How To Spot Symptoms and Fix It
All my life, I’ve dealt with a dry scalp. When I was younger, I thought I was suffering from dandruff.
Every time, I would get my hair done, my hair stylist would find scabs, and marks left from my scratching. When I was asked by my mother what the issue was, I would assume that it was dandruff making my scalp itch. At the time, I hadn’t realized that there could be multiple reasons as to why my scalp was dry and itchy. I also didn’t know that Head and Shoulders wasn’t the only available option for me to relieve my symptoms. As I grew and began to learn more about my hair, and the patterns within my itchiness, I was able to figure out what remedies could help me. When it comes to suffering from a dry scalp, it’s essential to understand that there may not always be one solution. There may not still be one cause of your issue. If you have an extreme and persistent problem, then you need to see a professional. In this post, we’ll talk about potential causes of a dry scalp, the symptoms and what conditioners work best for fixing it. As always, at Private Label Extensions, we got you covered!
Symptoms of A Dry Scalp
When I was suffering from a dry scalp and didn’t know how to remedy it, I was always scratching my scalp. The reason for this was because the result of a dry area, whether it be on the skin, or the scalp is going to be an itchy feeling. Another symptom of a dry scalp is going to be flakiness. When your skin is flakey, it’s going to peel as a way to renew the area of the surface. It’s usually the same process for the scalp area. If you do experience flaking, it is important not to confuse it with dandruff. Treating a dry scalp, and treating dandruff should be treated like two different processes. Sometimes, a dry scalp is just a dry scalp, and sometimes the dryness you’re experiencing is a result of another underlying issue. It is essential to know the difference between a dry scalp, and a scalp condition because specific scalp issues need
particular treatments and the last thing you want to do is give yourself the wrong course of treatment. If you’re unsure, try visiting a dermatologist to get some feedback on what you’ve been experiencing.
Some Causes For A Dry Scalp
Outside of an underlying condition, there are some common causes of a dry scalp. Sometimes, our lifestyle choices can get in the way of us having a healthy and moisturized scalp. Our hair products and haircare routine can be the main reason as to why we suffer from a dry scalp. There is often
harsh chemicals in shampoos, conditioners, and styling products. These chemicals can strip your hair of its natural oils and cause your scalp and overall hair to become dry, brittle and dull. Whenever you change your routine, you should take notice of the differences between your scalp and hair. Are you experiencing more itchiness than usual? Does the texture of your hair feel different? If these are the kinds of differences that you notice, you should stop using those new products and switch to something that won’t irritate you as much. If you know you have a sensitive scalp area, try avoiding products that have ingredients like parabens, alcohol, and formaldehyde. All of those ingredients can have varying adverse effects on the scalp, and overall look of your hair. Regardless of product type, excessive washing can cause severe dryness and irritation. Your scalp already produces a natural oil called sebum. When you wash your hair every day, you lower the amount of sebum your scalp can produce.
Extreme Weather Conditions
Dealing with extreme changes in weather can cause your scalp to react differently than average. Also, if you live in an area that has harsh weather, such as having an extremity of either hot or cold, then you may experience issues with your scalp. The important things to remember is that your scalp is not immune to harsh weather conditioners. In either extreme condition, your scalp can suffer from severe dryness. Be mindful of weather changes or patterns when your scalp begins to be irritable. Your issue may very well be the weather and nothing else.
Lifestyle Choices
There are plenty of lifestyle choices that can affect our scalp and hair. Of course, there’s dehydration that can occur when it comes to the weather, but there’s also dehydration that happens when we don’t make the best lifestyle decisions. Nutritional example, our scalp thrives when it is moisturized, and drinking water is one of the best ways to
keep your scalp moisturized. Another reason why we can suffer from a dry scalp is our dietary choices and medication choices. Before you decide on other causes for your dry scalp, try looking into your nutritional options. When it comes to dietary changes, it is essential to consult with a dietitian, and a dermatologist to see if there is a relation between your new food choices and the dryness you’re experiencing. There are so many different ways your scalp can be affected by your dietary choices. Be mindful of the changes you notice.
Best Conditioners For A Dry Scalp
The conditioners I’m going to give you are the
best conditioners to use for a dry scalp, not for a scalp condition. We’ll talk more about the best way to ease some specific scalp conditions that cause dryness. Your scalp is going to need a lot of moisture and these conditioners, that can also serve as hair masks, will help bring moisture to your scalp and lock it in so that your dryness isn’t persistent.
Dove DermaCare
Dove is usually known for their body products, but their haircare products are beginning to be in high demand. The Dove DermaCare is a series of products created to help you nourish and soothe your dry and often itchy scalp. The formula within the series has active Pyrithione Zinc which effectively attacks flaking. This product has fantastic reviews and is only $5 at your local drug store. The best part is that it won’t leave you feeling terrible dry.
