Here is a loop worth escaping. You see white dust on your shoulders, buy the strongest medicated shampoo on the shelf, and two weeks later it is worse. That happens because dry scalp flakes and dandruff are different problems, and the treatment for one aggravates the other.
Telling them apart
Dandruff: bigger flakes, sometimes yellowish and slightly greasy between the fingers, oily scalp, roots that go flat quickly, steady itching.
Dry scalp: small, white, powdery flakes that fall easily, a tight feeling, often dry skin on the arms and shins too, and — the giveaway — an itchy scalp after washing rather than before it.
A one-move test: run a fingertip across your scalp a day after washing. A film of oil means dandruff. Rough, papery dryness means the other thing.
What causes it
There is no yeast overgrowth here. The lipid barrier of the skin has been damaged, and the causes are mostly environmental or self-inflicted:
- Washing too often, or with a harsh, high-foam shampoo
- Hot water in the shower
- Dry indoor air — central heating in winter, air conditioning in summer
- Cold wind and hats worn all day
- Medicated anti-dandruff shampoo used "just in case"
- Hard water
- Naturally dry or atopic skin
How to treat a dry flaky scalp
- Stop the medicated shampoo. Selenium sulphide and salicylic acid are drying by design.
- Switch to a mild formula with gentle surfactants and humectants — glycerin, panthenol, betaine, niacinamide.
- Turn the water down. Warm, not hot, with a cool final rinse.
- Wash less often, but do not stop washing; scale and product still need removing.
- Add scalp hydration — an alcohol-free serum or tonic with panthenol and aloe, applied to the parting.
- Try a pre-wash oil once a week, an hour before shampooing, massaged in lightly.
- Fix the air. A humidifier in winter does more for a dry scalp than most products.
Expect the tightness to ease within a week or two, and the flaking a couple of weeks after that.
Do not
Scrub with salt, use alcohol-based tonics to "dry it out", or double-shampoo until your hair squeaks. Each one strips the barrier you are trying to rebuild.
When to get it looked at
If a month of gentle care changes nothing, or you have redness, cracking, crusts, flaking on the face, or shedding alongside it, book an appointment. Eczema, psoriasis and seborrhoeic dermatitis all masquerade as dry flaking, and you should see a doctor or trichologist for significant hair loss regardless.
Faberlic's ranges include mild shampoos and sensitive-scalp care, including the plant-based Botanica line — see the current catalogue on faberlic.com. For related routines, see the haircare guide.