Want to stop scratching your scalp at night? Here’s how you can get rid of the itching
Experiencing an itchy scalp at night is more common than you think. Here’s everything you need to know about what triggers scalp itch at night and how to deal with it.
1. What triggers an itchy scalp at night?
2. How to stop an itchy scalp at night?
3. How to soothe an itchy scalp?
Imagine cozying up in your bed and making yourself comfortable for a good night’s sleep. But as soon as you turn off the lights, a nagging itch begins on your scalp and ruins your sleep. If this situation reminds you of your night-time routine, you are not alone. According to a global survey, three out of four people have experienced scalp itch in the past six months. Scratching an itchy scalp at night makes you restless. And if it wasn’t enough, this kind of itching happens in all stages of your sleep, even disrupting your “deep sleep” that is the most restorative stage.
So, what does having an itchy scalp at night indicate? It implies that your scalp is out of balance and you need to make some serious efforts ASAP. And for that, you need to learn more about this phenomenon.
What triggers an itchy scalp at night?
Scalp itching can occur due to a variety of reasons such as:
• Dry skin
• Stress and anxiety
• Neuropathic scalp itch caused by diabetes or shingles
• Psoriasis
• Eczema
• Scarring alopecia
Apart from these common causes, oestrogen dominance is another factor majorly responsible for increasing the intensity of an itchy scalp at night.
A quick science lesson for you:
• Depending on the causes of an itchy scalp, there can be different mediators (chemical messengers) that trigger itching. In this case, the mediator is histamine.
• Although histamine is related to environmental allergies, it also contributes to an intense scalp itch.
• For someone dealing with histamine issues, there are two things that happen: either the body produces more histamine or it’s unable to break it down quickly.
• The second part occurs when the enzyme DAO (diamine oxidase), which usually breaks down histamine, isn’t produced to its optimum level.
• So, how does oestrogen fit into the picture? High levels of oestrogen block DAO from breaking down histamine, and a high amount of histamine causes scalp itch, eventually causing hair damage.
So, when you finally feel like giving in to the urge to scratch your scalp at night, remember that it can also cause *hair loss! Excessive scratching can damage your scalp and hair strands, and ultimately cause breakage. It can also cause inflammation that disrupts the hair growth cycle and makes your hair look thin, unhealthy, and patchy.
How to stop an itchy scalp at night?
Now that you know histamine is the culprit that triggers an itchy scalp, your treatment should focus on controlling it, unless you want to sleep with an itchy scalp at night. You can choose from the wide range of Head & Shoulders Shampoos as they are clinically proven to reduce histamine!
• Head & Shoulder Itchy Scalp Care Shampoo gives you flake-free hair and aids your fight against an itchy scalp. This nourishing eucalyptus shampoo takes care of the itchiness (associated with dandruff) and keeps scalp irritation, dry scalp, and dandruff at bay. Follow it up with Head & Shoulders Itchy Scalp Care Conditioner for a healthy scalp and beautiful hair.
• If you are short on time and cannot follow an elaborate shampoo and conditioner routine, you can control itchy scalp at night with the Head & Shoulders Itchy Scalp Care 2-in-1 Dandruff Shampoo + Conditioner. It is the perfect treatment for a stubborn itch. This incredible 2-in-1 hair product is created with HydraZinc formula that contains eucalyptus, and actively relieves scalp itch, irritation, dry scalp, and gives up to 100% protection from dandruff*.
How to soothe an itchy scalp?
People often resort to natural remedies to soothe an itchy scalp. This includes using coconut oil, aloe vera, olive oil, or baking soda. Though coconut oil and aloe vera have nourishing properties and keep your tresses hydrated, they do not help with an itchy head at night. These remedies only offer quick fixes and do not get to the root cause of the problem. So, the relief is only temporary. Another way of soothing this itch is to scratch it, but we DO NOT recommend using this technique to soothe your itchy scalp. It can lead to further skin irritation, hair breakage, bleeding, and impaired sleep. Scratching your head can only give you temporary relief, but what follows is not pleasant. You need something stronger and gentle at time same time, like these Head & Shoulders products.
Soothe your irritated scalp with these hair products whose active ingredients will protect it between washes and keep irritants at bay. Now you can enjoy uninterrupted sleep without worrying about incessant itching that causes hair damage.
(*visible flakes, with regular use)
*All references on this page refers to hair fall or hair loss due to breakage.