Dry or Oily Dandruff? Differences and Treatment

Have you ever seen white flakes in your hair or on your shoulders? You probably have dandruff, one of the most common scalp conditions. At FarmaciasDirect, we explain how to recognise the differences between dry and oily dandruff, how to prevent it and what the best pharmacy treatment is.

What is dandruff?

Dandruff is a scalp condition that consists of excessive flaking as a result of the cell renewal process becoming altered. This causes dead skin cells to appear and build up until they form a plaque.

How do I know if I have dandruff?

Sometimes it is not easy to distinguish dandruff from other scalp problems. That is why, if you have dandruff:

• You may see white flakes stuck to the scalp or falling onto your clothes.
• You may experience itching.
• You may feel a sensation of tightness on the scalp.
• There are usually periods when the flakes are visible (flare-ups) and others when they are not.
• It often appears in association with periods of stress, changes of season or dietary changes, for example.

Types of dandruff

Did you know there are different types of dandruff? Being able to tell them apart is important in order to choose the right treatment. Do you want to know how to tell whether you have dry or oily dandruff? We will show you how to understand the differences between them, taking into account the appearance of the flakes and how they behave.

Dry dandruff

Dry dandruff is characterised by small, white or greyish flakes. When you shake or move your hair, the flakes fall onto your clothes. It may also cause itching.

It is linked to dry or normal hair, harsh shampoos, very hard water or aggressive styling products.

Oily dandruff

Oily dandruff is characterised by large white or yellowish flakes. These flakes appear stuck to the scalp, so they do not fall away when the hair is touched or moved. They tend to appear mainly around the hairline, at the nape of the neck and behind the ears. Intense itching and possible irritation are common.

It is associated with oily scalps, where naturally occurring fungi grow out of proportion and cause inflammation. That is why oily dandruff is a form of seborrhoeic dermatitis of the scalp.

Prevention of dry and oily dandruff

There are different ways to prevent the appearance of dry and oily dandruff:

• Lifestyle habits are key in preventing flare-ups: a balanced diet, physical exercise, hydration and stress control.
• Avoid aggressive styling products.
• Do not scratch the scalp.
• Use specific products suited to your condition and the state of your scalp.

Treatment for dry dandruff

Because dry dandruff is linked to dry scalps, we recommend a treatment shampoo that can hydrate the area and restore its physiological pH.

At FarmaciasDirect, we recommend shampooDucray Kelual Squanorm Dry Dandruff, formulated with glycerine, which nourishes and repairs the scalp barrier function, and probiotics that help restore balance in the area.

Treatment for oily dandruff

To treat oily dandruff, we need to bear the following in mind:

• We need to control sebum production on the scalp by using a sebum-regulating shampoo.
• We carry out a micro-exfoliation to remove the flakes.
• We use an antifungal to slow the proliferation of fungi, as these cause inflammation.

In this case, we recommend the shampooDucray Kelual Squanorm Oily Dandruffto treat this scalp condition. It contains bisabolol to reduce redness, monolaurin to regulate scalp sebum and probiotics to rebalance the health of the area.

During a flare-up, whether you use the Kelual Squanorm shampoo for dry or oily dandruff, it should be applied following the 2x3=6 rule, which means:

• Apply the product to the scalp and massage for 2 minutes using your fingertips.
• Do this 3 times a week.
• The treatment should last for 6 weeks.

Once the flare-up is over, these dandruff shampoos should be used as maintenance once a week in the same way.

If you need to wash your hair more frequently, add a balancing shampoo or a mineral shampoo that does not alter the scalp.

When to see a doctor

If dandruff and its symptoms persist or get worse, you should consult your doctor so that you can use other treatments if necessary:

• Support with ketoconazole or ciclopirox olamine, which are active ingredients with antifungal properties.
• Corticosteroids to treat inflammation.

If you have any questions, remember that you can contact our team of expert online pharmacists.