Dandruff and dry itchy scalp

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Tips for itchy, dry, flaky scalp and dandruff

Flaking Scalp
It probably doesn’t matter much to you whether your problem is dandruff, dry scalp, or seborrheic dermatitis. What does matter is that you’re afflicted with a flaky, itchy, tight, or inflamed scalp, and you just want to fix it.

“Dandruff and Dry
Itchy Scalp” Dandruff and dry scalp are both considered forms of dermatitis. Dandruff is often mistaken for a dry scalp, but it can afflict an oily scalp just as easily as a dry one. It’s believed that dandruff is caused by an overgrowth of yeast that’s found in moderation even on healthy scalps. The yeast, Pityrosporum ovale, irritates the oil glands below the surface, and the scalp responds by accelerating the cell turnover. Dandruff results when the skin cells divide and multiply at such an accelerated rate that they reach the surface before they die and clump there, These flakes of white, scaly skin look bad, and they itch.

Sometimes, what’s believed to be dandruff is simply shampoo residue from sloppy rinsing or flaking from that gel you’re hooked on. Or it could be dry scalp caused by dry indoor heat, harsh shampoos, too-frequent shampooing, conditioners or gels applied directly to the scalp, hair processing, or a too-hot blast from a blow-dryer.

If you’ve been coloring, perming, relaxing, or straightening your hair, your scalp can become oily, flaky, and inflamed, which may mean that you have a more severe form of dermatitis called seborrhea. One common mistake is to treat seborrhea with a harsh dandruff shampoo–that only makes it worse. So, first of all you need to know what kind of problem you have. Here’s how you can tell:

Dandruff Test
Turn your head upside down and brush or vigorously rub your scalp back and forth with fingers over a sheet of dark paper. If you see tiny, dry, powdery hits, you have dry scalp. If the flakes are larger and look slightly moist or greasy. they’re dandruff. If you have large greasy flakes and your scalp is irritated and red, chances are you have seborrhea. If the scales stick to the scalp, it may be psoriasis, and if it doesn’t clear up, consult a dermatologist.

If what you have is dry scalp, first use a clarifying shampoo with cider vinegar to remove any buildup of shampoo or conditioner on the scalp. Then try an oil treatment or scalp cream designed for dry. itchy scalp: Kiehl’s Enriched Massage Oil for Scalp, Phyto Therathrie Phytopolleine. or René Furterer Carthame Intensive Oil Supplement for Dry Hair & Scalp.

Although dandruff is generally believed not to be caused by microbes, most antidandruff shampoos are germicides. Go figure. Most contain one of five ingredients approved by the FDA for fighting dandruff: salicylic acid, zinc pyrithione, sulfur, selenium sulfide, and coal tar. All of these ingredients will really dry out your scalp and your hair along with it, which puts you in the front seat o...