5 Things About Dandruff That Are Just Myths

It is unusual to have flakes in your hair, but many people do not know what causes dandruff in their hair or on their scalp – or the proper solution to deal with it.

I notice a plethora of misunderstandings about dandruff. It’s a normal scalp upset that nobody really understands. We then chose to quench all misconceptions about what causes dandruff and how we can relieve the itchy flaky scalp.

What triggers dandruff?

Dandruff is a problem where the scalp begins to scratch and flake, leaving you with the hair and inflamed scalp with white bits. Moderate dandruff can be influenced by numerous factors, like dry skin and poor hair care reactions.

On the worse end, though, seborrheic dermatitis can potentially affect dandruff, explains the Mayo Clinic, a chronic inflammatory skin disease that can be driven partly by differences in yeasts and hormones.

Dr. Kim also appears to have a natural predisposition to flaking, so dandruff usually runs in families.  Other diseases such as contact dermatitis, eczema and scalp psoriasis can also contribute to flaking dandruff.

The easiest way to handle your dandruff – whatever the reason – is to know what you actually are dealing with first.

Let’s clear up those dandruff misconceptions.

Using an oil remedy would make dandruff stronger.

One of the DIY treatments I found when looking for dandruff remedies on the internet is hot oil treatment. To see the results, you’re expected to add warm coconut or olive oil straight to the scalp. But does it work? It will help hydrate the scalp when it’s dry. But if your flakes are affected by an oily scalp, “applying more oil would actually make you stickier and greasier flakes,” Anabel Kingsley, a trichologist at Philip Kinglsey Trichological Clinic, tells SELF. “Rubbing oils onto the skin will also cause discomfort.”

Dandruff always comes from a dry scalp.

If the skin is dry or you are having a contact dermatitis condition that leads to dry skin, this will certainly cause itching and even skin peeling.

But an oily scalp may also be a big cause. That just because Malassezia yeast—those that are related to seborrheic dermatitis—feed on the oil (sebum) on the scalp and skin. They grow because there’s more of it there, making this problem more likely because you have an oilier scalp.

To correctly cure your dandruff, it’s necessary to know if your scalp appears to be sticky (or has a lot of chemical residue on it) or on the dry side.

Before shampooing, you can strip some flakes.

Return to my mum with a rattail comb on my head to remove flakes. But I knew that talking to Kingsley wasn’t the best approach. “When your flakes are so sticky and thick that a comb is required, you are likely to have a particular and more severe problem,” says Kingsley, such as scalp psoriasis. “Harsh or incorrect scale removal can be uncomfortable and can lead to bleeding.” And leakage makes the scalp infectious.

The scalp doesn’t have to be exfoliated.

It seems a little drastic to exfoliate the scalp once in a while, and it is for most of us. However, if you deal with dandruff — especially if you believe that excessive product development plays a role — an occasional exfoliating therapy may help. It just feels nice, too!

But beware of recipes for DIY scalp scrub, says Dr. Kim, that may contain irritating ingredients or too harsh things. Instead, go for a medication that includes exfoliating salicylic acid, including Scalpicin.

If you have dandruff, you can wash your hair less frequently.

If you suppose that your dandruff is due to a dry scalp, it may be enticing to trim it down as soon as possible. But if the reason is dryness or oiliness, you can wash your hair very consistently so that you can clean away the flakes and any accumulation of dirt.

In reality, using an over-the-counter shampoo is the most reliable way to deal with most squid, the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) describes. You should shampoo and switch your hair twice a week in the anti-dandruff shampoo. You just need to use the dandruff shampoo once a week if you have natural hair.