We all have had to either kindly let someone know, or have been told ourselves, to brush off that white stuff (which wasn’t snow) off a black sweater. Though it’s a mild dermatological problem, nobody likes to have to deal with a dry scalp. What most don’t know is that having dry scalp and dandruff are very different. For instance, dry scalp is caused by a loss of moisture from the skin. As a result it produces loose, white powdery flakes. On the other hand, “dandruff is a condition where flakes and patches of scalp skin (typically more yellowish in color) cling to the scalp,” described Dr. Francesca Fusco, a hair dermatologist, in an interview with Style Caster. Here are 10 more not so widely known facts about an all so common condition called dandruff.
1. It’s Not Dry Scalp, but an Actual Fungus on Your Scalp.
Before you hyperventilate, everyone has it and it’s totally safe and normal to have dandruff.
2. It Doesn’t Mean You Have Dirty Hair
As unsightly as dandruff might appear, that little fungus is not about cleanliness, but an over overproduction of excess skin.
Read Related: Smooth Operator: 5 Dry Skin Remedies to Try Now
3. It Means You Should Wash Your Hair More Often
As per Everyday Health, not shampooing enough will only make your dandruff worse and will cause more oil and dead skin cells to accumulate and therefore allow more yeast and fungi to duplicate.
4. It’s More of a Winter Thing
Dandruff cases are more severe in the winter due to dryness of indoor heat and relatively mild in the summer.
5. Unhealthy Lifestyles Make It Worse
Drinking a lot of alcohol and having stress are dandruff triggers. Regular exercise can actually diminish dandruff because it improves blood circulation, which is the key to healthier skin and hair.
6. It’s Also Caused by Saturated Fats
Diets high in saturated and trans fats cause your sebaceous glands to produce more oil, which makes dandruff worse. Eat foods high in zinc, vitamin B and plenty of fruits and veggies.
7. It’s Not Only on Your Head
From your eyebrows, to the rest of your body, dandruff can occur anywhere on the body where oil can be over produced on your skin.
8. There Isn’t an Actual Cure
Though there are plenty of special shampoos on the market for dry scalp and dandruff, there is nothing that cures it completely, but that only helps clear it up.
9. People in Their Teens Until age 50 are Hit the Hardest.
Dandruff affects more than one in five Americans and according to Wiley Online Library, it affects both genders and all ethnicities and especially in this age range.
10. You’re More Likely to Shed Hair with Dandruff
A survey found that those who suffer from dandruff shed more hair at almost double the rate that those who don’t suffer from dandruff do.
