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Scalp Conditioning Treatments

Keeping your scalp healthy can avoid embarrassing problems such as itchiness, dandruff, eczema and scalp infections. There are commercial treatments available in drug stores to treat various scalp problems or you can make your own at home using natural products such as essential oils. Some of the benefits of making your own treatments is you avoid harsh, chemical ingredients normally found in the commercial products. For example, chemicals such as sodium laurel sulphate (SLS), a very common ingredient in many body care products, can, over time, strip the natural oils from your skin.

  1. Natural Shampoos

    • There are a variety of natural, scalp conditioning shampoos you can find in health food stores or the natural health section of grocery stores. These often contain soothing herbs and oils which condition your scalp, such as tea tree, neem, lavender and eucalyptus essential oils, as well as jojoba oil and olive oil among others. You could also add five or six drops of any of these essential oils to your favorite shampoo, on the palm of your hand, and massage it well into the scalp. Best results are achieved with regular use.

    Essential Oils to Treat and Condition the Scalp

    • When using essential oils on your skin, first mix them with a carrier oil such as jojoba, olive, coconut or almond oil. Add 30 drops to half a cup of carrier oil. You can store what you don't use in a plastic or glass bottle or jar for future use. If desired, add two or three different essential oils to the carrier oil. Tea tree essential oil is anti-fungal and is a good treatment for lice, dandruff, oily hair and overall scalp conditioning. Lavender can be used for scalp itchiness, dandruff and lice. Peppermint can be used to promote hair growth and is good for dry hair. Neem is a fungicide and gets rid of lice when combined with lavender, rosemary and eucalyptus oils. It is good for treating psoriasis, and itchiness when applied directly to the scalp. When massaging oils into the scalp, leave for up to an hour and then wash off with your normal shampoo.

    Conditioning Oils for Scalp and Hair

    • Jojoba oil is an excellent scalp and hair conditioner. It moisturizes and re-balances sebum, which is the oil secreted by the scalp. Olive oil is soothing and excellent as a hair conditioner. Almond oil is soothing and softening to the skin. Coconut is also an excellent conditioner. Any of these oils can be massaged into the scalp regularly to sooth skin and improve hair condition. They can be washed off with shampoo and will not leave the hair oily. Massage well into the scalp and leave for 2 hours or longer if you can. Wrap a towel around your head and leave it. Wash out with shampoo.

    Choosing a Treatment

    • You can experiment with a variety of oil blends and essential oils to create your own scalp treatment and conditioning formulas or you can visit a drug store and look for scalp treatment products to treat a specific problem.

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