If you’re looking to upgrade your hair-cleansing routine, you’ll want to know how to exfoliate your scalp. In fact, regularly exfoliating your scalp can help manage mild dandruff, effectively get rid of product buildup, and even help your hair look fuller and thicker without that stuff weighing it down. But scalp exfoliation isn’t something that many of us are doing regularly.

“People do not think about the health of their scalp until there is an issue,” David Adams, cofounder and colorist of FourteenJay salon, tells SELF. But exfoliating the scalp regularly can keep it healthier in the long run, preventing issues from cropping up and improving the look of hair. “Our skin and scalp are part of the same ecosystem. As we would exfoliate, cleanse, and moisturize our skin, we should do the same with our scalp.”

Below, learn more about how to exfoliate your scalp, why you might want to do it more regularly, and how to get started—without irritation.

What exactly is scalp exfoliation?

Exfoliation on your scalp works the same way it does on other parts of your body. Essentially, it helps speed up the natural process of removing dry, dead skin cells from the surface of your skin so that the newer, smoother cells underneath can be revealed.

This can be done with physical exfoliants, which are products like scrubs or brushes that manually flake away those older cells. Or this can be done with products containing chemical exfoliants, which are ingredients like salicylic acid, glycolic acid, and lactic acid. These acids break down the bonds between skin cells, allowing them to be removed more easily.

For many people, exfoliating your scalp isn’t essential. But it can help remove excess dirt, oil, and dead skin cells that might accumulate on your scalp, thus helping to manage issues like dandruff and product buildup, which otherwise leads to dullness.

Why should you try exfoliating your scalp?

Exfoliating may seem like an unnecessary extra step to your hair routine. But it may have some real benefits, especially for those who are prone to dandruff, product buildup, and thinning hair.

Dandruff: Just like the skin on your face, your scalp contains sebaceous glands that produce oil (sebum). In the right amount, sebum helps make your hair soft and shiny. But an overproduction of sebum, or buildup of oil on the scalp, can feed the malassezia furfur yeast that leads to dandruff. An oily scalp can also lead to flare-ups of seborrheic dermatitis, a chronic skin condition marked by red, greasy patches, itching or burning, and dandruff flakes. Occasional exfoliating can help manage the flakes.

Applying an exfoliating scalp mask once or twice a week can help quell or prevent dandruff flare-ups, Anabel Kingsley, a trichologist at Philip Kinglsey Trichological Clinic, previously told SELF. “Exfoliating masks gently lift away flakes and helps to return the rate of skin cell turnover on the scalp to a normal, healthy level.” However, Kingsley notes that the brush method can be too irritating for some scalps.

Thinning hair: Over time the buildup of dandruff and sebum can clog hair follicles, which can lead to hair loss and hair thinning. “In most cases, the follicle has two or more hairs growing from it,” Adams says. “When it’s clogged, the follicle shrinks and therefore the number of hairs growing from it are reduced.” Exfoliating the scalp can clear these blockages, which will help hair grow in better and appear fuller.

Product buildup and dullness: Hairstyling products can also pile up along the scalp and clog hair follicles, especially fan-favorite dry shampoo. Even if you shampoo multiple times a week, you may still want that extra cleansing power from exfoliating. “There is a big difference between shampooing the hair and exfoliating the scalp,” says Adams.

However, some people should not try scalp exfoliation.

The scalp exfoliation process can be a little intense, especially for those who already have sensitive scalps. That includes those with psoriasis or eczema affecting their scalps. Psoriasis is an autoimmune condition that causes patches of thickened skin or scales that often itch or feel sore. Although it’s most common on areas like the elbows and knees, it can occur on the scalp too. Eczema is a skin condition that results in dry, itchy, red patches of skin that may flake off. People with these conditions or cuts, sores, or infections on their scalps should skip exfoliation.

Don’t let stains get in the way of great color.

Whether you’re coloring your hair at home or visiting a professional colorist at a salon, some hair dye can inevitably end up on your skin, whether it’s your forehead, ears, neck, or elsewhere. “The pigment in hair dye is designed to penetrate through the outer cuticle of the hair and remain there, infusing long-lasting color into the hair shaft. If exposed to the skin, it can also penetrate through its outer layer, causing a semi-permanent tint.”

Getting dye on your skin is, for the most part, annoying and unsightly, but in rare instances, “it can cause serious skin irritation or allergies. Your skincare regimen can also be a culprit: “While all skin types are equally at risk for dye staining, if you are using topical retinoids or products like alpha- or beta-hydroxy acids, the skin may be more prone to irritation from the dye because it will more easily penetrate the exfoliated skin.”

Luckily, there are easy ways to remove (and prevent!) dye stains on your skin. “The sooner you can remove the hair dye from the skin, the better. This prevents the dye from settling further into skin. Before your next hair color touch-up, study up on our experts’ tips to get rid of hair dye stains on specific areas:

How to get rid of dye stains on your face and along your hairline

“I recommend a simple non-soap cleanser and water,” such as the classic. Any kind of oil — such as coconut oil, baby oil, or argan oil — can also work as a cleanser to remove hair dye. Some beauty brands also offer products made specifically to remove hair dye stains from your skin, such as Framar’s Kolor Killer Wipes. They’re gentle on skin, but extremely effective for removing stains on your face, neck, and hands.

You can also look for products with chemically exfoliating ingredients, such as glycolic acid or salicylic acid. These ingredients will help shed your stained skin cells and bring new ones to the surface. Against trying to remove dye on your face with a manual face scrub: “They can cause irritation and tear the skin.

If all else fails, you can try using rubbing alcohol.  Apply it to a cotton ball or use a pre-moistened alcohol swab and gently rub it against the affected area, taking caution not to overly scrub the skin.” If you don’t have any rubbing alcohol in your cabinet, you can use hydrogen peroxide. It’s known to remove all kinds of stains, but it’s also safe to use on your skin in low concentrations (3% or lower).

How to remove hair dye from your scalp

Removing hair dye from your scalp can be tricky because you want to avoid stripping the fresh color from your newly dyed hair. To that end, you can try a gentle scalp scrub or a shampoo with light exfoliating ingredients once your skin has settled post-dye to avoid irritation.