Beauty Diary: Dyson Supersonic Nural exposes issue affecting 1 in 2 Aussies

An unsightly issue that’s hard to see to the naked eye has been laid bare in a “confronting” magnified photo – and 50 per cent of us have it.

A terrifying photo of my head has identified an problem many of us don’t even know we have: scalp issues.

The extreme close up of my noggin was taken by a trichologist – a skin specialist who studies diseases and problems related to the hair and scalp – and exposed information about myself I’d never known before.

Aside from the confronting number of grey hairs visible in the snap, which is easily explained by the fact I’m nearing 40, the image also revealed something else: my scalp is dry.

But I’m not alone. Data shows as many as 50 per cent of Aussies will experience issues with their scalp health.

The most common complaint is dandruff, but other plights include itching and redness — and in particularly bad cases Seborrhoeic dermatitis, which includes all of the above along with painful inflammation.

A magnified photo of my scalp exposed a common Australian problem. Picture: Supplied

But despite being hard to see, a rising number of Australians are becoming more aware of this forgotten part of our bodies, and this new-found interest has spawned an entirely new beauty category.

Certified trichologist Chelcey Salinger told news.com.au’sThe Beauty Diary the shift has been created by a trend known as “skinification”, a term that acknowledges the benefits of skin care habits on hair and scalp needs.

“During ‘Covid-times’ and lockdowns, when we took more time for ourselves in regards to self care and mental health, something clicked for people,” the hair expert said.

“Scalp skin is more similar to facial skin than it is different, and so we have seen this ‘skinification of hair’.

“As a result we are noticing and caring for our scalps more than we used to.”

This has seen an explosion of new hair care products, including shampoos and conditioners containing active ingredients “that are well known in skincare but can also be beneficial to the scalp” the Sydney and Adelaide based trichologist said.

It’s also seen scalp scrubs and serums soar in popularity.

But one of the most head-turning brand’s to launch a new product in the scalp care space has undoubtedly been Dyson. Yes, you read that right: DYSON, the name famed for creating bagless vacuums.

SHOPPING: Buy the Dyson Supersonic Nural here

The British tech-giant released the Supersonic Nural in April, an updated version of its cult hairdryer that includes a “scalp protect” mode, which automatically reduces heat and airflow when the device is too close to your head.

“We were worried about the heat hair dryers are capable of generating and the damage it does, so it was really a way to stop people accidentally overheating their hair and overheating their scalp,” the brand’s creator, Sir James Dyson, told news.com.au at the time of its launch.

“So we were looking for a way to still dry quickly, while overcoming this problem of damaging hair and scalp.”

Extreme heat applied by hairdryers can rob your hair and scalp of moisture, which in turn can lead to scalp irritation and redness. It can also cause dandruff.

So was this the cause of my own irritated scalp?

In a bid to find out, I switched my old Dyson Supersonic for the $749 Nural, and have been surprised by what happened.

How the Dyson Supersonic Nural works

The Supersonic Nural features a ‘scalp protect’ mode. Picture: Supplied

Its temperature doesn’t go over 55C. Picture: Supplied

When in “scalp protect mode”, the device will automatically reduce its temperature to 55C – the optimum temperature for scalp comfort and drying speed according to Dyson – as the dryer gets closer to the head.

This has been made visible to users through the dryer’s clear end cap which shows the snazzy mechanism at play by its changing colours.

LED lights behind the transparent window glow red to indicate high heat, orange for medium heat and yellow for low heat. It will display blue when there’s no heat at all.

But the most impressive part of this feature is that sensors inside the device are constantly measuring the distance between your hair and the dryer, and automatically adjust the heat to maintain a constant temperature as you go about your business.

My scalp results?

There have been many visible results after using the device for the last three months. Little spells of dandruff I’d previously put down to not using dry shampoo properly have completely disappeared. As a result, I can also go longer between washes, which as long-standing member of the ‘busy gal club’ is a welcome change.

Taking away that excessive heat has had a surprising and visible effect on my hair too, which is now is softer and shinier than ever.

Admittedly, I have been a diehard Dyson fan since the launch of the OG Supersonic in 2016, but this upgrade has absolutely cemented my status as a Supersonic groupie.

Using the Nural has also made me realise just how normalised that burning sensation we feel when blow drying our hair is.

In retrospect, it’s actually quite scary how hot our heads get, a detail I only really noticed after adopting the “scalp protect” mode.

We go to great lengths to protect our hair with heat protectants, yet most of us have never considered what the heat was doing to the skin on our scalp. I used a hotel hair dryer recently and I was shocked at how hot it was. So consider me converted!

The Nural’s features are one I didn’t know I needed but now can’t live without. Picture: Supplied

Most underrated feature on Dyson’s Nural

Perhaps my most enjoyed feature on the hair dryer though is one that has absolutely zero effect on my scalp – but does wonders for my soul.

The “pause detect” mode has enabled the device to understand when you momentarily place the it down – such as when sectioning hair or running a barrel brush through it – and eliminates the need to constantly switch it on and off.

Sure, it’s not a major problem but more of an annoyance, however if you hate the unnecessary whurr of your hairdryer when styling hair you’ll probably agree it's the Nural’s most underrated feature.

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Originally published as Beauty Diary: Dyson Supersonic Nural exposes issue affecting 1 in 2 Aussies