How To Tell If Your Flakes Are Dandruff, Dryness, Or Buildup

Let’s chat dandruff: Technically, dandruff is seborrheic dermatitis, a form of eczema, that’s caused by a yeast called Malassezia furfur, board-certified dermatologist Raechele Cochran Gathers, M.D. tells us about the condition. These flares tend to happen for a multitude of reasons (read all about ‘em here), but the most common triggers tend to be a change in weather—both cold and humid temperatures—as well as stress. 

Product buildup, on the other hand, happens when residue from (yep) hair care products accumulates on the scalp and suffocates those hair follicles. But even if you don’t use products, you can get buildup from going too long between washes: oil, dirt, and dead skin cells can accumulate between strands pretty easily. When there’s prolonged buildup, you can face what’s known as scalp inflammation—which includes symptoms like irritation, itchiness, and flaking (aka, very similar signs to dandruff). 

There’s also just general scalp dryness, which is a whole other conversation: Scalp dryness typically happens due to natural skin shedding when your scalp is in dire need of hydration (like how the skin on your face may flake when it’s parched). It’s not dandruff, nor buildup, but it’s just as important to tend to, especially as the weather turns crisp. 

Needless to say, it’s crucial to I.D. your flakes, as they require totally different types of treatment. For example, if you think you’re facing some run-of-the-mill scalp dryness, you might skip a shampoo or two—a parched scalp is frequently attributed to over-shampooing—or lay on the hydrating scalp masks and oil treatments. But if it’s product buildup, you actually need to wash your hair more in order to lift all the gunk off the strands. And if it’s dandruff, applying more oil onto the scalp may only increase the amount of itchy scales. See the issue here? 

Source link

The post How To Tell If Your Flakes Are Dandruff, Dryness, Or Buildup appeared first on FrontLine Fever.

from FrontLine Fever https://ift.tt/3i1nwIW