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Hair and scalp care

 
, medical expert
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024
 
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Features of dermatocosmetological hair and skin care of the scalp

Massage of the scalp is used to improve the blood supply of this zone, drainage effect and relaxation. Given that the procedure increases the secretion of the sebaceous glands, scalp massage is not indicated in seborrhea.

In general, the scalp massage consists of several stages:

  1. Preliminary massage of forehead, temples, area behind ears (easy kneading); these movements reduce stagnation and improve local blood circulation, while acting on the end of the trigeminal, facial and cervical nerves.
  2. Massage directly the scalp (rubbing, vibration, stroking) begins with vigorous and deep rubbing: linear, transverse and circular, displacing the skin over the underlying bone base. These rubbing cause an increased flow of blood to the surface of the skin, regulating the secretion of the sebaceous glands and improving microcirculation. This procedure helps to increase skin turgor and normalize hair growth. Vibration helps improve blood circulation in deeper vessels, and also affects sensitive and motor nerve endings. Easy stroking with your fingertips gives a relaxing and lymphadenic effect.
  3. Neck massage (kneading and stroking). Kneading and stroking of this zone is a necessary completion of the massage of the scalp to obtain more effective results. This increases the drainage effect and improves local metabolism. At this stage, the region of the occipital nerves, the cervical plexus and many branches of the facial nerve are affected, which significantly strengthens the general tone and improves well-being. Stroking removes the phenomenon of venous stasis, providing a soothing and restoring effect.

The duration of the procedure is at least 15-20 minutes, while about 2/3 of the time is spent on the second stage of the massage. The course of treatment includes 15-20 sessions, 2 times a week. Massage can be carried out with the use of various oils, creams, powders, the choice of which depends on the type of hair.

Currently, with cosmetology care in the salon or cabinet, various methods are widely used with the use of physical methods of treatment. These include vacuum massage, cryomassage, darsonvalization, microcurrent therapy, drug electrophoresis (iontophoresis), electrostatic field, therapeutic laser, thermal procedures (vaporization, dry heat), ultrasound, ultraviolet irradiation, photochromotherapy and other methods.

Vacuum massage of the scalp and cryomassage are prescribed to improve the blood supply of this zone, the drainage effect. Vacuum massage is carried out using a variety of nozzles, allowing you to create a pressure gradient with a certain periodicity. The course of treatment usually includes 15-20 procedures, interval - 2 times a week. Cryomassage is performed using liquid nitrogen. The procedure has, in addition to improving the trophic and drainage effect, some drying and exfoliating action, so it can be used for liquid seborrhea. Cryomassage is performed by rotational movements along the partitions. The time of exposure to each site is 3-5 seconds, the total duration of the procedure is 10-20 minutes. The course of treatment includes 7-15 sessions, performed every other day or twice a week. Given the intensity of the effect on the scalp, vacuum massage and cryomassage are not indicated with increased hair loss, with alopecia of any genesis.

Darsonvalization activates blood supply in the affected area, and also stimulates epithelization processes, has anti-inflammatory and resorptive action. To perform the procedure on the scalp using electrodes in the form of a glass comb. Movements are carried out in a strictly defined direction: from the forehead to the nape. The duration of one procedure is 10 minutes, the course of treatment includes 10-20 sessions performed every other day. This technique is used for nesting baldness and for androgenic alopecia. The procedures also have a slight drying effect due to a reduction in sebum production and a decrease in sweat secretion, so they are indicated in liquid seborrhea accompanied by increased greasiness of the scalp skin.

Microcurrent therapy has a draining effect and improves microcirculation processes in the skin. The method is based on the use of weak impulse currents. The procedures are carried out using special electrodes or rubber gloves. The duration of the procedure is 10-20 min. The course of treatment is recommended 10-12 sessions, every other day. Microcurrent therapy is recommended for alopecia of various genesis, as well as for the rehabilitation of patients after hair transplantation and plastic surgeries.

Drug electrophoresis (iontophoresis) is used to improve the performance of various drugs in the dermis (improving microcirculation, disinfectant, anti-inflammatory, etc.). The method is based on the combined effect of the electric current on the skin and the drug substance being administered. The course of treatment includes 8-12 procedures performed every other day or every day. This method is recommended mainly for external treatment of alopecia of various genesis.

