1. What is scalp sensitivity/redness?
It is believed that scalp sensitivity belongs to the sensitive skin syndrome, and most people with scalp sensitivity also have sensitive skin in another area. Symptoms of sensitive scalp include redness, swelling, bleeding, and itchiness among others, which are similar to that of sensitive skin. A study of the French population shows that 44.2% of the population suffers from scalp sensitivity. However, unlike skin, scalp is hard to notice and oftentimes there are no itchiness or pain sensations, leading to many people not aware of their scalp sensitivity. Many reasons can cause scalp sensitivity including:
- Environmental elements, such as UV exposure, heat, cold, and pollution
- Certain hair and scalp products
- Stress and anxiety, hormonal changes
- Skin disorders (for example dermatitis) and infections
To assist diagnosis of scalp sensitivity, up to 5 images can be taken under the XPL light using the Chowis Hair Analyzer. Our algorithm then evaluates the scalp sensitivity for each image and provides the final scalp sensitivity grade.
2. Chowis scalp sensitivity grade
The following Chowis scalp sensitivity scale has been co-developed by Chowis and dermatology experts. For each image, we detect and visualize scalp sensitivity as light red color and provide a quantified Result score. The final score for scalp sensitivity is computed as the Average of all result scores, and based on the scale shown in Table 1 we then grade scalp sensitivity into clear, almost clear, mild, moderate and severe.
| Grade | Scale | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Clear | 0 ~ 9 | Not sensitive scalp, resistant to changes and stimulus |
| Almost Clear | 10 ~ 20 | Mild scalp sensitivity. May respond to some stimulus |
| Mild | 21 ~ 54 | Moderately sensitive scalp. More prone to stimulus |
| Moderate | 55 ~ 85 | Scalp is more sensitive than the average person, veins can be more visible |
| Severe | 86 ~ 99 | Rare severe sensitive scalp, can see widespread redness, or some bleeding and infections |
| Clear |  |  |  |  |
| Almost Clear |  |  |  |  |
| Mild |  |  |  |  |
| Moderate |  |  |  |  |
| Severe |  |  |  |  |