Your complete guide to Scalp Health

 Healthy hair? It begins at the scalp. Here’s everything you need to know about your scalp and how to give it the care it deserves.   

How many of us have a multistep skincare routine but the bare minimum for our scalp? We cleanse, tone, exfoliate, and protect our skin from hairline to toes, but the scalp is an afterthought, something we wash and dry on autopilot with very little appreciation for the fact that it’s where our hair actually grows from. 

27 August '26
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5
min read

Healthy hair begins with a healthy scalp. In fact, 99% of your hair’s natural nourishment and strength comes from the scalp, meaning its condition plays a vital role in how well your hair grows and how resilient it is to everyday damage. For more than 65 years, Dove has been studying the science of hair and skin to better understand what underpins healthy, strong hair. Through decades of research, our R&D experts have developed a deep understanding of the relationship between the scalp and hair, and what happens when that delicate balance is disrupted. 

What the scalp actually is   

Your scalp is skin, and like the rest of your skin it has a protective barrier made up of lipids and proteins, designed to help it keep irritants out and hydration in. When the scalp’s barrier is healthy, hair grows stronger and longer, but when it’s compromised it can feel dry, uncomfortable, and sensitive, and it can appear red, develop flakes, and contribute to poor hair growth. Home to around 100,000 hair follicles, the scalp is integral to hair health, and it needs the appropriate care to do its job well.

“We think of the scalp as the foundation of hair health, in the same way that healthy soil contributes to healthy plant growth,” explains Katherine Frizoni, Beauty & Wellbeing R&D Lead, Unilever. “When the scalp’s protective barrier is well-moisturised and balanced, hair grows with more strength, density, and resilience.”   

“We think of the scalp as the foundation of hair health, in the same way that healthy soil contributes to healthy plant growth,” explains Katherine Frizoni, Beauty & Wellbeing R&D Lead, Unilever. “When the scalp’s protective barrier is well-moisturised and balanced, hair grows with more strength, density, and resilience.”   

Signs of a healthy scalp

It’s only when our scalp is misbehaving that we actually notice how it feels: namely tight, itchy, and sensitive. A healthy scalp is essentially the absence of those things; it’s comfortable, balanced, and content. The characteristics of a healthy scalp include no visible flaking, no persistent itch, balanced sebum, no tightness or sensitivity, and consistent hair growth.   

Signs on an unhealthy scalp

On the flip side, signs your scalp is experiencing an imbalance include dryness, dandruff, sensitivity, and irritation, plus potentially thinning and shedding.   

Where does Dove hair and scalp science expertise come into it?

Where does Dove hair and scalp science expertise come into it?

Dove has been studying skin and hair since the 1950s. That’s over six decades of research into how the scalp and hair function at a biological level. One key discovery is that across different ethnicities, different hair types, and different types of damage, the depletion of Glutamic Acid, an amino acid essential to the hair fibre, is a common factor. This discovery has informed the damage repair capabilities of Dove Scalp + Hair Therapy, helping to strengthen and reinforce weakened and damaged bonds.   

As for scalp, Dove scientists have drawn on decades of skincare expertise to understand the scalp’s protective barrier in the same way dermatologists understand the skin’s. When functioning well, the scalp barrier keeps irritants out, locks moisture in, and maintains balance. When it’s compromised however, it shows up in your hair. Inspired by this skincare science, Dove Scalp + Hair Therapy features a scalp skincare system specially designed to restore and strengthen the scalp barrier. Glycerin nourishes, while Niacinamide (Vitamin B3) helps to maintain a healthy balance and restore strength.   

This accumulated expertise is evident across numerous scientific papers, published clinicals, and in the leading proprietary technologies to come out of our labs. In Dove Scalp + Hair Therapy, Dove expertise has resulted in a collection of products designed to address specific hair and scalp concerns, repair damage, and improve hair vitality.  

How to build a scalp care routine

We have established that your scalp is worthy of the same care and attention as every other inch of skin, and so it deserves a dedicated scalp care routine. It needn’t be complicated, rather a simple four-step approach is all you need to help maintain balance…

  • 1

    Cleanse. Gently.