LivSo Moisturizing Conditioner
The
LivSo products were created by Dr. Shari Hicks-Graham. Dr. Shari knew that most products meant to assist with scalp issues would damage hair so she decided to create something that could alleviate dryness while also nourishing hair follicles. In Dr. Shari’s formula, she uses soothing ingredients such as oat protein, coconut oil, glycolic acid, and essential oils. The strange thing about this product is that it’s a hair lotion that can be used with or without shampoo and conditioning products. It can also serve as a leave-in conditioner to be used right after shampooing, It’s gentle but still useful and nourishes both a dry scalp and brittle hair. It’s a fantastic product to use if you don’t have time to do a wash routine but still need something to ease the dryness affecting your scalp. I have personally used it before, and it works amazingly on my kinky textured hair.
Cantu Refresh Apple Cider Root Conditioning Rinse
We all have heard of Cantu, and their products seem to be the buzz of the town. Cantu has created all kinds of moisturizing products, but their increasingly popular product is their apple cider root rinse.
This root rinse is a mimic of the DIY apple cider rinse that people often use to alleviate dryness. However, it’s stronger than the DIY version due to the amount of apple cider vinegar that they add to their product. It’s just enough to be useful but not enough to be harmful. ACV has been known to destroy bacteria that clog hair follicles and reduce itchiness. It’s a fantastic product to, use at home but without the proper measurements, it can be harmful. This Cantu product can help curve that, and the great thing is, it only costs $5. You can get it anywhere from your local drugstore.
BrioGeo Scalp Revival Conditioner
This product is on the pricey side, but it is worth it. This conditioner is infused with both charcoal and
peppermint oil. It smells exactly like thin-mints, and it fees like a dream. This product was created for people that suffer from chronic flakiness, dryness, and itchiness. It’s a relatively new product, but so far the reviews have been spectacular. It is potent enough to ease your scalp issue but gentle enough where it won’t strip your hair of its necessary nutrients. Also, did I mention it feels like a dream? It has that tingly feeling that can also be soothing at the same time.
What If It’s A Scalp Condition?
A scalp condition is much different from suffering from a dry scalp. Some of the most common scalp conditions include Scalp Psoriasis, Eczema, and Tinea Capitis. Scalp Psoriasis is a skin condition that can be severed if not treated. The most common symptoms of scalp psoriasis are itchy, crusty sores that show up around the perimeter of the scalp and on the neck. Sometimes, the signs are not so visible and show up as dryness and itchiness. The itchiness leads people to scratch which can lead to an infection if not halted before it begins. Eczema is another common cause of a dry, flaky and itchy scalp. It can also cause dandruff, so if you do have this, expect white flakes. This condition is usually caused by an overproduction of sebum, which is a naturally produced oil. Tinea Capitis is the least common out of the three mentioned. It’s a fungal infection that can spread quickly if not treated. It’s also reasonably contagious. The symptoms of this infection mimic the signs of the conditions as mentioned above. However, due to its aggressiveness, it’s usually easy to spot. It can cause
hair loss and scarring and severe damage to the overall health of your hair. Luckily, it’s relatively easy to treat and get rid of.
Consult With A Dermatologist
There are plenty of medicated treatments you can use to help you maintain or rid yourself of these scalp conditions. However, the first thing I’m going to suggest is that you consult with a dermatologist. A professional will be able to help you understand whether you’re just suffering from some seasonal or chronic dryness or if you have an actual condition. Then after determining the root of your issue, they’ll be able to lead you in the right direction when it comes to medication. Some of the standard products used for these conditions include
Selsun Blue, Selenium Sulfide, and generic Psoriasis Shampoo. All of these may be able to help you, but you won’t know until you talk to a dermatologist. If you don’t think you have a scalp condition, then refer to the products listed above.
What To Take Away
When it comes to a dry scalp, there can be a lot of causes for your dry scalp. If you want to get down to the bottom of your issue quickly, you should consult with a profession such as a dermatologist or a general physician. A professional will be able to let you know what your condition is and give you the proper treatment. If you don’t think you have an issue but want to alleviate some persistent dryness, then try the conditioners listed above. There are plenty of products out there so you may have to go through some trial and error. The ones listed above are the ones in high demand right now and based on my personal experience they work well. Our lifestyle choices can also affect the condition of our scalp so be mindful of that before applying a lot of product. It is necessary for your scalp to have moisture for your hair to grow and thrive. Take care of it by conditioning, and maintaining your moisture. If you’ve tried any of the products listed above, let us know! We love to hear feedback!
