Dandruff is NOT a ‘dry scalp’ and oiling makes it worse.
If we had a penny for every time we hear of dandruff sufferers oiling their scalps…
Well we wouldn’t be writing blog posts.
Image: Mild dandruff, or ‘Pityriasis Capitis’.
It LOOKS dry, right?
Looks can be deceiving, and this is a classic example.
Mild dandruff is commonly caused by Malassezia Globosa - a harmless fungus living on our scalps - combined with sebum - our scalp’s natural oil.
Malassezia feeds on our sebum (stop it you dirty lot) and when it does, releases ‘oleic acid’ - to which some people have a reaction to.
The reaction, when it occurs, appears as white flakes. This is not a dry skin condition, but an increase in cell turnover.
Solutions to this include inhibiting Malassezia growth and extra cleansing to 1) remove the flakes and 2) remove the excess sebum.
That is to say - you should not be adding extra oil to your scalp, but removing it more often.
Specific active ingredients work to target and treat the cause, with different ingredients working in different ways.
They generally need to be used for as long as there’s a problem, but it will likely be recurring and need treating again to manage future flare ups.
Some people experience a more severe version of dandruff where the flakes appear as larger, yellowy scales.
This is called Seborrhoeic Dermatitis, and may be more stubborn to treat, sometimes requiring additional support from a medical professional.
In summary…
Dandruff sufferers should not avoid washing their hair, but usually need to do so more frequently, using specific shampoos.
The cause is not a dry scalp, although the symptoms may appear as so - this is all an illusion.