Last week a young man with a thick head of hair, aged 23, came into our hair restoration clinic in Orange County desperately seeking clinical help. The problem? Although he had a beautifully full head of hair, it was riddled with white flakes. He said he didn’t know where else to turn. That he is in extremely good physical and mental shape, minds his fruits and vegetables, and always practices good hygiene. His personal and professional life cause him no undue stress and he rarely, if ever, doesn’t get a full nights rest. At first he thought he suffered from a temporary bout of dandruff, but as the weeks turned into months turned into years, the presence of white flakes only grew larger and more numerous. Giving up on styling his hair because it would result in chunks of white flakes clumping up on the top and sides of his head, he turned to wearing baseball caps and beanies almost everyday. 

It’s clear: the problem our young friend suffers from is dry scalp.

While both dandruff and dry scalp display similar symptoms, they are very different in nature, and require different treatments. Dry scalp usually stems from a lack of moisture in the air. Colder and drier climates often cause the scalp to suffer as such. From there, your scalp becomes irritated, causing skin to flake and shed. If your scalp is dry, skin on other areas of your body may be as well. Dandruff, conversely, is caused by excess oil which causes skin cells to build up and, overtime, shed – or flake off.

Combating Dry Scalp with a DHT-Blocking Shampoo

The first and immediate response to combating dry scalp is to wash your hair daily with a gentle, natural and DHT-blocking shampoo/conditioner mix that 

1. Reduces the oil build up on the scalp
2. Heals inflammation and redness
3. Fights follicle miniaturization

The shampoo we stand behind and recommend is GroMD. When using GroMD’s patented DHT-blocking shampoo, the process of washing your hair is a bit different. The powerful ingredients in the shampoo need time to absorb into your hair and scalp, so it is important to let the lather sit for several minutes before you rinse out. In addition, GroMD’s DHT-blocking shampoo also acts as a conditioner. Using a DHT-blocking shampoo and conditioner is one of the best ways to deal with dry scalp, and when combined with minoxidil, pattern hair loss as well.

Dr. Amir Yazdan, MD, is an internationally renowned hair transplant surgeon, expert guest on Dr. Phil and The Doctors, creator of the GroMD hair restoration product line, ISHRS member, accredited member of the IAHRS and a visceral advocate for patient care. Learn more about Dr. Yazdan or read rave reviews from his patients.