Dry scalp and flaky skin near the front of the hairline

[SilverBullet01]

I think because of the extremely dry cold weather, I've been using very hot water in the shower.......so my scalp has been a bit dryer than normal. Especially near the front by the hairline, its got a white flaky look to my scalp and I've also noticed a very pink look to the skin around the area which also has been flaky.........

What's happening to me and what should I do? I tried tea tree oil on the flaky skin, but I don't think its helping much......

Will switching to a Selsun blue or dandruff shampoo help? What should I do about the pink flaky skin around my hairline? Any help is much appreciated. Its not itchy or irritating but it does not look good and I hate having flaking. Thank you

[rileyandrews]

I am a licensed cosmetologist and let me tell you; dandruff is caused by a FUNGUS. Dry skin & dandruff are two completely unrelated hair diseases. I have experienced exactly what you are going through right now and you must treat it as dry skin not dandruff. Selsun blue won't do you any good because it contains a medication used for treating the dandruff fungus. Head and shoulders may help because it is targeted for dry, itchy scalp. What I recommend is exfoliating your scalp & using oil treatments. I have a very oily scalp everywhere but my hairline so this may seem scary but it's not. Once a week use about 1/4 of any oil (coconut, argan, olive, avocado,etc) and massage it into your scalp. Leave overnight then shampoo and condition as normal. To exfoliate your scalp, once a week add some sugar into your shampoo and massage your scalp with it. Be sure to rinse it all out! Also, most people think that just the ends need to be conditioned and that the scalp will get too oily if you condition it. Wrong, you should apply majority of your conditioner to the middle and ends of hair but massage the access into your scalp and rinse it all out with COOL water. After showering apply a dime size amount (maybe less depending on hair length) to your hair. Work it through the ends first and massage the access into your scalp. Finally, I apply proactive to my skin which can be very stripping to any dry areas so apply a thicker lotion (vaseline, shea butter, baby cream) just to the outer portions of your face in order to protect your hairline from those stripping products. I have recommended all of these steps to many of my clients and they've all come back to me with success stories. Good luck!

[drtapark]

Sometimes the dandruff could be caused by genetics and/or    too many fabric on your head. If you wear headbands all day or a wig, then that could be the case. Other causes is that you have health problems, too many products in your hair, or not letting your hair breath. If this continues, you should see a doctor because your hair can stop growing and cause more flaking. Some solutions are getting shots in your head, use different products that guarantee the result you want, or as I said before go see a doctor. Hope this helps!

[Nanny29]

Does Ginger help with the dandruff and redness around the hairline?

[HorrorFreak]

It's happening to me as well, I have flaky stuff around my hairline and scalp, and through my hair. It shows everytime I wash and dry my hair and that's up I always have my hair up cause am embarrassed about it :( it really is ruining my life, I hardly go out because of it. I use the shame shampoo. Can anyone help? :( thanks

[tasha387]

I have the exact same problem, only that im ONLY itchy and flaky in the front of my head, above my forehead about 2 - 3 cm into my hairline. That is the only place. The rest of my head is 100%. It is irritating me so bad thats why i ended up googling it. I haven't changed my diet and i have used the same Shampoo and conditioner for years and never had a problem. I have tried a diffrent sham + Cond thinking it might be that but it still carried on. I dont use wax, gel or hairspray in my hair either. I wash my hair every 2-3 days, sometimes every night. Depending on the mood of this madussa head of mine hehe. But i really hope we find out what it is cause it just started out of nowhere... If you find anything please let me know.

[Sharan645678]

Youll be sweet

[SilverBullet01]

thank you very much. i'll try your suggestions.......however its been happening recently and i haven't changed my food habits or gels at all.........i'm even wondering why its happening recently.

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,

It can be due to dandruff which can be due to internal or external causes.

Dandruff can cause either an overly dry scalp with itchy white flakes that may be waxy or greasy, or it can manifest as an oily scalp with scales.
Internal causes include hormonal imbalance, poor health, poor hygiene, allergic hypersensitivity, lack of rest, emotional stress, excessive consumption of sugar, fat or starch and heredity predisposition.
External causes include excessive use of hair sprays and gels, improper use of hair-coloring products, cold weather and dry indoor heating, infrequent shampooing of the hair or inadequate rinsing of the scalp and hair. Sometimes it can be due to fungal infection/ring worms also.

Eat a healthy diet. You can also take vit B6 and vit A and E which are good for hair and skin. Try medicated shampoos for dandruff. There are a number of over-the-counter shampoos available that can help. The most effective ingredients -- antimicrobials -- to look for are zinc pyridinethione, selenium sulfide, sulfur and ketoconazole (also available by prescription). If your hair is colored, don't use products with selenium sulfide or sulfur.

If the symptoms persist please consult a trichologist for the confirmatory diagnosis and treatment.

Hope it helps.Take care and pls do keep me posted on how you are doing or if you have any additional queries.Kind regards.