Have you ever taken your hair down from that high ponytail after a long day or tossed your strands from one side to the other, only to feel radiating tenderness through the top of your hair where it grows out of your scalp? Maybe you’ve put off your wash day over a period of weeks and found that your hair feels more sensitive than usual during your detangle and scrub session? You’re not alone in this experience! 

FYI: The pain you feel isn’t coming from your strands–it’s actually stemming from your perifollicular skin—or the skin around each of your hair follicles on your scalp! Those tender shockwaves that seem like they’re pulsing through your strands are actually inflamed hair follicles that can mimic the sensations of your hair being tugged or scraped. Your hair doesn’t have any nerve endings— but your scalp has lots of nerve endings, blood flow, and pores that naturally emit oils. That uncomfortable ache that you’re feeling is typically caused by inflammation and irritation on your scalp. 

There are many more reasons why your scalp can hurt and there are ways to easily treat these causes, and–depending on the reason for your specific pain—you can use our Scalp Revival™ collection and add our NEW Scalp Revival™ MegaStrength+ Dandruff Relief Shampoo Charcoal + AHA/BHA to your daily routine for instant relief. 

Common Reasons For Scalp Pain

Getting to the root of scalp pain can be tricky, but here’s a few of the most common reasons why you might have an extra sensitive scalp: 

Tension headaches
As much as we love a high pony or a bun, super-taut hair styles can lead to painful tension headaches that can put a strain on your hair follicles. Pair high and tight hairstyles with lots of pulling from blowouts, everyday stress, allergies, too much time in front of your laptop or clenching your jaw and you’ve got a perfect cocktail for tension headaches. 

Luckily, we’ve got a super quick (and oh-so relaxing) fix for your discomfort. Relieve your scalp pain with a soothing and stimulating scalp massage using our Stimulating Therapy Massager. By regularly massaging your scalp, you can instantly reduce the natural tension that builds up on your scalp and stimulate your hair follicles to calm any irritation and promote healthy hair growth.

Scalp psoriasis , eczema and dandruff 
These three scalp conditions can commonly cause painful irritation and inflammation. They can also cause dryness and itching that can make fragile hair follicles and the nerves on your scalp ache. 

Scalp psoriasis, eczema and dandruff have a lot in common—especially when it comes to what they crave for relief. When your scalp is in pain, reach for our NEW Scalp Revival™ MegaStrength+ Dandruff Relief Shampoo Charcoal + AHA/BHA. 

We’ve packed our latest addition to our Scalp Revival™ lineup with scalp-healthy ingredients like Binchotan charcoal, salicylic acid,  and lactic acid (insert link to AHA’s vs BHA’s: Breaking Down Skin + Hair Care’s Most Popular Exfoliants to exfoliate, cleanse, and nourish your scalp. Pair our MegaStrength+ Dandruff Shampoo with our hydrating Charcoal + Tea Tree Cooling Hydration Scalp Mask to instantly give your scalp a refreshing cold blast of moisture. Follow up with our Charcoal + Tea Tree Scalp Treatment to reduce itching and inflammation.

Oily scalp

There’s a scientific reason why your scalp feels tender in-between wash days. When your wash days are too far apart, excess sebum and buildup can cause congestion on your scalp and encourage an overgrowth of yeast that leads to dandruff. 

Your best defense against a sore scalp from excess sebum and yeast is: 

• Scheduling more frequent wash days. Boost your Scalp Revival™ routine with our NEW Scalp Revival™ MegaStrength+ Dandruff Relief Shampoo Charcoal + AHA/BHA. It’s safe and gentle enough for daily use and complements each of our Scalp Revival™ products. 

• Implementing a scalp exfoliation routine The Briogeo Guide to Double Cleansing For Your Scalp that will relieve you of buildup, dead skin cells, and excess oil

Stimulating your hair follicles regularly with massages using our Stimulating Therapy Massager or brushing your hair with our Vegan Boar Bristle Brush to allow the oils on your scalp to travel down to your strands to nourish your hair shaft (without clogging your pores and creating irritation).

Scalp care = healthy hair™, which is why it’s so important to understand and treat  the root of why your hair follicles become inflamed, irritated, and sore. The next time you find yourself feeling the familiar sting of an throbbing, sensitive scalp, reach for our Scalp Revival™ Soothing Solutions Set and our NEW Scalp Revival™ MegaStrength+ Dandruff Relief Shampoo Charcoal + AHA/BHA to balance, soothe, and treat your scalp. Ready to get started? Shop this post today!