Dandruff – how to ease it

Discover what causes dandruff, and the simple steps you can take to reduce symptoms of flaking skin on your scalp, along with itching and inflammation.

What are the symptoms?

What causes it?

Self-care tips to help

When to see a doctor and getting a diagnosis

What are the treatments?

Dandruff is the name for dead skin flakes on your scalp and in your hair. It’s common, and can have various underlying causes, but can usually be managed simply at home with medicated shampoos.

Dandruff involves dead skin flaking from your scalp. It can be itchy, and is often visible in your hair, especially if you have darker hair, or if flakes fall onto your shoulders. Dandruff is very common – it’s thought to affect up to 50% of people at some point. 

It isn’t contagious or linked to poor hygiene. But many people with dandruff find the condition embarrassing. Some research has even linked it with lower quality of life, reduced sleep quality, and appearance anxiety. Fortunately, it can often be managed at home, so read on to find out more about what causes dandruff, and how to deal with it. 


## What are the symptoms?
The look and feel of dandruff can vary, depending on the underlying cause. The main sign is skin flaking away from your scalp, but you may have other symptoms, including:
- a dry, itchy scalp
- a sore and inflamed scalp
- yellow or crusty scales on your scalp
- oily scalp and hair.

You may find that dandruff comes and goes, flaring up at certain times – for example, in cold weather, or when you’re stressed.


Get help with this

## What causes it?
There are a number of potential causes of dandruff. The most common include: 

- seborrheic dermatitis, a common skin condition that affects areas of your skin where oil glands are most active. It’s thought that it may be connected to overgrowth of a yeast that lives on everyone’s skin, although other factors may also be involved. Dandruff is seborrheic dermatitis of the scalp, but you may also have itchy, flaky patches of skin on other parts of your body, including your face and behind your ears
- [contact dermatitis](https://www.livehealthily.com/health-library/conditions/eczema-contact-dermatitis), a reaction to products such as hair dye, sprays, and mousses, resulting in red, irritated skin
- [ringworm](https://www.livehealthily.com/health-library/conditions/ringworm), which causes a red or silver rash on the scalp, sometimes with hair loss
- [eczema](https://www.livehealthily.com/health-library/conditions/eczema-atopic) – dry, inflamed, flaky, itchy skin, which may also occur on other parts of your body
- [psoriasis](https://www.livehealthily.com/health-library/conditions/psoriasis), which causes sore, crusty patches of skin, covered with silvery scales.

Anyone of any age can develop dandruff, but it typically starts in young adulthood, and may continue into middle age. It’s slightly more common in men.

Other health conditions, including depression, epilepsy, and Parkinson’s disease, are linked with a greater risk of dandruff. But in most people, dandruff isn’t connected to an underlying illness. 

## Self-care tips to help
You can usually treat dandruff yourself at home, whether or not you know the cause. The main treatment is anti-dandruff shampoo, which you can get from a pharmacy or grocery store. There are different types, based on ingredients that help tackle fungus, flaking, and itching, such as: 

- salicylic acid
- coal tar
- zinc pyrithione
- ketoconazole
- selenium sulphide 

You may need to try several different shampoos to find the 1 that works best for you. Make sure you follow the directions – otherwise, treatment may not be effective. Your pharmacist can advise you on choosing a shampoo, and explain how to use it if you’re unsure. 

Alongside anti-dandruff shampoo, you could consider trying other measures that may help, including: 
- washing your hair regularly, and rinsing it well to thoroughly remove all shampoo and conditioner
- avoiding products or items that may irritate your scalp, such as hair dyes or nickel-based hair clips
- avoiding hair care products that contain scalp-drying alcohol
- protecting your scalp from the sun (especially if you’re using an anti-dandruff shampoo containing coal tar)
- finding ways to manage your stress levels
- minimizing hair product use to avoid build-up on your scalp.


## When to see a doctor and getting a diagnosis
Most people don’t need to see a doctor about dandruff, but make an appointment if:
- you still have symptoms after using anti-dandruff shampoo for 1 month
- your dandruff is severe
- your scalp is very itchy, swollen, and/or red
- you have patches of itchy and flaky skin on other areas of your body.

Your doctor will ask about your symptoms, and check your scalp to look for skin conditions that could be causing your dandruff.


## What are the treatments?
Your doctor can prescribe stronger treatments to help ease your dandruff and prevent future flare-ups. These may include prescription-strength shampoos, and/or a steroid lotion. Always follow your doctor’s directions – if you don’t use treatment regularly enough, or stop it too soon, the condition may flare up again. 

Once symptoms have cleared, you might need to carry on using the treatment regularly to help prevent dandruff coming back. Dandruff often needs to be managed in the long term, but fortunately, usually responds quickly to treatment.


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References

Chantelle Pattemore

Charlotte Haigh

Dr Tamer T Malak

Article information

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