When you hear the word “shampoo”, likely the first thing you think of is hair. Right? This begs the question: Does “no hair” automatically mean “no shampoo”?
Well – hold your horses. Just simply because you’re part of the exclusive club of bald-headed people does not mean you get to ignore shampoo for good.
Let’s look at the case for shampoo for bald people!
What does shampoo do?
Shampoo serves two purposes.
The first one is to clean and nourish the hair – that’s the obvious one. As people go about their day, a lot of things make their way into the hair: sweat, odours, dirt, debris… and oil from the sebaceous glands called sebum, which – when secreted in large quantities – gives hair that oily, shiny look people oftentimes don’t want. Regularly using shampoo on hair will remove all that, making it look, smell, and feel nice and clean.
The second purpose is the one that counts for bald people: Shampoo also cleans and nourishes the scalp. And while, with the actual hair, it’s preferable not to have too much sebum present, it’s quite the opposite underneath: Skin needs oil to stay healthy, which is why the sebaceous glands on our heads produce sebum naturally.
Why is shampoo important for bald people?
Healthy skin is important for everyone, but let’s face it: If it’s fully covered with hair, you can get away with a lot more than if you’re proudly exposing your scalp.
Being fully exposed, the scalp catches the same stuff that ends up in people’s hair: odors, sweat, debris, dirt – and sebum. With the sebaceous glands positioned directly on (well, under) the scalp, any over- or underproduction of sebum will be much more obvious on a bald head than when the oils are slowly passed on to the hair.
Using shampoo on your bald head helps to keep the scalp clean and takes care of excess sebum, should there be any.
How often should I wash my bald head?
You should give it a rinse with water in the shower daily but try to give it a proper wash and use shampoo twice a week or so.
Can bald guys get dandruff?
An issue that also doesn’t leave with the hair, is dandruff. Experiencing hair loss means your scalp is more exposed than ever and flakey skin is more noticeable. But it isn’t the hair that causes red, itching and white flakes, it’s all linked to the condition of your skin.
You can use anti-dandruff shampoo or a zinc-based soap bar to help alleviate symptoms of dandruff. Also remember to stay hydrated and moisturize.
Can shampoo help with hair loss?
Sometimes having dandruff and an itchy scalp can cause a bit of hair loss but there can be other reasons for that too. If you’ve just started noticing a bit of hair thinning or someones warned you of a bald patch on the back of your head, there is actually some shampoos that could help. Ketoconazole shampoo is a hair loss treatment that has anti-fungal properties to reduce skin inflammation. This can be linked to minor cases of hair loss.
Can’t I just use soap?
No. Just like you would not wash your hair with soap alone, you should not use any regular soap on your bald head. While soap is great for removing any unwanted substances and cleaning up skin, it’s also notoriously famous for removing all sebum and leaving the skin dry.
Should I use shampoo on my bald head?
That depends.
The ideal outcome is a healthy, clean scalp with just the right amount of sebum to be well-moisturized but not appear oily or shiny.
Your hormones play a vital role here: Some people secrete lots of sebum, resulting in what looks like permanently oily skin. Some people secrete very little, running the danger of dry skin. Besides cleaning, shampoos help remove excess sebum: If you’re an overproducer, using shampoo might help. If you’ve got naturally low sebum levels, resulting in dry-ish skin, you’re equally well off just washing your scalp with water and applying moisturizer to ensure it stays smooth and healthy.
Last but not least, consider the climate you’re in: If you’re in a dry, cold climate, humidity is low and you’re unlikely to sweat a lot without working out – resulting in a dryer scalp. If, however, you live in a place that’s hot and humid, both the humidity in the air, as well as your additional sweat, will provide a base layer of moisture already.
Do I need a conditioner?
You can go without this one. Conditioners are made specifically to act as a moisturizer for your hair so it sounds pretty pointless sin hair don’t you think? In saying that, you will need a good skin moisturizer for your now very exposed scalp.
Bonus: Use moisturizer
Cleaning your scalp is step one, and it should be done regularly. Whether you use plain water or a specialized shampoo is up to you – as long as you get your scalp clean.
But that’s only half the battle. The cleanest bald head in the world is no good if the skin is dry, flakey, or otherwise unhealthy.
If you’re bald, you should be using a moisturizer. The ideal time to apply is right after a shower when the pores are open. Build it into your shower ritual to apply moisturizer daily – your skin will thank you.
Want to kill two birds with one stone? Get a moisturizer with built-in SPF. Because you’ve only got one skin on your head, and oh boy is the sun coming after it.
Summary
Shampoo helps to clean the hair and remove excess sebum (natural oil) – and it does exactly the same thing for your bald head. If you tend to have oily skin, use shampoo to keep the levels down. If your skin is naturally dry, you’re good with just water for cleaning.
But whatever you do – use moisturizer regularly, preferably with built-in SPF.
Keep a bald head you can be proud of!
