Dr Anjali Mahto, from the British Association of Dermatologists, tells
Scratching can disrupt the oil layer and add fungus to the scalp. Both of these are factors in dandruff and can trigger flaking. The skin sheds to get rid of the irritant or foreign object, and scratching just adds more of that. If you're wondering, is it bad to scratch dandruff, this should help you out.
Picking at a scab on the scalp does not always cause hair loss. However, it could cause the scab to take longer to heal or lead to an infection. If a person has a skin picking disorder, repeatedly picking at the scalp can cause scarring, discoloration, or disfigurement.
Massaging your scalp regularly can help in dandruff removal, relieve stress, and even treat alopecia. Pamper your hair and mind occasionally by massaging with anti-dandruff shampoo while taking a bath as it is a more effective way of enhancing and alleviating other scalp conditions as well.
When you scrap away the skin on your scalp, you risk exposing it to infection and making your dandruff worse. If you feel the urge to scratch, use your time to the shower to gently massage your scalp instead. This will give you some relief and not disturb your scalp as much.
Unlike true dandruff flakes, however, the flakes associated with dry scalp tend to be smaller and whiter. Dandruff flakes are larger and may be yellow-tinged or look oily. While both dandruff and dry scalp tend to come and go, dandruff that is due to a fungal infection is unlikely to get better without treatment.
For mild dandruff, first try regular cleansing with a gentle shampoo to reduce oil and skin cell buildup. If that doesn't help, try a medicated dandruff shampoo. Some people can tolerate using a medicated shampoo two to three times a week, with regular shampooing on other days if needed.
Moreover, if you have an itchy scalp as a result of your dandruff then scratching could further damage the hair, causing split ends and breakage more easily. So if you have dandruff, while your hair may grow at the same rate, the hair that grows is likely to be less healthy and more prone to damage and breakage.
Not only does your scalp have a plethora of sweat glands, but it also has an abundance of sebaceous (oil) glands, which produce oily sebum. Have you ever scratched your scalp and noticed white, waxy buildup under your nails? That's sebum mixed with dead skin cells.
BRUSHING YOUR HAIR REGULARLY STOPS DANDRUFF
Brushing your hair can help the skin cells on your scalp to shed naturally, and also spreads natural oils evenly down the hair. However, since dandruff results from an overproduction of skin cells, brushing your hair more won't solve the root cause of dandruff.
Dandruff may have several causes, including: Irritated, oily skin. Dry skin. A yeastlike fungus (malassezia) that feeds on oils on the scalps of most adults.
Cold Water
Keeping this in practice helps you close the cuticles that you expanded earlier with warm water, while also sealing the moisture in. Moreover, it can also be deeply relaxing for your scalp skin after all that dandruff itching it's been through.
Dandruff is not caused by poor hygiene, although it may be more obvious if you do not wash your hair regularly. Stress and cold weather may also make dandruff worse.
In winter, our bodies face freezing temperatures and blasts of central heating. This fluctuation in temperatures dries out the scalp, leading to flaking. Don't forget, you could also suffer from flaking in the summer.
Massaging the scalp has many more important effects than you would imagine. As well as the relaxation benefits that it brings, scalp massage can also do your hair the world of good. So there's no excuse for depriving yourself! The scalp is a delicate layer of skin that your hair grows through.
Does Hot Water Cause Dandruff? Hot water itself doesn't cause dandruff, but it can strip the scalp of its natural oils, leading to dryness and potentially worsening dandruff symptoms. It's advisable to use lukewarm water when washing your hair to prevent excessive drying of the scalp.
Dandruff itself does not cause hair loss. However, severe dandruff can cause a person to scratch their scalp so hard that they injure it. Repeated inflammation in the hair follicles can cause damage and scarring, slowing or stopping hair growth. This can cause weak or thinning hair.
Itching: Like lice, dandruff can be itchy, but it is usually not as intense as the itching caused by lice. The drier the scalp, the more dandruff will usually itch. When you have dandruff, your scalp generally feels either very oily or very dry.
The simple answer to this is - No, dandruff is not a fungus by itself. However, dandruff is caused by the presence of a naturally occurring fungus. It's important to understand the role this fungus plays in your body's ecosystem before you try to use a dandruff remedy on your head.
Fortunately, getting rid of dandruff and helping prevent it in the future, is easy with Head & Shoulders. The active ingredients in Head & Shoulders' anti-dandruff shampoos work not only to remove flakes, but also provides an invisible, protective barrier to keep your scalp healthy.
Try not to scratch if flakes itch. You won't end the flaking and you may cause bleeding or hair loss, making the problem worse.
Dandruff is typically characterized by large, oily flakes that are white or yellow and tend to stick to your hair or scalp. These flakes are often accompanied by a oily scalp, persistent itching, and sometimes redness. In more severe cases, scaly patches may appear.
Head lice are tiny dark bugs that live on human blood and produce yellowish-brown or white nits (eggs). Nits can look similar to dandruff but, unlike dandruff flakes, are hard to pull or flick off your hair. Both dandruff and head lice can cause an itchy scalp and a crawling feeling.