    A gentle but effective cleanse will remove build-up, dirt, and debris from the scalp’s surface. Depending on your hair type, you can likely wash your hair every two-to-three days without build-up or stripping your scalp of its natural moisturising oils.

    Try: Dove Scalp + Hair Density & Growth Shampoo which is powered by Amino Complex, Zinc, and Biotin and leaves hair up to 10x stronger and appearing fuller, thicker, and stronger from root to tip* .   

  • 2

    Moisturise (don’t forget your roots)

    Many people avoid applying conditioner to the scalp, but the best formulas are lightweight and help to balance moisture. Try: Dove Scalp + Hair Therapy Density & Growth Conditioner to restore balance at the scalp and strengthen hair from root to tip for up to 10x stronger hair* .  

  • 3

    Protect from damage

    A weekly intensive mask applied to damp hair after shampooing will help repair damage and prevent more from occurring.

    Try: Dove Scalp + Hair Therapy Strengthening Mask to reinforce strands for up to 10x stronger hair* . 

  • 4

    Apply a serum

    The role of a serum in a skincare routine (including scalp) is to allow you to benefit from concentrated ingredients in a formulation that targets specific scalp concerns and goals. The right serum not only helps with hydration but also strengthen follicles and protect skin from external aggressors. Like your facial serum, a scalp serum is best applied directly to skin, once a day.

    Try: Dove Hair + Scalp Therapy 3-in-1 Scalp Serum applied directly to your scalp to help strengthen root anchorage for up to 10,000 more hairs in 12 weeks** .  

The Dove approach: skincare science for the scalp

Dove scientists have spent more than 65 years researching hair and scalp and the culmination of their hard-earned expertise is the Dove Scalp + Hair Therapy collection. Developed with skincare-inspired principles and ingredients, every product is designed to restore balance and help the scalp perform optimally.

The collection features: 

  • Glycerin: a well-known and well-tested humectant that helps the scalp retain moisture while reducing dryness and flaking.
  • Niacinamide (Vitamin B3) – supports the scalp’s protective barrier and maintains balance.
  • DynaZinc – Helps reinforce the fibre-to-follicle bond, supporting stronger hair anchorage and helping reduce shedding.  

Common signs of an unhealthy scalp include persistent flaking, itching, tightness, and discomfort. It could feel extremely dry or, in some cases, overly oily: the commonality being there is no balance.

Healthy hair growth really depends on the right scalp conditions so if your scalp barrier is compromised, yes, you could see increased hair shedding as a result. However, if you have sudden hair loss and you’re losing a significant amount of hair, you should speak to your GP.   

The truth is, how often you wash your hair depends on your own situation. If you are using a lot of styling products and either live, work, or commute in polluted environments, you may wish to wash your hair and scalp more frequently. Conversely, if you have coily and curly hair, you may benefit from less frequent washing. In general, a good rule of thumb is to aim for every two to three days.   

We like to think of scalp and hair care as two sides of the same coin with each influencing the other. Hair care focuses its attention on hair strands, while scalp care primarily treats the skin of your scalp but often ingredients and formulations overlap. A good habit is to think of both scalp and hair care as connected and care for the two in unison. 

The ingredients best used in scalp and hair care help repair and prevent damage, support hydration, and boost resilience. Look out for Glycerin to hydrate and nourish the scalp, Niacinamide, or Vitamin B3, to support the scalp’s skin barrier, Zinc to support root anchorage, and aminos, peptides, and antioxidants to strengthen and protect. All found in Dove Scalp + Hair Therapy Density & Growth 3-in-1 Scalp Serum.   

The Scalp + Hair Therapy collection is highly personalised to target four key concerns and goals. Density & Growth for thinning and shedding, Damage Rescue for chemically treated and weakened hair, Soothing Hydration for dry and irritated scalps, and Dandruff Control for flake-prone scalps.  

Continued Reading

 

Refs:

*Stronger against breakage versus non-conditioning shampoo. Shampoo and conditioner use.
**Cosmetic product to help reduce hair fall due to breakage, does not reverse     baldness or treatment medical conditions. Based on a 12-week clinical study, 57 participants.

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