Tag Archives: dry scalp causes

Dandruff or Dry Scalp?

dandruff or dry scalpLast 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.

Do you suffer from dry skin, dry scalp, or dry hair?

Dry skin, dry scalp, and dry hair are common problems that plague many individuals. Dryness on the skin and scalp can cause itchiness, rash, irritation, and even bleeding. While dry hair can cause breakage, increase risk of damage, and give a dull appearance.
Dryness of the skin, scalp, and hair can be caused by many things. Sometimes, simply changing the products we use to moisturize fixes the problem. Other times, we need to go deeper to address the root of the problem.
The best way to treat these conditions is to take a two-prong approach. In order to give your skin and scalp the nutrients they need, you should nourish from both the inside and outside.
Below I lay out some helpful tips to bring moisture and nutrients back to your skin, scalp, and hair both internally and externally to resolve your dryness issues.
Diet
Did you know your diet plays a role in the health of your skin, scalp, and hair? It’s true. If you’re missing a key nutrient from your diet, your skin and hair will suffer. Fat, a key component of a balanced diet, is essential to skin and hair health. Healthy fats come from foods like avocados, nuts, and olives. If you don’t get enough of these foods in your diet, you may suffer from dryness of the skin and hair as a result. An alternative to consuming healthy fats naturally is to take an EFA (essential fatty acid) supplement. This supplement allows you to still get the nutrients your body needs from fats without actually consuming them. EFA’s can be found at any local drug store.
Moisturizer
Different compounds of moisturizers work differently on different people. Some people’s skin or hair respond well to coconut oil based products while others see greater benefits with a Shea butter base. Try experimenting with samples of different compounds to see which moisturizer works best for your skin and hair. You may find a different combination of ingredients nourishes your skin and hair better. We recommend using a product that is organic and all-natural, like Doctor Developed’s Bye Bye Cream.