How to treat and prevent a dry scalp

Fortunately, we can address dry and itchy scalp from the inside out. Here are five
tips to prevent those pesky dry flakes:

1. Increase your healthy fat intake

Try to include 25-35% of your calories from polyunsaturated and monounsaturated

(healthy) fats. Unlike saturated or trans fats, polyunsaturated fats contain omega-3
fatty acids. Our body is unable to make omega-3 on its own, so we need it in our
diet. These anti-inflammatory fatty acids provide several health benefits, including
preventing dry and itchy scalp. Fish like salmon, sardines, and rainbow trout are high
sources of omega-3 fatty acids with generally low mercury levels, making them a
great dietary choice for healthy fat. Other food sources to include in your diet are
walnuts, chia seeds, ground flax seed, avocado, and olive oil.

2. Drink plenty of water

We all know we need to drink water to stay healthy, but how do you know if you’re
drinking enough? According to The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering,
and Medicine, an adequate daily fluid intake is about 15.5 cups of fluids for men and
about 11.5 cups of fluids a day for women. About 20% of this requirement is met
through food, but the rest needs to come from drinks. Your individual water intake
may vary based on your activity level. If you are sweating from exercise, hot
weather, or sauna use, up your intake. An appropriate goal for most people
is six glasses of water daily to keep your body, including your scalp, well-hydrated.

3. Avoid excessive washing and harsh chemicals

Simply washing our hair too much can lead to a dry and itchy scalp. Basically, when
we wash our hair, we are stripping our scalp of the oils it uses to keep moisturized.
When we overdo the washing, our skin can become irritated. Try to space out
washing your hair as long as you can stand it. Often times, this will be effective in
improving the condition of your scalp. Consider using shampoos, conditioners and
hair products that are free from parabens, phthalates, synthetic fragrances, and
sulfates. These harsh chemicals can be irritating to the scalp leading to irritation,
dryness, itching, and flaking.

4. Use Nutrafol

Nutrafol provides personalized hair growth products that are physician formulated
and 100% drug free. Our Core Solutions are your foundation for hair wellness.
Formulated with ingredients clinically proven to improve hair growth by addressing
multiple root causes of poor hair health including: hormones, stress, nutrition,
metabolism, and environmental factors. All of our core solutions contain curcumin,
saw palmetto, tocotrienols, and ashwagandha.

Nutrafol is also fortified with marine collagen, which is known to promote healthy hair
and diffusion of nutrients into the scalp. Additionally, Nutrafol is formulated with
vitamin A, zinc, and an amino acid called methionine which all work to strengthen
your sebaceous glands. Properly functioning sebaceous glands will balance the oils
on your scalp.

5. Eat a well-rounded diet

A dry and itchy scalp may be due to nutritional deficiencies. Just like the rest of our
body, our scalp needs the proper building blocks from our diet to function properly.
For example, a deficiency in vitamin A could cause improper sebaceous gland
function. High vitamin A foods include sweet potatoes, carrots, dark leafy greens,
and bell peppers. Healthy eating doesn’t need to be complicated. Choose whole
foods, meaning foods that as close to their natural state as possible. Include a
source of protein with every meal, eat plenty of colorful fruits and vegetables, and
add sources of healthy fats daily. Plan ahead to bring healthy snacks to avoid
temptation. Limit excessive sugar, alcohol, and refined carbohydrates. Your scalp
will thank you!