If you are wondering whether a dry scalp causes hair loss, you are likely experiencing symptoms such as tenderness, irritation and scalp itching even after washing your hair. You are also likely to see white flaking, which might make you part of the 42% of the population who experience dandruff or seborrheic dermatitis [1].
Furthermore, a dry scalp can affect the appearance of your locks. You may be experiencing dry, brittle hair that breaks off easily and flat, lacklustre tresses. But can your dry scalp cause hair loss? And if so, is there anything you can do to prevent and treat it?
There are several ways in which your dry scalp can cause your hair to fall out. But fortunately, these can usually be prevented or reversed with proper hair care. Keep reading this article to find out more about:
A dry scalp is characterised by flaky, itchy scalp skin. The most common symptom is dandruff: white or grey flakes that are visible in your hair. These flakes are dead skin cells that have shed.
The skin on your scalp is similar to that on other parts of your body, except it is thicker, has larger hair follicles, and has more sebaceous glands [2]. These glands produce sebum, an oily substance that coats your scalp and hair, moisturising and protecting them.
When sebum production is too high, your scalp can get too greasy, your hair follicles can get clogged, and you can develop a yeast infection on the scalp, such as dandruff or seborrheic dermatitis.
However, when your scalp doesn’t produce enough sebum, the natural oil in your hair is stripped off by overuse of hair products with harsh chemicals, or your scalp is suffering from common scalp problems, and it can become too dry.
A healthy, well-moisturised scalp should match the colour of the rest of your skin and look clean and smooth. You should experience no discomfort while touching it and no scalp tenderness when you move your hair.
A dry scalp, however, can look reddish, irritated or inflamed. It can feel rough, scaly or bumpy, and it may produce flaking. You may experience itchiness, tenderness, tightness or a burning sensation on your scalp. Dandruff is a key symptom of a dry scalp.
Generally, a dry scalp won’t cause hair loss or hair thinning. But the two may be linked in other ways:
There are a number of things that can dry out your scalp and lead to hair loss. Here are some of the most common.
Similar to dandruff, seborrheic dermatitis is a yeast infection caused by the fungus Malassezia. While this fungus thrives on an oily scalp, it can eventually cause dryness.
Main symptoms: Once it has set in, it causes scaling and flaking of the scalp, irritation and inflammation, which can lead to scalp dryness [3][4].
Treatment options: Antifungal medications, such as ketoconazole, zinc pyrithione, coal tar and even natural remedies, such as tea tree oil, can improve its symptoms. However, once you have seborrheic dermatitis, it is likely to flare up again over time.
Atopic dermatitis (also known as eczema) is a generally inherited condition which occurs in people with sensitive skin.
Main symptoms: When it flares up, it causes patches of dry, itchy, inflamed skin on your scalp [6].
Treatment options: There is no cure for eczema, but you can keep the symptoms under control with steroid creams for hair loss, anti-allergy medication and skin/scalp moisturisers.
Scalp psoriasis is an autoimmune condition. Patches of red, thickened skin develop on and around your scalp (including the neck, forehead, and ears). These may be sore and/or itchy.
Main symptoms: It is characterised by dead skin buildup on your scalp, which forms thick, inflamed, dry plaques with silver-white flaking [7].
Treatment options: Psoriasis often responds well to steroid creams (in more advanced cases, steroid injections may be necessary), emollients, and phototherapy. However, while you can keep it under control when it flares up, psoriasis has no permanent cure.
This scalp condition is caused by a fungal infection. It is contagious and can be passed on through direct contact with someone who already has it.
Main symptoms: Scalp ringworm can cause round, inflamed, dry bald patches on your scalp, as well as redness, tenderness and severe itchiness [9].
Treatment options: Since it is a fungal infection, ringworm can often be easily treated with antifungal creams or medicated shampoos. If the problem persists, you may need oral treatment, such as fluconazole or itraconazole.
This is a form of scalp damage from unprotected overexposure to the sun. These are often precancerous lesions so it is a good idea to get them checked out by a dermatologist and to shield your scalp from direct sunlight or UV radiation (e.g. tanning beds) in the future.
