In everyday life, washing your hair seems to be a trivial thing that cannot be more common. However, for the elderly, the health risks that can come with frequent hair washing are often overlooked. Today, we will take a closer look at the hidden health problems behind the daily washing of hair by the elderly.
1. Hair washing habits: the transition from young to old
Many elderly people are used to washing their hair every day, even twice a day. This habit may be fine at a young age, but as you get older and your body's functions gradually change, the habits of the past may no longer apply. Just like a car that has been on the road for many years, the performance of the engine is not as good as before, and if you drive it in the way you use the new car, it is easy to have problems.
The scalp is not a simple piece of skin, it is a complex ecosystem with dense nerve endings and abundant blood vessels that are extremely sensitive to temperature changes. Hair washing is not only a process of rinsing with water, but also a local temperature intervention, destruction of the sebaceous membrane and stimulation of the autonomic nervous system. When you're young, your body is able to repair these changes quickly, but as you age, your neuromodulation, vasomotorization, and immune response all decline. Washing your hair every day and repeatedly stimulating it is like constantly plucking an already fragile string, which can easily cause a series of problems.
2. Blood supply to the brain: the "chain reaction" caused by shampooing
A study by Tokyo Medical University in Japan found that elderly people who wash their hair every day are about 30% slower than those who wash their hair every other day in terms of scalp temperature recovery, blood flow fluctuations, and sebum regeneration. This means that the body's response is slower, but the stimulation is not reduced, resulting in a mismatch of the system. This mismatch is the root of the problem.
When washing your hair, changes in water temperature trigger the expansion of the scalp and cranial capillaries. If it is warm water and the pace is slower, the impact is relatively small. However, many elderly people like to wash their hair with hot water, or do not dry it immediately after washing, which will cause the head to cool locally, and the blood vessels will shrink rapidly, which will interfere with the blood supply to the brain. It can range from dizziness and unsteadiness to transient cerebral ischemia, especially in older people with cerebral insufficiency and carotid plaque.
Imagine that the brain is like a delicate instrument that needs a steady supply of blood to keep it functioning properly. Frequent hair washing, like constantly plugging and unplugging the power supply line of the instrument, can easily lead to unstable power supply. A study published in the Chinese Journal of Geriatrics followed 368 older adults over the age of 65 and found that those who washed their hair at least once a day had 28 percent higher rates of memory loss and attention swings than those who washed their hair three times a week. According to the research team's analysis, frequent head stimulation may disrupt the micro-regulation of the nervous system, especially when washing hair at night and not drying hair in time, which will affect sleep quality and lead to fluctuations in neural network function.
3. Scalp Health: The "Domino Effect" of Microbial Imbalance
In addition to problems with blood supply to the brain, frequent hair washing can also have a negative impact on scalp health. The elderly have less sebum secretion than the young, and sebum is an important substance to protect the ecological environment of the scalp. Washing your hair every day will wash away the already scarce sebum, causing the skin barrier to become weak and the microflora to be out of balance.
A study from the Department of Dermatology at Peking Union Medical College Hospital showed that among the elderly who washed their hair every day, the proportion of Malassezia increased significantly, while the beneficial symbiotic bacteria decreased. This imbalance of microflora can lead to a series of skin problems, such as itchy scalp, red spots, scaling, increased hair loss, etc. Many people mistakenly think that they are not washing cleanly, but in fact, they wash their hair too much, so that the skin loses the buffer space for self-repair.
The scalp is like a piece of soil, sebum is the moisture that moistens the soil, and the microflora is the microorganisms in the soil. When there is a lack of water and an imbalance of microorganisms, the soil becomes poor and it is difficult for plants to grow. Similarly, when the sebum of the scalp is overwashed and the microflora is out of balance, the growth environment of the hair will deteriorate, and even trigger various skin inflammations. These inflammations not only affect hair health, but can also be a source of chronic inflammation, affecting the stability of the entire system through the skin-immune-neuraxial pathway. Many elderly people often say that their scalp is "burning", which is actually the result of low-grade inflammation and perennial stimulation.
4. Mood swings: the "invisible shackles" of psychological dependence
In addition to physical problems, frequent hair washing can also trigger mood swings. The reason why many elderly people wash their hair every day is because of "cleanliness" or "anxiety", and they always feel uncomfortable if they don't wash their hair. This behavior is inherently psychologically dependent and can cause emotional distress once stopped.
A study by the Institute of Psychology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences found that in the elderly with high-frequency cleaning behaviors (including washing hair, washing hands, and bathing), the average mild anxiety score was 24% higher than that of the control group, and it was accompanied by more obvious sleep delay and early awakening problems. This mood swing is not a direct result of washing your hair, but rather that this high-frequency behavior reinforces the excessive focus on physical sensations, which in turn interferes with normal emotion regulation mechanisms.
Once the emotional system intervenes in body management, many of the body's normal responses are easily amplified. For example, a slight itchy head may be amplified to be unbearable, and oily hair may be suspected as a disease. This mental pattern can disrupt the body's original perceptual balance, creating a vicious circle.
5. Hair washing frequency: how to adjust it to be healthier
Knowing the risks that frequent hair washing can possibly pose, many older people may ask, "So what should I do?" I'm used to washing my hair every day, would it be worse to stop suddenly? "Actually, changing habits requires a process and cannot be rushed.
The correct way to do this is to start by changing the time and gradually adjust the frequency. For example, you can change from washing once a day to every other day. However, wipe the scalp regularly with a warm wet towel every day, so that the brain still receives the signal of "cleansing" and buffers the discomfort during the transition period. After a week or two of adaptation, the frequency can naturally be lowered.
Rhythm is the lowest rule of the body, which is not formed by control, but by behavioral stability. There is nothing wrong with washing your hair in itself, what is wrong is to treat it as a placebo, as the only means of cleansing, as a label of "health". True health is when there is no conflict between behavior and physical feedback, rather than relying on habit to suppress the rhythm of the system.
Frequency, mode, timing, recovery, these are all important components of the rhythm system. The more neglected the details, the more decisive it is for the body to have problems. Clean hair is just the surface, system stability is the truth.
6. Health tips: the correct posture for washing your hair
To help seniors better adjust their hair washing habits, here are some practical suggestions:
Control the water temperature: Avoid using overheated water to wash your hair, lukewarm water is best. Overheated water can overstimulate the scalp, causing blood vessels to dilate and contract rapidly.
Blow dry: After washing your hair, try to use a hair dryer to dry your hair to avoid leaving your scalp wet for a long time. Especially after washing your hair at night, always make sure your hair is completely dry before going to bed.
Gentle cleansing: Choose a gentle shampoo and avoid products that contain harsh ingredients. Excessive cleansing can damage the sebaceous membrane of the scalp, leading to a decrease in skin barrier function.
Regular check-ups: If you have problems such as itchy scalp, red spots, and scaling, you should seek medical attention in time to check whether it is skin inflammation or other skin problems.