It can be quite daunting once you catch the sight of those pesky little white flakes on your hair or clothing. But having an itchy scalp is just as daunting, not to mention uncomfortable and bothersome because it is an early sign that you have dandruff, even if you do not see visible flakes yet.
Having dandruff may not seem like an issue, but it can cause quite an inconvenience and can also lead to more severe hair problems if left untreated. Find out what causes dandruff and itchy scalp, so you'll know what to do to treat these conditions.
What Causes Dandruff?
There are a lot of causes to dandruff. For one, having oily and irritated skin can lead to an imbalanced microbiome that's associated with dandruff. If there's an excessive oil buildup on your scalp because of infrequent hair washing, there's a chance that your scalp will start to feel itchy soon. Other causes include having dry skin as well as an irritated and sensitive scalp, and even a yeast-like fungus (Malassezia) that feeds on oil on the scalp.
Common Symptoms of Dandruff
The first tell-tale sign of having dandruff is having an itchy scalp. That's how you can typically tell that there's an onset of dandruff, even if you're not one to usually get dandruff. Another common symptom, which would follow the itchiness, is the visible flakes of dead skin that you may even see on your clothes. Other symptoms that may signal much severe dandruff conditions include having scaly, red, or crusty scalp.
How to Treat Itchy Scalp and Prevent Dandruff
There are a lot of ways to remove and also prevent dandruff and an itchy scalp. It begins with choosing the right hair products, and then building on a proper hair care routine that would ultimately prevent dandruff from ever coming back.
- 1
Use specialized anti-dandruff shampoo and conditioner
One of the easiest ways to treat itchy scalp quickly is by using a specialized anti-dandruff shampoo and conditioner combo and sticking to it. Try CLEAR Cool Sport Menthol or CLEAR Deep Cleanse and see which one is more suitable for your hair type. Both of these shampoos are formulated with Triple Anti-Dandruff Technology that aids in activating your scalp protection to resist, remove and prevent dandruff, as well as get rid of the itchiness. One of the formulae contains niacinamide (Vitamin B3), which is known to relieve itch.
- 2
Limit exposure to sun and high humidity
Having high exposure to UV rays can lead to weaker scalp and cause dandruff. If you live in a place with high humidity and extreme heat, this can be a problem, especially if you don't wash your hair that often. The key is to not let UV rays and other elements like dirt and pollutants weaken your scalp barrier.