PHYSICAL ASPECT OF SCALP TREATMENTS

Treatments help to preserve the health of the scalp because:

• Scalp is cleansed from excess skin cells (epithelial scales)
• Scalp becomes more flexible

Non-infectious Scalp / Skin Disorders
There are also some common non-infectious conditions which you may come across on the salon, including: dandruff, dermatitis, psoriasis, hair loss and eczema.

Dandruff

• Scaling - accelerated loss of dead skin cells
• cause is not known.

Symptoms

• Scaling all over the scalp .
• Treatment
• Appropriate shampoo procedures according to manufactures instructions

Pityriasis capitis simplex (dry dandruff)

Pityriasis Seborrhoea (oily dandruff)

• This is the next stage of dandruff
• The scales turn from white to yellow, they feel waxy.
• The skin underneath can be pink.

Treatment

• Appropriate shampoo procedures according to manufactures instructions.

Oily Hair and Skin

• If the sebaceous glands make too much oil, too much oil travels up the hair follicle on to the hair shaft or skin.
• This is common on adolescence. It is often associated with pimples.

Symptoms

• This can cause the skin and hair to feel itchy.

Treatment

• Appropriate shampoo procedures according to manufactures instructions.

Dermatitis

• Inflammation of the skin. it is caused by something irritating the skin.
• The irritation can affect the point of contact, or it can also affect other parts of the body (allergic reaction).
• causes: it is often worse in winter; irritation from chemicals, heat, light, injury can also contribute.

Symptoms
Inflamed skin, can be red and itchy
Treatment
Avoid the irritant; protect yourself from coming untie contact with the irritant by using gloves, barrie creams etc.
seek medical advice if condition persists

GLANDS OF THE SKIN

Glands of the Skin

Sebaceous Gland
Always attached to hair follicle with 1 to 6 on each follicle
most numerous of forehead, nose, chin (T zone) and scalp
produces (secretes) sebum (oil)

Normal Sebum Flow

• Protect skin from mild chemicals
• Protect internal moisture content
• Skin remains clean with no blocked pores, infections don't build up

Excessive Sebum Flow:

• Glossy tone
• Blemishes occur as pores block, infections can occur

Low Sebum Flow:

• Dry Flaky due to moisture loss
• Skin easily irritated by mild chemicals 
• Dull tone

Sweat Gland

• Millions over the body
• Controlled by the nervous system
• Activated by the body heating up from infection, illness or exertion, and when in shock, nervous or anxious
• Some people perspire excessively
• Most numerous in palms of hands, forehead, armpits and soles of feet

Sebum and sweat combine on the skin to form the ACID MANTLE.

ACID MANTLE

• Slightly acid pH4.5 to 5.5
• If acid mantle is removed, washing away harmless bacteria (non-pathogenic) that lives in the acid mantle, it allows harmful bacteria (pathogenic) to invade, infection can follow. Non-pathogenic bacteria are one of our natural defences against pathogenic bacteria.
• Skin is susceptible to chemical and physical irritation without the acid mantle.

Skin Structure and Function

SKIN STRUCTURE AND FUCTION

• the skin is the largest organ of the body.
• it is made up of many special cells (epithelial) and forms a close fitting, protective covering for the skeletal system and vital organs.
• it contains many special structures including: follicles, hair, nails, sweat glands and  sebaceous glands.
• the skin is very elastic and at the surface it is a dead substance, which is constantly being shed and replace by new growth.
• skin is composed of a protein known as keratin. skin is known as soft keratin and grows in flat sheet.
• hair is also composed of keratin; hair is known as hard keratin and grows in fibres.

There are 2 main layers and a secondary layer of the skin.

they are:

• Epidermis
• Dermis

secondary layer:

• Subcutaneous Tissue

EPIDERMIS

 The epidermis is the outer layer of the skin. the one we see. it consists of the five sub-layers of stratum.

The 5 layers of the EPIDERMIS are:

• Stratum CORNEUM
• Stratum LUCIDUM
• Stratum GTANULOSUM
• Stratum MUCOSUM
• Stratum GERMINATIVUM

Stratum Corneum 

• Top Layer
• cells contain no nuclei
• tightly packed flattened cells
• fully keratinised
• continually being shed and replaced

Stratum Lucidum

• Layer abovegranulosum
• Has traces of small flattened nuclei in some cells
• Has transparent keratinised cells only found in palms of the hand and soles of the feet

Stratum Granulosum

• Layer above mucous
• 2-3 layers of cells
• Nuclei degenerating more
• Cells loosing moisture
• Contains small granules, toughening cels
• Lips and skin under nails do not have granulosum

Stratum Mucosum

• Layer above the germinativum
• Several layers if the differently shaped cells
• Slight degeneration of nuclei has tissue fluid stored in this layer

Stratum Germinativum

• The base layer of the skin
• A single layer of nucleated  cells - contain nuclei
• reproduction is occurring - new cells being formed
• Contain melanocytes - producing melanin
• in contact with with the dermis

DERMIS

Dermis is the thick layer of living tissue below the epidermis which forms the true skin, containing blood capillaries, nerve endings, sweat glands, hair follicles, and other structures.

The Dermis has 2 layers:

• PAPILLARY layer (Dermal Papillae)
• RETICULAR layer (Reticular Dermis)

Papillary Layer

• contains capillaries and never endings
• where the papillary layer joins the stratum germinativum is where the melanocytes are found
• made up of loose connective tissue - collagen and elastin

Reticular Layer

• Under the papillary layer
• help give skin its elasticity
• blood vessel and lymph vessels and (CIRCLATORY SYSTEM), nerves and sweat glands found here
• made up of dense connective tissue containing a network of collagenous and course elastic fibres

Connective tissue in the skin gives cushioning and support and maintains the bodies form.

SUBCUTANEOUS LAYER (TISSUE)

• A layer of fatty tissue between the dermis and the muscles and bones
• protects muscle, bones, and vital organs from injuries
• helps regulate body temperature
• stores energy

Functions of The Skin
Secretion
sebum (oil) is secreted from the sebaceous gland to preserve the skins softness and suppleness
protects the body from infection

Excretion
Waste product are excreted in sweat from the sweat glands which is made up of water and trace elements
Eccrine glands distributed over the body. The highest density of eccrine glands is seen on the palms, soles and arm pits
Apocrine glands are larger and attached to the hair follicle. They are concentrated in the armpits and groin area.

Protection
skin protect your body in 4 ways:

1. If your shoes rub your heels the skin will thicken in that area and form corns to calluses to protect that area of your body. Nerve endings send message to the brain to warn you of problems before they become dangerous to your skins health
2. When when your skin is damaged by chemicals such as perm wave solution or soap sebum helps to prevent it from drying out(from chemical attack)
3. The acid mental is the liquid coating on the surface of the skin with a natural acidity (pH 4.5 - 5.5) it not already maintains and enhances the condition of skin what it protects the skin from bacterial attack(from bacterial attack)
4. The natural pigment in skin(Melanin) help to protect the skin from sunburn (from ultra-violet). The more the skin is exposed to ultra-violet rays, the more melanin is produced to filter there rays from the new cell production and the body's vital organ.