Can Your Love For Playing Sports Cause An Itchy Scalp?

If you enjoy sports, nothing can stop you from playing it. But in the middle of this summer, a sweaty game can also lead to an itchy scalp.

Playing sports can be great for you and even your hair. It can increase blood circulation, which is good for your hair. It reduces your stress levels and thus reduces cortisol, which is one of the causes of hair loss. So it has a host of benefits. But along with this comes a sweaty scalp in the summer, which if you don’t manage can turn into an itchy scalp and even dandruff.

What Happens When You Play Sports?

When you play a sport, your body heats up as it pumps blood to the different muscles that are being worked. To cool itself down, the body naturally releases sweat which evaporates and brings down the temperature. This is completely normal and gets rid of a lot of toxins as well.

But when you’re playing a sport, you’re generally in the open and exposed to the elements of nature. Dust, dirt and pollution, combine with your sweat and creates a recipe for disaster. If you don’t deal with this in the correct manner, this can lead to an itchy scalp due to sweating. It can also cause an explosion in bacterial infections.

What Causes The Itch?

Sweat is made up of water and salts that your body wants to throw out. When the sweat evaporates, it leaves behind the salt and also dries out your scalp. This salt can clog your hair follicles and cause breakouts. If you wonder why does my scalp itch when I sweat, this is your answer.

The scalp drying up, causes the body to produce more sebum. This is food for Malassezia Globosa, the dandruff causing fungus that is present on your scalp. This leads to redness and those white flakes, leading to an itchy scalp from sweat. Also, if you scratch an itchy scalp, it causes further damage to your hair roots and prolongs the problem.

Which Hair Products To Use For An Itchy Scalp Due To Sweating?

If you’re playing a sport in the summer, there are a few things you can do to manage the amount of itchiness you have on your scalp.

• Essential oils like Argan oil – Applying small quantities of essential oils on your hair can reduce frizzy hair, which can trap heat. Additionally, some oils are rich in Vitamin E that can reduce overheating of your scalp and help your itchy scalp from sweat.
• Aloe vera gel – It is packed with fatty acids and enzymes which can cool down your scalp. It removes extra oil and can also be a dandruff remedy.
• Anti dandruff shampoos – These clean up your scalp of any oil and dirt, leaving it moisturised. They can prevent dandruff from reappearing thus preventing your itchy scalp after sweating.
• Conditioners – A good conditioner can moisturize your scalp and prevent it from drying out. This seems counterproductive but it can open up your hair, thus preventing the sweat and oil from accumulating.
• Neem – You can consume it or apply it, but Neem has shown to be one of the best solutions to an itchy scalp from sweat.
• 2in1 Shampoo + Conditioners – Instead of using multiple products on your hair, you can use one of the various 2in1 shampoo and conditioners in the market. These can clean your scalp, reduce dry hair and also get rid of dandruff.

How To Prevent An Itchy Scalp From Sweat?

• Spray a dry shampoo onto your hair before you play. This can absorb the sweat and keeps your hair dry, thus preventing it from becoming greasy. Be careful not to apply this on wet hair.
• Don’t overwash your hair as this can cause your scalp to dry out and increase oil production, which will eventually lead to dandruff.
• Avoid using heating products as this will just increase the temperature of your scalp and cause more sweating.
• Vitamin deficiencies can cause dandruff to increase and cause an itchy scalp. Understand where you are lacking and supplement your diet.
• Hydration is important to cool your system down, and thus reduce sweating on your head. This can be one of the main reasons why you wonder ‘why my head itches when I sweat’.
• Consume less sugar and caffeine as these can cause flaky skin on your scalp. A better diet will lead to better scalp health.

You might think that all your problems will be solved by just using the right scalp shampoos. But it’s important to follow a correct regimen when you play any sports. Don’t tie your hair too tight and find the right hairstyle for your particular sport. Cover your head with a cap or a hair wrap if you’re in direct sunlight, which can absorb excess sweat. You might even want to consider UV protection treatment for your hair. Maybe try the Cool Menthol 2in1 anti dandruff shampoo and conditioner, that can help keep your scalp cool and reduce the dryness of your hair. With good scalp shampoos you should use a conditioner like the Supreme Scalp Soothing conditioner with Argan oil and Aloe vera, which brings the goodness of natural ingredients to moisturise your scalp and hair. The Neem anti dandruff scalp shampoo is also great for an itchy scalp due to sweating. There are various solutions which are available to you. You just need to give your hair some attention before and after, so that you can play to your heart’s content.