Do We Have 'Naturally' Dry Scalps Too?

[LocksOfLuV]

I know we (as a whole) have naturally dry hair (compared to other races) because of our curl/coil patterns.

But I was wondering if we also have naturally dry scalps? I hear so many people (Black of course) talking about their scalps are dry and they feel the need to grease/oil/moisturize it, but yet I never hear of women of other races doing that (well Indian women, but they do it as a pre-poo not because of 'dry' scalp)?

Why is that? My scalp is never dry (that I know of) but why is it that a lot of people that are black have dry scalps? Why are we the only race who feel the need 'grease' our scalps? I know it's not all in people's heads ( I used to think that too). I wanted to say "maybe they are not getting enough moisture" but even outside of real life, I see a lot of people saying that HERE. And you KNOW (for the most part) that LHCF don't play when it comes to moisture. Then I wanted to say maybe it is a relaxed/natural thing, but I see it all across the boards, relaxed or natural.

Any scientific reasoning? Or personal theories? Thoughts?

 

[camellia]

I don't think so.

Curly/coily hair being drier than straight hair because the sebum can't travel down the hair shaft as easily makes sense to me. But dry scalps?

I've never greased my scalp, and I can't remember my Mom ever putting anything on it when I was a child. My scalp has never been dry, if anything, it was oily when I was a teen and in my early twenties, along with the acne I had on my face.

 

[LocksOfLuV]

I don't think so.

Curly/coily hair being drier than straight hair because the sebum can't travel down the hair shaft as easily makes sense to me. But dry scalps?

I've never greased my scalp, and I can't remember my Mom ever putting anything on it when I was a child. My scalp has never been dry, if anything, it was oily when I was a teen and in my early twenties, along with the acne I had on my face.

My scalp is oily too. With the exception of flakes and tiny pimples on my hairline (which is from too much product buildup, I am working on it tho) I never have problems with my scalp.

But a lot of people I know do. They just feel the need to grease, and I genuinely want to know why? It honest seems like a 'Black' thing too. I have never heard a non-black person go "Girl I need to grease my scalp, it is dry."

 

[EMJazzy]

My hair AND scalp has always been dry...EMU oil corrected the dry scalp problem and my water based moisturizers have solved my dry hair problem.

 

[Cheleigh]

I always thought that our scalps were dry because we were not using water based moisture on the scalp as frequently as other cultures in order to "preserve" our hairstyle(s).

I used to suffer from dry scalp, until I started transitioing and started cowashing my hair and spritzing my scalp and hair all the time. No more dry scalp.

None of my friends or family put water to scalp more than once a week (and that's being generous).

 

[seraphinelle]

My scalp can be dry and flaky.

Yuck.

 

[chayil0427]

I don't think so.

Curly/coily hair being drier than straight hair because the sebum can't travel down the hair shaft as easily makes sense to me. But dry scalps?

I've never greased my scalp, and I can't remember my Mom ever putting anything on it when I was a child. My scalp has never been dry, if anything, it was oily when I was a teen and in my early twenties, along with the acne I had on my face.

Yep...what she said. I stopped putting oil on my scalp and my dandruff problem went away. I haven't had any scalp difficulties since I started washing frequently and not putting oil on my scalp.

Chayil

 

[PeopleTalkDaily]

this is really interesting b/c my scalp was dry before but I don't think I have that issue anymore

 

[camosil]

Cheleigh what do you spritz your hair and scalp with is it water or a moisturizer.

Also just to add my two bits. I read that black people having dry scalps and the need to grease and oil is just a myth. Our scalps naturally produce oils from the sebaceous glands. When our hair and scalp becomes dry then we need to wash our hair because the water adds moisture to it. When we put oil and grease on our scalps we are just clogging the pores and this may have a negative effect on our hair growth. From what I read we should not go longer than three days before we wash our hair.
And that's that.

 

[nisha2004]

ITA. Since i stopped greasing/oiling my scalp. And uping my washes to once a week. My dry scalp completely stopped!

 

[CAPlush]

My scalp is pretty oily. I always have this white film of oil on my scalp a day or two after I wash, and if I scratch I can see it under my fingernails.

 

[asubeauty]

My scalp is dry no matter how much I wash, condition, oil, or cowash.

I might need to see a derm about that.

 

[LocksOfLuV]

Cheleigh what do you spritz your hair and scalp with is it water or a moisturizer.

Also just to add my two bits. I read that black people having dry scalps and the need to grease and oil is just a myth. Our scalps naturally produce oils from the sebaceous glands. When our hair and scalp becomes dry then we need to wash our hair because the water adds moisture to it. When we put oil and grease on our scalps we are just clogging the pores and this may have a negative effect on our hair growth. From what I read we should not go longer than three days before we wash our hair.
And that's that.

Okay so basically it is a moisture issue (which I kind of figured).

But how does that explain the people who do wash and condition often and they still feel the need to grease?

My scalp is pretty oily. I always have this white film of oil on my scalp a day or two after I wash, and if I scratch I can see it under my fingernails.

Me too. Me too!

 

[sunshinebeautiful]

Nope, my scalp is never dry. I used to grease my scalp just because I thought that's what I was 'supposed' to do. I haven't greased my scalp in years now. And my family swore my hair was going to fall out because of it. Still waiting on this to happen...

 

[B_Phlyy]

My scalp is never dry, but my hair is. Sometimes I apply moisturizer near my scalp, but never on it.

I think Black people greasing there scalp has a lot to do with the myth that "grease makes your hair grow" more than anything. I sometimes use grease to seal in moisture, but never to provide it.

 

[Poohbear]

Nope. My scalp isn't naturally dry.