Main symptoms: This condition can manifest as dry, hyperpigmented, scaly patches of skin [10].
Treatment options: Some forms of actinic keratosis respond to prescription creams and gels, but others require cryotherapy (freezing the keratoses off the scalp) or surgical removal.
One of the primary causes of a dry scalp is the excessive use of hair products which contain harsh chemicals, such as hair bleach, dye, glycolic acid for hair growth or even shampoos with powerful detergents. These chemicals strip the protective oil from your scalp. Also, overuse of chemicals such as bleach and dye can cause hair loss.
Using heat styling and blow drying on your hair too frequently can dry out the moisture from your scalp and hair, leaving them brittle. Learn more about how heat styling leads to damaged hair.
Too much sunlight isn’t good for your hair. Being out under the hot sun for too long with no UV protection can remove the moisture from your scalp, leading to a dry scalp and summer hair loss.
Lack of air moisture, which usually occurs in hot, dry summers or in winters when people spend a lot of time inside, surrounded by artificial heating, can also dry out their scalp and hair.
Some people have underactive sebaceous glands, producing less sebum than normal. This leaves their skin and hair drier, and they require additional moisturising to compensate.
Very restrictive diets or eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa can lead to hair loss and a dry scalp, as they are deprived of the necessary nutrients to remain healthy and produce the necessary protective oils.
If you want to prevent your scalp from becoming dry, the best thing you can do is adopt healthy hair care practices and make some light lifestyle changes.
The best way to ensure that your scalp gets the moisture it needs is to use essential oils for hair growth. They contain fatty acids and vitamins which keep your hair nourished and hydrated. And if you use some of the best hair growth oils (e.g. rosemary oil, black seed oil or pumpkin seed oil), you may even experience an increase in hair density with consistent use.
Contrary to popular belief, washing your hair every day will not make it fall out. In fact, regular hair cleansing is great for your scalp health, and less frequent shampoo washing is associated with an increased risk of dandruff [13].
Image Source: https://karger.com/view-large/figure/11355860/000512786_F03.jpg [13]
This graph shows the relationship between wash frequency and dandruff, itch, and dryness. As you can see, these symptoms are more common with infrequent washing, which shows that washing your hair daily can protect you from dandruff [13].
The most common dandruff treatment is the use of anti-dandruff shampoo, containing antifungal ingredients such as zinc pyrithione (ZPT) and octopirox [14]. Most of these shampoos effectively resolve dandruff symptoms but can often worsen your hair condition [14].
These anti-dandruff formulations can also come as creams or lotions containing similar active ingredients [15]. A well-known anti-dandruff shampoo called Nizoral can also treat hair loss. If you’re also experiencing hair shedding, you may benefit from special shampoos for hair loss, too.
One study investigated anti-dandruff shampoos containing either 1% ketoconazole, 1% piroctone olamine, or 1% zinc pyrithione. Men with pattern baldness, telogen effluvium and dandruff used these shampoos 2-3 times per week for six months. Results showed that all three types of shampoo cleared dandruff and reduced hair shedding by the end of treatment [16].
Using an electric hair straightener or a curling iron can help create fabulous looks. However, the heat can also dry out your hair and scalp. Blow drying often on a high heat setting can have the same effect. So if you want to prevent a dry scalp that causes hair loss and not have to fix heat-damaged hair, it is best to try no-heat replacements whenever possible (such as heatless hair curlers or air-drying your hair).
Many commercially acclaimed shampoos contain substances that can dry out your scalp, such as silicates, salt, parabens, and harsh detergents. Reading the label carefully and opting for the best shampoos for dry hair, with gentle, moisturising ingredients, can significantly improve your scalp dryness.
Always use conditioner after washing your hair, as it can help keep your hair moisturised, strong and easy to detangle.
You may be aware that smoking can cause hair loss, but it can also make your scalp dry through similar mechanisms. Smoking causes dehydration, which can affect your entire body, skin and scalp included. Then, since nicotine is a vasoconstrictor, it shrinks the small blood vessels in your scalp, preventing sufficient blood flow to it and depriving it of nutrients.
