Have you ever skipped washing your hair for quite a few only to wake up one morning and feeling like your hair is hurting? Now, scientifically speaking, we are all well aware that hair is completely dead and has no nerve endings for it to actually hurt — but that slight persistent throbbing on our scalp seems to tell another story altogether, right?

But why does this happen is a question everyone who’s ever experienced this pain seems to have. But DW, because we are here to answer that pressing question for you. Read on to find out what exactly causes your hair to feel like it’s hurting and how to get rid of this problem…

 

Not washing your hair regularly

Not washing your hair regularly

Dirty, unwashed hair is one of the most common reasons why your hair hurts. This is because the accumulation of natural oils and sebum on scalp leads to itchiness and inflammation of the hair follicle. This inflammation is what causes the mild ache in your hair.

 

Scratching your scalp

Scratching your scalp

Dirty hair leads to itchiness in the scalp and when you scratch your scalp, you end up releasing cytokines, which is a notorious chemical that increases the itchiness in your scalp. This results in excess blood flow to your scalp that makes you feel that dull throbbing pain in your scalp and hair.

 

Product build-up

Product build-up

There are times when your hair hurts even when you have washed your hair just a few hours ago or the previous day. If you notice this, then you need to take a hard look at the number of products you’re using on your hair. Dry shampoo, leave-in conditioner and the different types of hair products — all settle onto your scalp and trap dirt and oil, which end up irritating your scalp. To solve this problem, massage your scalp each time you wash your hair and use a clarifying shampoo at least once in two weeks to keep your hair squeaky clean.