White flakes on your shoulders or at the root of your twists: dandruff is one of the most common complaints on curly and coily hair. But treating it wrong makes it worse. The first question is always: is your dandruff dry or oily?
Dry dandruff
Small, fine, white flakes that fall easily. The scalp feels tight and may itch, especially after washing. It often comes from a scalp that is stripped: harsh shampoos, too-frequent clarifying, heat, cold weather, or simply a naturally dry scalp, which is common with coily hair because sebum struggles to travel down the curl.
What helps: gentler cleansing, spacing out clarifying washes, hydrating the scalp itself (not just the lengths) with light oils or a soothing lotion, and drinking more water than you think you need.
Oily dandruff
Larger, yellowish, greasy flakes that stick to the scalp and the hair. The scalp looks shiny, may be red in places, and often itches a lot. This is usually seborrheic dermatitis: an overgrowth of a yeast that naturally lives on the skin and feeds on sebum. Heavy oils and butters, infrequent washing and covered styles make it flare.
What helps: the opposite of the dry type. Wash more often, not less. Stop putting oil on the scalp. Use a targeted anti-dandruff or antifungal shampoo on the scalp, leave it on for a few minutes before rinsing, and keep protective styles clean.
The trap
Many people with oily dandruff treat it as dryness: they add oil, wash less, and it gets worse. Others with a dry scalp use aggressive anti-dandruff shampoos meant for oily scalps and strip it further. Looking closely at the flakes and the scalp is what tells us which one you have.
When it is not dandruff
Thick silver scales in defined patches, flakes with hair loss, or a scalp that bleeds easily can be psoriasis, ringworm or another condition. These need a doctor, and we will say so.
Get a clear answer
Our diagnosis examines your scalp, identifies the type of dandruff and its triggers, and gives you a routine with the right products, whether they come from our shop or not.
