Dry scalp can occur when the skin on your head loses too much water or moisture. The condition can cause itching and flaking. The skin on your scalp gets irritated and flakes off.
The good news is that dehydrated skin and scalp, and thereby dry skin and scalp, can be vastly improved by increasing the amount of water you consume.
When you don't drink enough water, the scalp can become dry and damaged, causing flaking, itching, scratching…even broken skin. This weakened skin is less effective as a barrier between you and your environment.
Tangling, knotting, frizz, dullness, breakage: these are all signs of very dehydrated hair. The good news? There are easy ways to treat and prevent not just the annoying symptoms of dryness, but the dry, dehydrated hair itself.
Lack of essential vitamins and nutrients in your diet, more commonly, vitamin B6 and B12, can cause the scalp to become dry. This is because a nutrient-deficient scalp isn't able to produce enough sebum.
Soap, detergent, stress, and changes in the weather can cause dry eczema patches to form on your scalp. You may also have dryness on your hands, elbows, face, and on the backs of your knees. Avoid harsh shampoos or other products that trigger your symptoms.
Vitamin A for dry hair and skin
Sebum is essential for keeping the scalp moisturized, which in turn keeps hair moisturized and healthy. However, try to avoid consuming more than the daily recommended amounts of vitamin A as overdosing on the vitamin can cause hair loss too.
Dry scalp can become a chronic problem that not only causes an itchy scalp and flakes but can also lead to thinning hair and hair loss.
The most common problems are dryness, flakes and itching. Signs of a dry scalp include unpleasant itching, a feeling of tension after hair washing, and clearly visible flakes. In the case of a very dry scalp, fine white flakes of dry skin may develop and fall from the hair.
But while dandruff is related to seborrheic dermatitis, dry scalp is simply related to your skin losing too much water. This can happen when you're not getting enough fluids. But, it can also happen from some hair products that you might be using on your scalp that may be stripping your scalp of its natural oils.
Scalp issues
While itchy and flaky scalp are result of dandruff in hair, seborrheic dermatitis might also spread to face, chest and groin. Having a healthy and nutritious diet can actually help in getting rid of such scalp issues. Low levels of Vitamin B2, B6 and B3 and zinc are major reason for scalp issues.
Washing your hair dries the skin, so if you suffer from a dry scalp, you should keep the hair washing to a minimum. Washing hair daily is too often for both your hair and scalp. Washing your hair a couple of times a week is more appropriate.
Our skin glands produce less sebum making our tresses feel perpetually dry. Having low hair porosity or even high hair porosity and using the wrong products can also contribute to having dry hair, even when using a conditioner. Low porosity hair is hard to hydrate while high porosity hair loses moisture easily.
What can cause sores or scabs on the scalp? Sores or scabs on the scalp are often harmless and clear up on their own. However, they can sometimes be a sign of a condition that may require treatment, such as psoriasis, contact dermatitis, or head lice.
Oestrogen stimulates the body's production of oils, which keeps the scalp naturally moisturised. As oestrogen levels decline, the body produces fewer oils, and the scalp can become more prone to dryness and itching.
Dry scalp can be a sign of not getting enough essential fatty acids in your diet. Omega-3 fatty acid rich foods may include fatty fish, flaxseeds, canola oil, soybeans, pumpkin seeds and walnuts.
Biotin. Biotin, also known as vitamin B7, is a complex B vitamin that is often touted for having hair growth benefits. And some of that hype may actually be worth it. Biotin has functions in “creating red blood cells, which carry oxygen and nutrients to the scalp and hair follicles,” says Dr. Green.
Using products that are designed to nourish the scalp and hair can definitely speed up this process, but on average you'd be looking at six months to a year to fully see a difference in your hair's condition.