Healthy scalps

In this episode, Greg Dickens and I talk about antibiotic resistance and about what multilingualism looks like in non-WEIRD culture. Greg discusses how fathers can build stronger relationships with their daughters. We talk about scalp health – evolution, the effect of shampoo, the contribution of air pollution, and about how parents can set their child’s scalp up for lifelong comfort.

Topics discussed in this episode

- What we might do when we’re prescribed antibiotics [00:36]

- How kids in non-WEIRD cultures learn multiple languages [03:29]

- What dads can do to set up stronger relationships with their daughters [07:16]

- How our skin has evolved to function [10:46]

- Why most of us use shampoo [16:16]

- How shampoo alters the scalp function [17:08]

- Why we wash baby hair [24:20]

- How air pollution affects the scalp [26:45]

- What might adults consider for their own scalp health [29:40]

- What can parents do to set up their child’s scalp for health [29:55]

Resources mentioned in this article

- Findings from the UK investigation into antibiotic resistance https://www.nao.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/investigation-into-how-government-is-addressing-antimicrobial-resistance-summary.pdf

- How children learn languages in Ghana https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0885201425000176

- Why dads might want to go for a walk with their children https://bristoluniversitypressdigital.com/view/journals/frs/aop/article-10.1332-20467435Y2024D000000052/article-10.1332-20467435Y2024D000000052.xml

Coconut oil appears to support scalp commensal microbes: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8012655/

Interested in a weekly conversation about how simple tweaks can set children up for better health throughout life?