General issues concerning the hair and scalp are hair loss, fungal infections, disorders causing itching, dandruff, scaling, and dry scalp.
Dandruff and Dry Scalp are the most common and have almost similar symptoms, like having a falling flake and a dry & itchy scalp, but both are very different issues.
Key Takeaways
- Dandruff is a scalp condition caused by excessive shedding of skin cells, often due to a yeast-like fungus called Malassezia.
- Dry scalp results from a lack of moisture. It leads to itchiness, tightness, and flaking skin.
- Treatments for dandruff and dry scalp differ: dandruff requires anti-fungal shampoos, while dry scalp benefits from moisturizing treatments.
Dandruff vs Dry Scalp
Dandruff is characterized by white or yellow flakes of dead skin that appear on the scalp. It is caused by an overproduction of yeast on the scalp that leads to excessive skin cell turnover and flaking. A dry scalp is a condition where the scalp lacks moisture resulting in itching, redness, and scaling. Factors like harsh shampoos, cold weather, and genetics can cause it.
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In Dandruff, excessive skin oil on the scalp turns red and scaly, termed seborrheic dermatitis in medical terminology. This further causes the yellow or white scales to flake off from the scalp.
In Dry Scalp conditions, too little moisture is left in the skin, because of which skin becomes irritated and flakes off.
Comparison Table
| Parameter of Comparison | Dandruff | Dry Scalp |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Dandruff happens due to the excessive oil in the skin that causes excessive shedding of yellow or white scales, i.e. dead skin cells from the scalp. | Dry Scalp starts when a little moisture is left in the skin. Skin becomes irritated and itchy, and small white flakes fall off. |
| Main Cause | Excessive oil in the skin. | Dryness happens due to a bit of moisture left in the skin. |
| Exposure Limitation | Caused by recurrent exposure to intense heat or cold conditions. | Caused by excessive intense heat or cold conditions. |
| Accompanied By | Dandruff can occur on any body part where oil glands are. | Dryness on the entire body. |
What is Dandruff?
Dandruff is caused when the body’s oil glands start producing excessive oil, which also gets over-produced on the scalp.
This excessive oil makes the skin oily, red, and scaly, which further makes the dead skin known as dandruff flakes.
Dandruff flakes are more significant than dry scalp flakes and quickly shed off. Generally, they are white but can have a yellowish tinge and appear very oily.
The person suffering from dandruff also has itchiness on their scalp, which may worsen if the person scratches the same as it may cause bacterial infection. Thus, creating a possibility of infecting the scalp badly with fungal infection too.
Flakes are very well visible on the shoulders of the person when they scratch the scalp.
Many parts of the body shed dead skin cells; the same happens with the scalp. But this process gets faster or speeds up when oil secretion becomes more.
People with sensitive skin or a very oily scalp are more prone to Dandruff problems. Recurrent exposure to intense heat or cold conditions can also cause Dandruff.
If the condition is not severe, it can be treated using any Anti-dandruff shampoo as per skin type, but if it is severe, then to treat the same, one needs to consult a dermatologist.
What is Dry Scalp?
We all know moisture or oil makes the body’s skin more soft and supple, but it becomes dry when there is too little oil or moisture left in your skin.
This also stands true for the scalp as it becomes scorched, irritated, and flaky if moisture in it is too little, which causes Dry Scalp.
Many factors may cause Dry Scalp, such as dry or cold air leaving the skin moisture-less due to the winter season, dehydration, excessive washing of hairs, use of wrong shampoo products, or any fungal infection on the skin like eczema.
People with dry skin are more prone to the Dry Scalp issue. Flaking, itching, irritation, and dry hair are common symptoms of a Dry Scalp.
Generally, small and white flakes on Dry Scalp look somewhat similar to dandruff flakes, but these flakes are not as oily as they are in Dandruff.
One should not scratch the scalp if itching happens as it can sore the scalp with skin redness and scabs under the hair.
If you have mild dryness on your scalp, limiting hair wash using a gentle shampoo and quality moisturizing conditioner with lukewarm water, not too hot or cold, can help.
But if the condition is severe, then consulting a dermatologist is suggested.
Main Differences Between Dandruff and Dry Scalp
- Dandruff happens when excessive oil is produced by the oil glands of the scalp skin, whereas Dry Scalp happens because there is too little moisture left in the skin.
- The process of producing oil in the skin becomes speedy in the case of Dandruff, which further increases the dead skin cells known as flakes, whereas in a Dry Scalp, no oil production happens, and flakes are part of dry skin only.
- Dandruff flakes are larger, whereas Dry Scalp Flakes are smaller in size.
- Dandruff flakes quickly shed off when one scratches the scalp, whereas Dry Scalp flakes don’t shed off quickly, but scratching makes the scalp sore.
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022202X15525864
- https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/82696555.pdf
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3129121/
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Piyush Yadav has spent the past 25 years working as a physicist in the local community. He is a physicist passionate about making science more accessible to our readers. He holds a BSc in Natural Sciences and Post Graduate Diploma in Environmental Science. You can read more about him on his bio page.