Moreover, smoking causes inflammation in your body, which can trigger flare-ups of scalp conditions that can affect scalp health and moisture levels (e.g. scalp psoriasis, eczema).
It is always a good idea to protect your skin from the sun and your scalp makes no exception. While you can’t apply sunscreen on a head full of hair, you can always wear a light hat or cap for UV hair protection. This is not only to protect you from a dry scalp that may cause hair loss but also to prevent actinic keratosis or skin cancer.
Drink plenty of water throughout the day, especially if you are outside in hot weather or have been engaging in strenuous physical activity. Avoid drinking dehydrating substances, such as alcohol. This will not only keep you healthy and help you avoid heatstroke, but it will also help keep your scalp and hair well-hydrated.
Emotional stress may aggravate the symptoms of dandruff [17]. Acute or chronic stress can also cause hair loss, specifically telogen effluvium [18] and aggravate hair loss conditions such as androgenetic alopecia or alopecia areata [18].
Fortunately, it’s possible to regain hair loss from stress. If you’re going through a challenging time, consider stress-relieving strategies to reduce hair loss and prevent dandruff.
Normally, a dry scalp should soon resolve as long as you are keeping it moisturised and hydrated, using good styling practices and having an adequate hair care routine. As a result, it’s often possible to treat a dry scalp at home.
However, if this dryness is caused by an underlying scalp condition, it may require medication to treat. So you may want to consider:
If you would like to know more about how to get rid of the dry scalp that may be causing your hair loss, check out our list of the 25 most effective dry scalp treatments. You will discover more information about the main types of medications used to treat dermatological conditions that may be causing your problem. And we also provide our recommendations for the best conditioning and moisturising hair products that can give you a healthy scalp and beautiful hair.
Once your scalp problems are properly treated and your dry scalp is regularly moisturised and provided with a proper care regimen, the hair loss may resolve itself and your locks could look happy and healthy once more.
If your scalp dryness improves, but you are still experiencing hair loss, it may be due to a different underlying cause. The most common types of alopecia are:
Since these conditions can get worse if left untreated, It is a good idea to book a consultation with a hair doctor from the first signs of hair thinning and balding. They will perform all the necessary diagnostic trichology tests to determine if it was indeed your dry scalp causing your hair loss or if it has an unrelated cause.
Once they have uncovered the root of your hair woes, they are likely to recommend hair growth medication (such as Minoxidil or Finasteride) or therapies (such as dermarolling for hair growth or red light therapy for hair growth).
Discover more about the relationship between dry scalp and hair loss by reading the answers to these frequently asked questions:
No, scalp dryness isn’t among the most common reasons for hair shedding. While it can lead to hair loss under certain circumstances, the shedding is most often caused by an underlying condition or poor hair styling practices that also dry out your scalp.
No, your scalp should not dry out with frequent washing if you use a gentle shampoo formula. Just remember to always condition your hair after washing it and use a moisturising mask or hair oil for extra nourishment and hydration.
If your scalp dryness is caused by your lifestyle choices or hair styling practices, it can be easy to treat it with home remedies. Simply applying moisturising hair masks or essential oils on your hair roots should help you recover your scalp health in the short run. But in the long run, you will need to make the necessary adjustments to ensure that your scalp gets the proper nutrition and care.
However, if your hair loss is caused by a type of alopecia or a scalp condition, you may need to see a hair doctor for the appropriate diagnosis and treatment.
No, unlike seborrheic dermatitis, dandruff does not normally cause a dry scalp, but it is a key symptom. Since dandruff is a scalp condition that involves flaking and itching, it can occur when you have a very dry scalp.
In general, dandruff itself doesn’t directly cause hair loss. However, the underlying condition causing it may also be the reason your hair is falling out. Poor scalp health associated with dandruff and seborrheic dermatitis may cause premature hair loss in some cases [5]. If you have severe scalp itchiness, you may scratch it hard enough to damage hair follicles, which could cause some hair breakage [6] but not complete baldness.
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