of maintaining healthy hair is crucial. Setting up a routine trim can help remove dry ends and preserve your hair’s integrity without allowing split ends and coarseness.

As hair begins to dry out and split, the splitting continues to work up the strand and further compromise your hair’s integrity. You can schedule trims every 8 to 12 weeks when you want to focus on maintaining your current style and your hair’s quality.

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