The electrostatic field improves microcirculation, has lymphatic drainage effect, stimulates regeneration processes and has a sedative effect. To implement the procedure, special devices are used in the form of a hemisphere, inside which an electric field is created. The duration of the procedure is 10-15 minutes, the course of treatment can be prolonged (up to several months), the frequency of procedures - 1-2 times a week. It is recommended for alopecia of various genesis, as well as for the rehabilitation of patients after hair transplantation and plastic surgery.   

The therapeutic laser is based on the use of low-intensity laser radiation for therapeutic purposes, which has an anti-inflammatory effect and improves microcirculation in the skin. When carrying out procedures, various attachments are used, contact and non-contact exposure to the lesion. The course of treatment is 10-20 sessions, performed every other day or twice a week. A therapeutic laser can be widely used in nesting baldness, circular alopecia, and also alopecia of a different etiology. Given the mild and physiological effects, the technique has no limitations in individuals with different types of hair, and its non-contact variety can also be used in the stage of intense hair loss.

Thermal procedures used in the conditions of the beauty salon and are divided into steam and dry. Steam procedures are carried out using a special hood, inside which there is a vaporizer; previously used compresses on the scalp This method promotes vasodilation, as well as maceration of the stratum corneum, which improves the penetration of various medicines into the skin. Given that maceration of the stratum corneum enhances the traineepidermal loss of water and causes dryness of the skin and a decrease in its turgor, this technique is not indicated for excessive dry skin of the scalp and hair. Dry heat is usually used to activate hair dyeing and penetration of the drug. Any thermal procedures are not recommended for seborrhea due to increased sebum production.

Ultrasound is used to improve the trophism of the scalp, accelerate the regeneration, achieve anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antipruritic and resorptive effects, as well as to introduce various active agents into the skin (ultraphonophoresis). The course of treatment includes 8-12 procedures performed every other day or every day. This method is widely used for external treatment of alopecia of various genesis, as well as during the rehabilitation of patients after hair transplantation.

Ultraviolet has a drying and exfoliating effect, and also stimulates microcirculation processes in the skin of the scalp. To this end, use both conventional ultraviolet lamps and special nozzles on the source of radiation in the form of combs to directly affect the skin. Less often apply PUVA-therapy. At the same time, in recent years, it has been noted that ultraviolet radiation adversely affects the skin (suppression of the local immune response, carcinogenesis, changes in squalene, which is part of sebum, as a result of which it acquires comedogenic properties). In this regard, this method is not widely used in practice. The technique is used mainly in the treatment of psoriasis of the scalp, less often in patients with nests of baldness.

Photochromotherapy is based on the patient's direct perception of visible light in the range of 400-760 nm and mediated effect on the scalp. The effect occurs as a result of exposure to the eye of waves of different lengths. Thus, the red spectrum causes an increase in muscle tone, has an exciting and stimulating effect. The green spectrum has a soft regulating and normalizing effect on the tone of the vessels, as well as a general relaxing effect.

Among the methods of general effect, aromatherapy and stonerapia should be mentioned. With aromatherapy, various essential oils are used, the gamma of which is selected individually, taking into account the type of hair. Perception at the subcortical level of various odors has a toning, enclitic or relaxing effect thus affecting the condition of the hair.

Stone therapy (from the English stone - stone) is based on the use of stones and temperature gradient for medicinal purposes. Stone therapy is a relatively new technique, it includes a segmental effect on the entire surface of the skin of the ground stones of basalt or marble of different temperatures. The procedures have a sedative effect, improve microcirculation and metabolic processes in the skin, including the wooded part of the head.

In recent years, widely used techniques of hardware cosmetology complex impact, allowing to influence the state of hair indirectly, through the normalization of the functioning of other systems and organs. These methods include "Alpha-capsules," the main functional purpose of which is the correction of the body's state in chronic stress. "Alpha capsules" - combines a dry sauna with a temperature of exposure to 82 ° C, vibrating massage, aromatherapy, ionized air, elements of photochromotherapy and music therapy. The combined effect on the whole organism of these physical factors improves the activity of the respiratory and cardiovascular systems, activates microcirculation, and also has a general tonic and anxiolytic effect.

It should be emphasized that the choice of any method of physical impact largely depends on the type of hair and the severity of their loss.

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