Dry Scalp vs Dandruff - What's the Difference?

Dry scalp vs dandruff is something you must have wondered about if you’ve closely observed the symptoms. It so happens that the symptoms for dry hair and dandruff are quite similar, but the treatments are different.

It’s absolutely important to understand how you can distinguish dry scalp vs dandruff to ensure you’re using the correct treatment.

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How to tell between dry scalp vs dandruff?

First, here are the symptoms common to both conditions

1. Skin dries up
2. White flakes are formed and fall off

One of the best ways to distinguish between the two is to observe the type of white flakes that fall off when you rub/itch the dry skin.

• If the flakes are large and oily, it’s usually dandruff.
• If the flakes are small and dry, it’s usually a dry scalp.

However, it’s not enough to just know what the flakes look like to distinguish between dry scalp vs dandruff. It’s important to know what causes a dry scalp or dandruff to be able to identify each condition better.

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Why do I have dry scalp?

Dry scalp (Image via Google)

If you have a dry scalp, it’s because the body is losing moisture. It can affect any part of the skin, even your face and scalp. As a result, the skin forms white flakes and falls off. It can be triggered by cold dry air, old age, products that remove moisture, or side effects of hair products.

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Why do I have dandruff?

Dandruff (Image via Google)

Dandruff happens when the skin shreds but doesn’t get replaced as quickly. It’s caused because of a skin condition where the scalp becomes red, oily, and scaly known as seborrheic dermatitis. There’s a fungus known as Malassezia, which is usually found on the scalp that triggers dandruff.

The greasy, red, and oily scalps formed during dandruff are a result of the overgrowth of yeast.

There are certain external factors that can trigger dandruff, such as:

1. Stress
2. Medical conditions
3. Hormonal imbalance
4. Age

While dandruff causes symptoms similar to dry scalp or itchy scalp, it’s important to know the different ways to treat the two. Just because they have similar symptoms, it doesn’t mean they can be treated the same way.

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How to get rid of dandruff fast?

Treating dandruff (Photo via Unsplash/Adam Winger)

Between dry scalp vs dandruff, it’s much more important to know how to get rid of dandruff fast than knowing about dry scalp.

With a dry scalp, the idea is to put moisture back into the skin. To do that, you should gently shampoo and condition your hair, and use moisturizers. However, if nothing works, seek medical advice to rule out any medical conditions.

Coming to dandruff, you need to use an anti-dandruff shampoo which has elements such as zinc. It’s important to specifically look for one that fights dandruff. You should apply for at least a month to see results.

Additionally, a tree oil massage on your scalp can help with fighting dandruff. These oils have properties that can fight the fungus triggering dandruff!

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One of the primary reasons to distinguish dry scalp from dandruff is that treatment for one condition can enhance the other.

It so happens that oil is one of the go-to products for dry scalps. However, if you have dandruff and you mistook it for dry scalp and start oiling your hair, that could lead to more dandruff. The reason for that is yeast feeds off excessive hair oil and becomes a cause of more dandruff.

Meanwhile, if you have a dry scalp and you mistook it for dandruff and used anti-dandruff shampoo, it won't help you at all. You will still be dealing with a dry scalp that forms white flakes.

It’s not easy to distinguish between dry scalp and dandruff at first glance, but it’s essential to take your time or seek expert advice to understand what the symptoms are and begin treatment for a healthy scalp accordingly.