August 8, 2021
Well…we are about to head into the fall season which means dryer weather. Most times in a sudden change of climate or an environment that has less moisture a dry scalp is coming with it. You know it is coming yet you don’t know what to do about it, so let me kick a lil scalp game to you and get this dandruff under control. For starters we gotta know what dandruff is, what the different types of dandruff are, the causes of dandruff, and lastly what the remedy and prevention measures you should take. NOW, if your scalp issue is chronic, I recommend to see a dermatologist that can help give a proper diagnosis and treatment plan.
So let us just define what dandruff is…according tohttps://www.medicinenet.com/dandruff/definition.htm dandruff is defined as a scalp condition that produces white flakes that may be shed and fall from the hair. You may have seen it, all those nasty white flakes sitting on your shoulder waving at everybody, embarrassing you and what not. So what do you do? You…
Step 1.
Visit your stylist
You should visit your stylist first before you attempt to treat your scalp condition because he or she can do a proper scalp analysis and determine what type of dandruff you have. Yes there are several forms of dandruff. Keep reading to find out what those are and how they can be identified.
Step 2.
Visit a dermatologist anyway because a stylist can only identify what they see from the naked eye and a cosmetologist cannot prescribe medication if needed.
Step 3.
Understand that different types of dandruff call for different actions, so let us jump into those different types of dandruff.
•Dry skin dandruff is the number one type of dandruff in the cooler months of the year. It is like not having a good lotion on your skin, it has nothing to do with the shampoo that you always use. Hot water will dry skin out in general so turn that water down to luke warm. Do your normal shampoo session, but once your hair is dry, apply an easily absorbed oil to your scalp like jojoba or coconut oil with a few drops of tea tree essential oil (EO) in the mixture. The EO will sooth any tightness and itching. I like that the oil absorbs easy because the hair won’t become oily. Ensure to apply your mixture with nose tip bottle and place directly on the scalp. You can also pre-treat the scalp a few days before your shampoo day.
•Oily scalp dandruff is a less common form of dandruff, but it looks like greasy yellow flakes. The good thing about this type of dandruff is that it does not flake off, it just sits on your scalp until you scrap it off. It is cause by your scalp having an over production of sebum to your scalp and your hair may be very thick at the roots that the oil will stay moist or it will flake up on the exterior side and stay moist on the inside. LISTEN…this type of dandruff gives me the most satisfaction when remedying it, because after the shampoo the client has a whole new scalp, think of it as a snake shedding its old skin and having beautiful new skin. It is all shiny, I got stars in my eyes just thinking about it. What I do first is scrap the scalp first with a fine tooth comb throughout the entire head or the affected areas. The shampoo I use to cleanse the scalp with is Straight Request Black Carbon Shampoo. Black Carbon shampoo has black carbon to rid the hair and scalp of any impurities, apple cider vinegar that will unclog the sebaceous glands of the scalp, and tea tree that will sooth the scalp because it may be sensitive from the scrap session. Allow the shampoo to sit on the scalp for at least 2- 5 minutes. During the lather up portion use a scrub brush my favorite is the tangle tamer. This brush will help cleanse your scalp without scratching it and prevent your hair from becoming tangled in the process. After rinsing off the shampoo, apply straight request happy scalp treatment to the scalp using a nose tip bottle and gently massage in. If you have a steamer, steam hair on the lowest setting with the treatment on the scalp, if not just wrap hair in a plastic cap and a wet warm towel for 15 minutes. Rinse out treatment and continue with your normal hair regimen.
•Fungal or yeast dandruff is a type of dandruff also called Malassezia that is contagious. It is hard to identify because it looks like some form of dandruff, the flakes are a bit larger yet white. The flakes are an effect of a microscopic fungi on the scalp. Malassezia does cause chronic itching. If your scalp is still chronically itching after a good shampoo session, it may be time to visit a doctor to be diagnosed. A fungal infection of the scalp is caused by chemical imbalance on the scalp surface and within the body. Hair that is wet for an extended amount of time, a high production of sebum, hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating), abstaining from emollients and sunscreens, antibiotic usage, immunosuppression including topical and oral steroid use and HIV can cause this type of infection. Have you ever washed your hair a felt like it smelled like mildew…that is a fungal infection. It is very important that your hair gets dry within 24 hours to avoid an over growth of fungus. If it is too late and need a remedy use a shampoo with zinc pyrithione and allow it to sit on the scalp for 2-5 minutes. Over the counter shampoos that I have used on my clients and that I like are T-Gel by Neutrogena and Nizoral. Once the dandruff clears up you can discontinue use. Please do not use only the dandruff shampoo during your wash session, it will dry your hair out. Follow up with a good moisturizing shampoo like Moroccanoil Moisture Repair Shampoo.
•Product buildup dandruffhappens when there has been an excessive usage of products are applied to the scalp like gel, edge tamer, spritz hair spray, pomade, grease etc. Most often these are used for “protective styling” now how “protective” does that sound. Anyway this is why protective styling is only good for 2 weeks because all of that product build up that sits on the hair and scalp for an extended period of time can cause some form of dandruff. No special steps here just shampoo your scalp and hair. Use a clarifying shampoo prior to your normal shampoo to remove any excess product buildup. I get clients all the time that come in after taking down a protective style complaining about really itchy scalp and they now have dandruff. My simple explanation is let us go to the shampoo bowl.
•Seborrheic dermatitis is an inflammation of natural skin cells which can also be caused by a scalp fungus or yeast infection. It is chronic and itchy, has huge yellow flakes which is also a pleasure to scrap of the scalp. I have had a client come in with this issue, I sent her to see a dermatologist and she got steroid injections, and a prescription of the zinc pyrithione shampoo. If you are scared of needles the doctor can issue a topical cream, but it can leave the hair and scalp feeling greasy with a weird smell.
•Psoriasis of the scalp is a chronic form of dandruff where the immune system attacks the skin cells. This can happen on other areas of the body. Stress can also allow for an outbreak to happen. Psoriasis is white and scaly looking in appearance like the scales on a fish. They can get inflamed if patches are tampered with and can also crack and bleed. There is no cure for psoriasis, but there are medicines, steroids and topical ointments to manage the skin cells over growth.
I hope all this information and the photos was helpful if you are experiencing dandruff. You can control your dandruff in 9 easy steps with a few tips.
1.See a licensed professional stylist to do a proper scalp consultation. Your stylist maybe able to determine the type of dandruff you have, but he/she should always refer you to a dermatologist for proper diagnosis. Both the doctor and the stylist can help prescribe a remedy and a hair regimen.
2.Understand the different types of dandruff to help you understand the type of dandruff you may have.
3.Use a dry itchy scalp shampoo, do NOT bother with the conditioner, it will dry your hair out! Instead follow up with a moisturizing shampoo and conditioner.
4.Request a scalp treatment from your stylist, I am sure it will be a nice relaxing spa day for your hair.
5.Keep your scalp moisturized with an oil.
TIPS:
Use the finger pads of your fingers or a shampoo brush instead of nails. Nails can scratch and irritate the scalp as well as cause abrasions to the scalp introducing bacteria to the scalp.
Avoid very hot water when shampooing, always use luke warm water. Hot water can dry the hair and scalp out.
Add some ZINC, Vitamin B, water and fats into your diet
Avoid chemical treatments such as color, perms, and relaxers, the chemicals dry out the scalp as well. If you must a chemical, be sure to oil the scalp at least every three days.
Use room temperature water when rinsing out conditioner, this will close the cuticle of the hair and pores of the scalp locking in moisture.
Love, Peace, & Hair
Shamona
Comments