How to Open Up Hair Follicles on the Scalp

Typically, when we think of plugs in the skin, the first thing that comes to mind is clogged pores. Most of us know that clogged up pores can lead to pimples and acne. But, hair follicles can also become blocked. Like acne, if not properly treated, the problem can get worse quickly, and have some noticeable side effects.

A hair follicle is a part of your skin. It’s a small area that packs cells together to form hair. It anchors the hair in place on your head. When a follicle gets clogged, the hair within that follicle gets trapped. Imagine the plug keeping the hair from growing and penetrating to the surface.

This may not seem like a big deal if it happens every once in a while, but if more and more follicles become plugged, and no hair is allowed to come to the surface, it can lead to hair thinning or hair loss.

Once you know the causes behind why hair follicles become clogged, you’ll be better equipped to treat the problem. If you’re experiencing hair thinning or balding because of plugged follicles, know that there is help available. You can re-open hair follicles on the scalp with a few simple steps and some extra preventative measures.

What Causes Follicles to Become Clogged?

Hair follicles become clogged due to an excessive buildup of sebum. Our bodies produce sebum naturally, and you need a certain amount of it. It helps to make the skin waterproof and lubricates it. However, too much sebum can lead to your follicles becoming plugged.

Some people naturally produce more sebum than others. Then, other factors contribute to the problems that come with a buildup. When sebum combines with dirt, flakes from your scalp, or chemicals from hair products, the clogging can become even worse. Using shampoos, conditioners, and other hair products that contain a lot of chemicals can greatly contribute to the problem.

Because everyone produces sebum, and everyone has dirt and dead skin cells on their head, it’s often this buildup of chemical products that creates the biggest problem when it comes to follicles becoming clogged up.

Possible Causes of Hair Thinning and Hair Loss

There are multiple reasons people lose their hair or experience thinning of the hair. It is most commonly due to genetics, and a hereditary predisposition. However, some outside factors can contribute to thinning that can sometimes be treatable.

Clogged hair follicles can contribute to the thinning of your hair. If enough hair can’t break through the surface of your skin, you’re bound to notice your once-thick hair starting to look and feel a bit sparse. The longer you go without treating the problem, the worse it can become. Thinning can quickly turn into large amounts of hair loss.

Some additional reasons people experience hair loss include:

• Stress
• Lack of protein
• Poor diet in general
• Hormones
• Sudden weight loss

Knowing the cause of your hair loss is important when it comes to treating it. Sometimes, it could be as simple as a change in your diet. Other times, more serious, concentrated treatment may be needed.

Once you have ruled out other possible causes, and you believe your hair follicles are clogged, it’s time to choose the right ways to re-open them.

How To Open Hair Follicle

Select the Right Shampoo

If chemicals and preservatives from haircare products are causing the buildup of sebum on your scalp to worsen, it’s common sense to switch up those products! It all starts with choosing the right shampoo. Look at the ingredients of the hair products currently in your shower that you use every day and make a change if they aren’t all-natural.

Your shampoo should be gentle enough to use every day but have ingredients that nourish and hydrate your hair and scalp.

Some common ingredients to look for in the best natural shampoos for dry scalp include:

• Coconut oil
• Aloe vera
• Manuka honey
• Olive oil
• Shea butter
• Vitamin E

A good rule of thumb is to count the ingredients. If there are dozens of lengthy ingredients within the shampoo’s formula that you can’t pronounce, stay away. The ingredient list should be clear and concise, with things you’ve heard of before. It’s also important to know what each ingredient does, and how it benefits the formula.

Improve Your Diet & Nutrition

Reducing sebum build up starts from the inside. If your diet consists of oily, fatty, greasy foods, the results are going to show up all over your body, including your scalp. The thick plaque that can clog hair follicles is often caused by the dietary choices we make.

Alternatively, a healthy diet can help to speed up hair growth and improve the overall health of your skin and scalp. Keep the following nutritional tips in mind, and incorporate them into your daily diet:

• Increase your fiber intake
• Reduce unhealthy fats
• Incorporate more natural fruits and vegetables into your diet
• Eliminate as many processed foods as possible
• Enjoy healthy fats (nuts, avocados, salmon, etc.)
• Drink plenty of water

Use Essential Oils

Essential oils are used for a variety of scalp conditions. It’s simply a matter of knowing which ones to use, and how they can help you. Essential oils have many benefits, and they are completely natural. One of the benefits includes improved blood circulation to the scalp.

When the skin of your scalp is stimulated, and blood flow is increased, it will be easier for hair to emerge. They can also help to unclog your follicles, without drying out your skin.

Try some of these essential oils if you’re struggling with clogged follicles:

• Lavender oil: Contains antibacterial properties that can soothe an irritated scalp and encourage relaxation.
• Castor oil: Castor oil is an anti-inflammatory and antibacterial solution. It clears pores and helps to improve overall circulation, stimulating follicles and clearing them up for faster hair growth.
• Peppermint oil: This oil is a great way to ‘wake up’ the scalp. It is invigorating and peppermint oil boosts blood circulation to encourage hair growth.
• Coconut oil: While working as a natural moisturizer, coconut oil also has antibacterial and antifungal properties. It protects the roots of your hair and helps to prevent dandruff.

Take Colder Showers

It may be comforting to step into a piping hot shower each day. You may even think the warm water is soothing to your hair and skin. Unfortunately, it does more harm than good. When your scalp is exposed to extremely hot water each day, the skin can become damaged and dried out. It can even become inflamed, and you may notice flaking.

To compensate for this damage, our body will naturally produce more sebum as a way to increase moisture. Then, a buildup starts to occur between the sebum and flaking skin. Try to avoid taking hot showers every day. Otherwise, keep the water moderately warm whenever possible.

Restore the pH of Your Scalp

Restoring the natural, balanced pH of your scalp can help to prevent hair loss and reduce sebum buildup. There are several ways to do this including using a specialized cream or shampoo that naturally balances it.

Your skin should have a pH balance of about five. If it tips too far one way or another, becoming too acidic or basic, it can become a breeding ground for bacteria and fungus.

If you don’t want to purchase a product to restore the pH of your scalp, you can create a simple rinse at home using equal parts apple cider vinegar and distilled water. Run through your hair, and follow it with a rinse of warm water. This is a quick-rinse solution, especially if you’ve done something that has caused you to sweat a lot, or you know your scalp is exceptionally dirty.

You can also drink more alkaline water throughout your day. It’s important to drink water to hydrate your skin. Alkaline water has a slightly elevated pH that can balance things out if yours is too low. The more alkaline there is in your body, the better.

Conclusion

If you’ve noticed that your hair is becoming thinner, or that you’re balding in spots, finding the source is the most important thing to do. Once you figure that out, you can start to treat the problem. Thankfully, clogged hair follicles can be treated.

They are one of the easiest solutions to treat when it comes to thinning hair. By using any of the methods listed in this article, you can fight back against the loss of your hair due to an overproduction of sebum.

Keep your hair products as natural as possible, and take care of yourself from the inside out. By making a few simple changes, such as switching to natural shampoos (read our review of Christina Moss Naturals Shampoo), you can restore health to the skin of your scalp. As a result, your follicles will begin to clear up, and hair growth will be encouraged.