Is Dandruff Causing Your Hair Thinning?

Most people experience dandruff on their scalp at some point in their lives. Men seem to be affected by dandruff more than females.

While dandruff causes flakes and itchiness, does it actually cause hair thinning and loss? 

Let's explore.

What Causes Dandruff?

Experts believe that dandruff is caused by an increase in the fungus (yeast) that feeds on the sebum on your scalp. Conditions such as seborrheic dermatitis, eczema and psoriasis can cause more severe forms of dandruff. An imbalance of  bacteria on the surface your scalp may also contribute to dandruff.

Common symptoms of dandruff on your scalp are flakes and itchiness. Dandruff also has an emotional component - it's embarrassing to see flakes on your clothes.

If you don't wash your hair regularly, natural oils, dirt and product buildup on your scalp can cause dandruff to worsen.

Dandruff affects men more than women. Experts believe that male hormones on the scalp may have a part to play in dandruff. 

Does Dandruff Lead To Hair Loss?

Mild forms of dandruff, while annoying, do not lead to hair thinning or hair loss.

Seborrheic dermatitis can causes red, flaky, patchy and inflamed skin. Since seborrheic dermatitis can cause inflammation in your scalp, this can negatively affect hair growth and cause hair loss.

Many forms of dandruff also cause itching and scratching. Scratching can lead to hair loss. In certain cases, excessive scratching can damage the hair follicles, causing scarring and permanent hair loss.

While dandruff usually doesn't directly cause hair loss, inflammation and excessive scratching can lead to hair loss.

How To Treat Dandruff On Your Scalp?

A clean scalp is extremely important for healthy hair growth.

There are many options available to treat dandruff. These consist of natural at-home remedies, over the counter shampoos, stronger prescription based shampoos and medicated creams.

At FullyVital, we recommend using a natural approach to treat your dandruff first. Most shampoos contain harmful chemicals that damage the cells in your scalp, contain known endocrine (hormone) disruptors or chemicals that can increase risk of cancer.

Here is an ideal at-home natural remedy for dandruff. Mix 7 parts organic natural oil (coconut or olive), 1 part thyme essential oil, 1 part clove essential oil and 1 part sea buckthorn oil. Leave on scalp for 1-2 hours and then shampoo off. Use this treatment 2x per week to see results.

If you are not seeing significant improvements using the natural route, then you can add anti-dandruff shampoos. After using the oil mixture on your scalp for 1-2 hours, you can shampoo with an anti-dandruff shampoo.

Look for shampoos containing zinc pyrithione, selenium sulfide or ketokonazole. You can try using Ketaconazone 2% (available by prescription), or over the counter selenium sulfide shampoo or a pyrithione zinc shampoo like Head & Shoulders.

Pro tip: the natural approach is enough in most cases. If you still see significant dandruff after a couple of weeks, you can pair the natural approach with an anti-dandruff shampoo for a few weeks.

If your dandruff is excessive, we recommend seeing a dermatologist who can prescribe stronger treatments to reduce dandruff and flakes.

Key Takeaways

To maximize your hair health and hair growth, it is important to maintain a clean scalp. While dandruff does not directly cause hair thinning, it can lead to inflammation or scratching which could cause hair loss.

If you notice dandruff or scales on your scalp, take action to address it quickly. Do not scratch your scalp and pull out flakes as this can damage your hair follicles and lead to permanent hair loss.

In most cases, you can address dandruff naturally. But if you are experiencing severe dandruff, go see a dermatologist. They can examine your scalp and prescribe appropriate treatment.

To make sure you are able to regrow any hair that might have been lost due to dandruff, make sure to get our fully natural hair growth system for thicker, stronger and fuller hair.