Your hair looks clean, but is your scalp healthy? Dermatologist lists 5 warning signs

When it comes to haircare, much of the focus is on luscious locks. Since hair is the most visible part, many often judge its health by how smooth and shiny it looks. But scalp health is the foundation of healthy hair, and it can be easy to overlook the scalp. So, how can you tell if your scalp needs more attention?ALSO READ: Why does stress make you pull your hair? Psychologist explains trichotillomania and when to seek help

Dr Ashwini Kandikatla, dermatologist at Dermis Oracle, shared five signs that your haircare routine may be overlooking your scalp’s needs.

The dermatologist also reminded us that most of the time people do not pay attention to the scalp: “The hair gets the shampoo, conditioner, serum, and oil, while the scalp is often given attention only when something starts to feel wrong. Since it is hidden beneath the hair, it often comes into focus only when a visible or persistent concern appears, even though its condition can influence the environment in which hair grows.”

So, a haircare routine may involve many different products, but that does not mean your scalp is being nourished. Instead of waiting for flakes or itchiness, you need to add scalp care to your haircare routine too.

Scalp health plays an important role in overall hair quality. The dermatologist highlighted that the scalp has its own protective barrier, oil production, and microbial environment, all of which help maintain its balance. When this balance is disturbed, problems such as sensitivity, flaking, or changes in hair shedding may occur.

Scalp health plays an important role in overall hair quality. The dermatologist highlighted that the scalp has its own protective barrier, oil production, and microbial environment, all of which help maintain its balance. When this balance is disturbed, problems such as sensitivity, flaking, or changes in hair shedding may occur.

He described how scalp health determines hair growth and hair quality: “When the balance is disturbed, it can affect barrier function, sebum regulation, and the scalp’s inflammatory environment, with signs that may include persistent sensitivity, recurring flaking, or changes around the follicular openings. In some cases, these changes may also coincide with increased shedding or changes in the quality and calibre of new hair growth.”

Your hair may look clean after a wash, but how does your scalp feel? From tightness to recurring flakes, your scalp may be showing unhealthy signals. He said, “Treating the scalp as living skin, rather than simply the surface beneath the hair, is central to building a routine that supports the environment in which healthy-looking hair grows.”

Here are the signs, according to the dermatologist:

Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.

…Read MoreAdrija Dey’s proclivity for observation fuels her storytelling instinct. As a lifestyle journalist, she crafts compelling, relatable narratives across diverse touchpoints of the human experience, including wellness, mental health, relationships, interior design, home decor, food, travel, and fashion that gently nudge readers toward living a little better. For her, stories exist in flesh and bones, carried by human vessels and shaped through everyday endeavours. It is the small stories we live and share that make us human. After all, humans and their lores are the most natural and raw repositories of stories, and uncovering them, for her, is akin to peeling an orange under a winter afternoon sun. Always up for a chat, she believes the best stories come from unfiltered yapping, where "too much information" is kind of the point. A graduate of Indraprastha College for Women, University of Delhi, and an alumna of the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC), Delhi, Adrija spends her idle hours cocooned with herbal tea and a gripping thriller, scribbling inner monologues she loosely calls poetic pieces, often with her succulents in attendance. On lazier days, she can be found binge-watching, for the nth time, one from her comfort-show holy trinity: The Office (US), Brooklyn Nine-Nine, or Modern Family. Dancing by herself to her peppy playlists, however, is an everyday ritual she swears by religiously. Read Less