It's called “dandruff” (pityriasis capitis) when it's on a teenager's or adult's scalp, and “cradle cap” when it's on a baby's. Seborrheic dermatitis can occur in other areas of your body.
The scalp produces a natural, waxy oil called sebum from glands beneath the skin. Some people produce more of this oil than others. Sebum plays an important role in protecting your skin from infection and helping keep it moist. However, when the body produces too much sebum, it can build up on your scalp.
What Does Sebum Buildup Look Like? Sebum buildup appears as white or yellowish oily residue on the scalp. It sometimes produces flakes on the scalp and may be mistaken for dandruff, scalp eczema, or psoriasis.
Calcium deposits in the skin often seem to occur without warning. These bumps might be a sign or symptom of a medical condition. The primary symptom of calcinosis is the appearance of firm, pimple-like bumps or nodules on the skin that are white or yellow.
Thinning hair, excessive shedding and hair loss, constant itchiness, oiliness, flakes, redness and irritation—these are all signs that your scalp is in poor condition.
WHITE: This is the ideal colour. If it's translucent with no flakes, not oily or dry and slightly soft to the touch, it's perfectly healthy!. But this may change with age and changes in diet and lifestyle, so always be mindful. YELLOW: You may have overactive sebum secretion clogging your follicles.
Washing your scalp with warm water is the first step in removing sebum clogs from your head. After that, use a gentle shampoo and massage your scalp with your fingertips. This aids in the removal of all hardened and dried sebum from the scalp. Sebum build-up occurs on the scalp rather than on the hair strands.
Have you ever scratched your scalp and noticed white, waxy buildup under your nails? That's sebum mixed with dead skin cells. It's hard for shampoo alone to wash away your oily scalp issues. And issues like stress and weather can increase the scalp's sebum production, making you even oilier.
Do your best to resist the urge to touch your scalp, especially if it's already itchy. Scratching can increase irritation and lead to a vicious cycle. When you touch and scratch, you can also introduce dirt into the mix that can make dandruff worse. Find the right shampooing balance for your scalp.
Bumps on the scalp can result from a variety of health issues, such as acne, eczema, psoriasis, pilar cysts, hives, or ringworm. Some causes of bumps, such as skin cancer, require urgent medical attention. But often, a person can address the issue at home.
“A healthy scalp should be clear of flakes and irritation or redness, and it should be free of dryness, or any signs of infection, or disruption of the skin on the scalp.” Any itchiness, irritation or burning sensations might be signs of an unhealthy scalp.
How often you use a scalp cleanser will depend on several factors (i.e., hair type and condition), but you should generally do it every seven to 10 shampoos.
When shampooing, concentrate on scrubbing the scalp — but not too hard. Scrub moderately, enough to rub in the soap, but not so hard that you're irritating your scalp. The irritation can overstimulate your glands and cause them to make more sebum. Rinse thoroughly before getting out of the shower.
If you're having a hard time understanding whether you have fine or thin hair (or both), the best thing to grab a handful of hair in your fist, if it's long enough. Then looking in the mirror, look at the roots. If you can easily see your scalp through the hair, it's thin. If you can't, it's medium or thick.
Dandruff and seborrheic dermatitis
These are the most common reasons for an itchy scalp. “Your body's inflammatory response to an overgrowth of yeast causes the itching and flaking associated with these conditions.
The NCBI also shares that scalp care is essential in preventing diseases of the scalp and hair. So, as you may have guessed, using a scalp moisturizer is an important part of any hair care routine. If you don't moisturize your scalp, everything from dryness and dullness to dandruff and an itchy scalp can occur.
A sebum plug can look like a tiny bump under the surface of the skin or it may stick out through the skin like a grain of sand. When a sebum plug forms, bacteria that normally lives harmlessly on the surface of your skin can start to grow within the follicle. Inflammation follows, causing a breakout.
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.
So, the best way to comb your hair with dandruff is to comb or brush it evenly throughout your hair. Doing this regularly will help you get rid of dandruff and give you naturally shining hair!
Understanding Dandruff
Dandruff flakes are actually dead skin cells that naturally fall off the scalp — more so if you scratch. Many people think that a dry scalp is synonymous with dandruff, but either a dry scalp or an overly oily scalp can cause excess cells to clump and fall off, forming dandruff flakes.
Do your best to resist the urge to touch your scalp, especially if it's already itchy. Scratching can increase irritation and lead to a vicious cycle. When you touch and scratch, you can also introduce dirt into the mix that can make dandruff worse.
Dandruff results from the abnormal proliferation of a micro-organism from the Malassezia family, which is a yeast. This phenomenon causes skin cells in the epidermis to renew much too quickly. They appear in clumps on your scalp, forming large dandruff or patches that fall off or become sticky.