Men often complain of dandruff problems and thinning hair. Although they don’t necessarily go hand in hand, the way that some men decide to treat their hair loss problems can actually make their dandruff problems worse. While these two issues don’t share a common cause, they are somewhat intertwined as per the effects they have on each other.
Thinning hair is related to issues affecting your hair, whereas dandruff affects the skin on your scalp, but the way you handle your thinning hair problems have an influence on your dandruff related issues as well.
In this context, the most common example that dermatologists mention is the case when men who are prone to dandruff often panic when they notice that their hair is starting to shed and think it has something to do with the frequency at which they wash their hair. Therefore, they decide to quit washing their hair as often as they should. Dermatologists believe that this is actually a mistake, and if you’re dealing with dandruff problems, you should wash your hair every other day or even every single day. Washing your hair every day may seem counter-intuitive, but in fact, it doesn’t make a difference in terms of hair loss. It’s natural to lose some amount of hair with each washing. If you stop washing it for days in a row, you’ll just find more hair in the shower when you do decide to resume your hair washing. Thus, hair fall will not stop if you don’t wash it, it only accumulates.
You should not skip washing your hair thinking it will slow hair loss, because it doesn’t. What it does is that it worsens your dandruff situation.
While the exact cause of dandruff is still to be elucidated by trichlogists, some hair loss medications can cause it. For example, minoxidil is used to treat thinning hair, but one of its side effects is dandruff-like flaking. The alcohol content in this medicine can cause your scalp to dry out and prolonged treatment can lead to the appearance of dandruff. Switching to another type of medication, using anti-dandruff shampoos can help get rid of the problem. If dandruff problems become severe, a prescription steroid cream is prescribed.
Dandruff is viewed by dermatologists as a mere cosmetic disease, with no serious implications. It’s not contagious and it’s not a risk factor for other diseases. Leaving it unchecked, however, can lead to an itchy and inflamed scalp that can cause temporary hair loss. An anti-dandruff shampoo will clear this issue and your hair will usually grow back.
If your hairline is receding from natural causes, there may be some good news if you have dandruff as well: dandruff tends to strive in areas where there is hair and it is less frequent in areas without hair.
If you notice those white little flakes in your hair, make sure you buy a shampoo specialised in treating this problem, and don’t skip shampooing out of fear that it may cause you to lose more hair – it’s simply not the case!