How To Heal Your Sunburnt Scalp
Whether you’re a bronze goddess or an SPF queen, it’s easy to keep your skin under control when it comes to getting the appropriate amount of sun. Just pop some lotion on, lock it, and drop it — and maybe reapply as necessary.
But it becomes a little trickier when making sure the top of your head doesn’t get too much sun.
If you’re blessed with thick hair, you may not have this problem, but for those who, like me, have thin hair, this is a major issue. It’s also an issue if you have a shaved head, braids, or any other hair style that exposes your scalp to the sun.
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If you’re smart, you’ll invest in a spray sunblock that you can spritz on your head before a day outside — even though it’ll make your hair look like a grease ball— or just put your hair in a messy bun to eliminate exposed scalp.
But if not?
You’re left with a potentially burnt, and definitely flaky scalp. But it’s not the same as dandruff, so you can’t just use your roomie’s Selsun Blue and call it a day. Here’s what will actually do the trick.
Avoid Any Dandruff Treatment
Like we stated previously, sunburn and dandruff may both result in white flakes, but they’re not the same. Do not use an anti-dandruff shampoo or product! The chemicals in those products may irritate your scalp even more, according to Stylecaster.
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Resist The Urge To Itch
Just like with bug bites, Poison Ivy, or any other ailment that makes you want to scratch — it’s not good to do so. You’ve probably noticed that the more you itch, the more visible the white flakes are — because your nails are peeling off more and more dead skin. Additionally, the scratching will make your scalp feel worse, and if your nails are dirty it could actually spark an infection.
Ditch Any Heat-Based Styling Tools
Naturally, if you’re trying to nurse your hair/scalp back to health, you should avoid any products and/or devices that do the opposite of give TLC. Any heat-based products are a no-go. I mean, the straighter your hair is, the more likely people will notice your flakes, so better to keep it big and frizzy anyways. Or, just put it in a pony.
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Use a Moisturizing, Sulfate-Free Shampoo
Avoiding all of the bad things and waiting it out is an option, but chances are you don’t want to deal with flakes coming out of your head any longer than you have to — enter this amazing shampoo designed to save your flaky scalp.
Briogeo newly released their Scalp Revival Line, which includes a shampoo, a dry shampoo, and a scalp treatment. I had the good fortune of trying these products out after a week long vacay in Jamaica left my scalp red, dry, and flaky af.
I didn’t have high hopes, but after just one use of the shampoo, I was sold. The shampoo, which is a charcoal and coconut oil blend and smells amazing, made my hair voluminous, light, and soft AF. Plus, the flakes were nowhere to be found.
I’ll admit, I used this product a couple of days after the initial sunburn, so my flakes might have been on their way out which is why the shampoo eliminated them so easily, but what I was more impressed with was how great it made my hair look! I legit didn’t have to wash my hair for five days after the first use, only dabbing on the dry shampoo from time to time, and it looked great every damn day. The dry shampoo is a lot more like baby powder than your usual spray, but it def worked.
If you’re not trying to splurge on a shampoo solely for fixing your scalp (although, TBH, it did a lot more for me), then at least invest in a sulfate-free shampoo, which you should already be doing, so you don’t put harsh chemicals on your scalp when it’s trying to heal.
Also, a hydrating mask never hurts.
