Whenever people have itchy scalps or flakes on their hair, the first thing that comes to their mind is “oh! I have dandruff.” Well, maybe you have dandruff and maybe you don’t.
Knowing the cause of the itchiness and flakes will help you tackle it with the right treatment. Dry scalp has symptoms similar to dandruff but they are two distinct conditions requiring different treatment methods.
How do you tell it’s Dandruff?
Dandruff (also known as seborrheic dermatitis) appears as oily, large flakes that are yellowish. You may also notice red and scaly skin or that your hair is greasy due to natural oils.
How do you tell it’s Dry scalp?
If you’re experiencing dry scalp, your hair and scalp would appear dry, not greasy, this will result in dry, small white flakes on your scalp also causing you to have an itchy scalp.
What is the cause of Dandruff and Dry scalp?
A fungus called Malassezia triggers dandruff. This fungus normally lives on your scalp and produces excess oil on the scalp. The excess oil triggers the skin cells on your scalp to build up and shed at an accelerated rate. Other things that can cause Malassezia to multiply include age, hormones, stress, or underlying medical conditions which you might need to see a dermatologist for.
A dry scalp on the other hand is due to a lack of moisture or excessive dryness and can result in flakes of dry skin. Typically, dry scalp is caused by cold, dry air, over-washing of your hair, or dehydration, and is a more common symptom in those with dry skin.
So, it is important to address these conditions differently. Once you’ve identified your problem, you can properly tackle it.
How to tackle Dandruff and Dry scalp.
Now that we have been able to identify which of the conditions you’re facing, we can proffer the right solution to each of them.
Since a fungal infection triggers dandruff, it will require anti-fungal or antimicrobial ingredients in the shampoos you use to be treated. An example of such an ingredient is Tea Tree oil which can be found in our shampoo.
If you’re experiencing a dry and flaky scalp, the first thing you might want to do is switch up your hair care routine. You might want to reduce or increase how often you wash your hair, you might also want to consider intensifying your moisture routine. You also want to make sure to stay away from shampoos that have harsh ingredients that can rip off moisture from your hair. Products with hydrating and moisturizing ingredients should be your best friend. You should check out our deep conditioner, hair mist, and oil.
It’s important to note that this isn’t medical treatment. So if you aren’t seeing results, you may want to see a dermatologist for further examination.