Why Healthy Hair Starts at the Scalp (Yes, Even If You’re Wearing Wigs)
If your edges are thinning or your crown feels tender, the problem might not be your hair—it might be your scalp.
Let’s be real—many of us go hard for our protective styles. Wigs, sew-ins, braids, you name it. They give our strands a break and keep us looking good. But underneath all that styling, your scalp might be crying out for a little TLC.
And here’s the truth your stylist may not be telling you: your scalp is living tissue. It’s where every strand of hair begins its life. If your scalp is dry, inflamed, or suffocating under buildup, it’s going to show up in thinning edges, shedding, and that frustrating “my hair just won’t grow” feeling.
What Makes a Scalp Healthy?
A healthy scalp is clean (but not stripped of natural oils), hydrated (but not greasy), and well-nourished with oxygen and nutrients. You want:
- Good blood circulation to internally deliver nutrients to hair follicles.
- Balanced natural oil (aka sebum) production to keep skin and hair protected.
- No inflammation or buildup from styling products, sweat, or bacteria.
- A pH in check to keep your scalp barrier intact and bacteria at bay.
When that balance is thrown off—through tight styles, heavy glue or gels, stress, or even hormonal shifts—your scalp gets out of sync. That’s when you start seeing breakage, stunted growth, and patches that feel “balding.”
So What Can You Do?
Start with this scalp-care checklist:
- Cleanse regularly. That doesn’t mean every day—but don’t let weeks pass with buildup under your wig. Use a gentle, sulfate-free shampoo.
- Exfoliate. Yes, just like your face. Use a scalp scrub or a pre-wash treatment once a week.
- Massage. Take 5 minutes, a couple times a week, to massage your scalp with a nourishing oil. It boosts blood flow and feeds your follicles.
- Rest your scalp. Give your hair a break between installs. Allow your scalp time to breathe and recover.
- Hydrate & nourish. Choose products with ingredients that actually feed your scalp (not just coat your strands).
What Science Says
- Scalp inflammation has been linked to forms of alopecia, especially in women of color who wear tight styles regularly¹.
- A compromised scalp barrier can lead to transepidermal water loss (TWL), meaning your scalp can’t hold onto moisture or nutrients².
- Feeding your scalp with targeted ingredients like peptides and apigenin helps anchor hair at the root and extend the growth phase—making it ideal for thinning edges and crowns. Use of nutrient-rich ingredients like Rosemary Extract is rich in antioxidants and has been shown to stimulate hair growth by blocking DHT (a hormone linked to hair loss) and reducing inflammation on the scalp.3,4,5
How Scalp Retreat Can Help
This is exactly why we formulated our Rooted Crown Collection. They’re made to calm inflammation, rehydrate the scalp, and support edge regrowth—especially if you’ve been through postpartum, perimenopause, or long-term styling stress.
Your scalp doesn’t need perfection. It needs consistency, love, and real ingredients.
Sources:
- Callender, V. D., et al. (2017). “Hair disorders in women of color.” American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 18(1), 75–85.
- Harding, C. R. (2004). “The stratum corneum: structure and function in health and disease.” Dermatologic Therapy, 17(S1), 6–15.
- Lintner, K., & Peschard, O. (2000). “Biologically active peptides: from a laboratory bench curiosity to a functional skin care product.” International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 22(3), 207–218.
- Zhu, W. et al. “Apigenin promotes hair growth through modulation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling.” Journal of Investigative Dermatology. 2017;137(12):2512–2521.
- Panama, Y. et al. “Rosemary oil vs minoxidil 2% for the treatment of androgenetic alopecia: a randomized comparative trial.” Skinmed. 2015;13(1):15–21.