Many times as hairstylists we get people who are tender headed and want 

“to know how do you fix a sensitive scalp?” Combing and brushing the hair is pleasing or painful depending on the person you get in your chair.  Caution is essential in order to deliver the required service!

My experiences with people that had sensitive scalps were different with each one.  Many I

sympathized with because they were not taught to properly care for their hair.  Others I did not because they adopted a faulty philosophy  with regards to their hair care and expected you to operate within walls that required a far bigger budget.  I expect to go gently with children but  it gets ridiculous when adults who willfully neglect their hair are more dramatic than the kids.

Here are some reminders for those with sensitive scalps:

• Regular combing and/or brushing of the hair should be done on a weekly basis.   
• If you wear extensions, give yourself a week long break to give the scalp time to heal. 
• The hair should be moisturized regularly and not allowed to become dry.
• If the shampoo you are using makes your hair dry, change it.  If you are using a dandruff shampoo, I recommend using a moisturizing shampoo for the last wash.
• If the ingredients in your hair products have no natural oils in them, they may be the cause of your dry scalp.
• Massaging your scalp regularly will awaken your nerve endings and make your scalp less soft.
• Detangle your hair before pulling combs or brushes roughly through them.
• Finger combing your hair will not remove the dead hairs and you will end up with micro freeform dreads/locs.  
• When combing your hair, start with a wide-tooth comb.  Start at the bottom and continue up until you reach the scalp.  Use a comb with closer teeth when it is almost completely detangled.
• If you have long hair, you should not be using combs with teeth closely together unless you used a wide-tooth comb first and need to remove remaining snags.  
• Scalp massagers are not combs.