Project Description
What’s the Difference Between Dandruff, Psoriasis and Dry Scalp? If you have a dry itchy scalp, one of the first steps in treating it will be diagnosing it. That way, you can better understand the underlying cause of the problem and decide on the best course of action for treatment.
Some common conditions associated with a dry scalp are dandruff and psoriasis. In some cases, your scalp may simply just be dried out. But how can you tell which is causing your dryness and flaking?
Read on to find out more about these three scalp issues and their possible remedies.
Dry Scalp
A dry scalp is characterized by skin that gets irritated and flakes off. Common causes include cold and dry air and the use of irritating haircare products. It can also be a symptom of aging. A dry scalp is characterized by small flakes, an itchy scalp and dry skin on other parts of your body. Also keep in mind diet and hydration play a huge role in how your scalp feels and looks. If you have a dry itchy scalp, try drinking more water. Cut out sugary drinks and alcoholic beverages. Since smoking causes oxidative stress on the body, it can also lead to a dry itchy scalp. Our recommendation would be to cut out all of these factors, and if the problem persists, you may have a deeper underlying condition. Talk to your primary care physician about it!
Dandruff
Dandruff is caused by too much oil on the scalp. The excess oil causes skin cells to build up and shed. The underlying cause of the oil build up is seborrheic dermatitis, a condition that makes the skin oily, red and scaly. It can occur on any part of the body where you have oil glands including your eyebrows, groin, armpits and on the sides of your nose. It manifests on the scalp as cradle cap in babies and dandruff on older individuals.
A fungus called Malassezia can also trigger dandruff. It is common for people to have this fungus on their scalp but those who have too much of it will experience skin cells that multiply and fall off at a faster rate than usual. Malassezia can be a symptom of age, stress or a hormone imbalance. One way you can tell if you have dandruff, as opposed to a dry scalp, is that the flakes will be larger in size and may be yellow or white. You also may have oily, red scaly skin in the affected area. Unlike a dry scalp, dandruff is not typically accompanied by dry skin on other parts of the body.
Psoriasis
Psoriasis can affect several parts of the body but when it affects the scalp, it can be difficult to differentiate it from dandruff or a dry scalp. However, unlike other scalp issues, it may appear as a thick, inflamed, reddish patches that can be very itchy. Often, the skin becomes so dry it cracks and bleeds. Psoriasis is a chronic condition. It is long lasting as opposed to dandruff or a dry scalp condition that may come and go. Psoriasis may spread forming patches that can creep past your hairline to your forehead, the back of your neck and the skin around your ears.
It may also appear on other parts of your body. Unlike dandruff or dry skin, psoriasis is an autoimmune disease. Autoimmune diseases occur when the immune system falsely identifies healthy parts of your body as foreign and potentially harmful and attacks them. In the case of psoriasis, white blood cells that should fight off diseases attack your skin cells instead.
What’s the Difference Between Dandruff, Psoriasis and Dry Scalp? The Treatments for Scalp Conditions
Psoriasis is a serious disease and those that are dealing with it are advised to seek the help of a medical professional. He or she may recommend treatments like light therapy, creams, medications and biological treatments. Dandruff can be treated in several ways. Although there are natural home remedies that may be effective, most will use a specialized shampoo to help relieve itching and flaking. In rare cases, when dandruff is persistent, you may want to go to a medical professional for a prescription formula. Dry scalp, however, is often easier to treat. There are several home remedies that can be used, or, in some cases, simply switching hair products can eliminate symptoms. However, one haircare remedy that is gaining attention for its ability to treat a dry scalp is CBD.
CBD for Dry Scalp
CBD is a THC free cannabis constituent that has been known to provide health benefits. It is recommended for stress and pain relief. It is also often used in haircare products to boost the health of the hair and scalp. CBD works for a dry scalp in several ways. It has moisturizing properties that penetrate the scalp to prevent dryness and flaking. It is also promotes good blood circulation soothing irritated, sore follicles that may be affected by a dry scalp. CBD can also control sebum production to reduce buildup that can result in itching and flaking. If you are looking for CBD products to treat your dry scalp, the EMERA brand is highly recommended.
Now that you know the difference between Dandruff, Psoriasis and Dry Scalp. You can find a solution tto help treat it! EMERA is brought to you by Earthly Body, a company known for providing all natural skin and hair care products you can trust. The EMERA company provides a wide variety of CBD hair care products including conditioners, shampoos, serums, detanglers and scalp therapy. Not only do their products contain nourishing CBD, they also contain other natural ingredients that can improve scalp health. These include:
Avocado oil – Helps stimulate blood flow and unclog hair follicles.
Green tea – Penetrates the hair follicle to protect it from bacteria.
Peppermint tea – Soothes blood vessels and boosts blood flow in the scalp.
Menthol – Works as soothing agent and an anti-inflammatory to relieve a dry, itchy scalp.
Lemongrass – Reduces the growth of bacteria and fungus to relieve dryness and itching.
Even though all of EMERA’s can promote relief of a dry scalp, their Scalp Therapy formula is highly recommended. It is deeply penetrating, and it works to calm and nourish the scalp to relieve inflammation and promote health. The product is particularly effective when paired with EMERA’s massage technique. A dry scalp can be a source of discomfort to say the least. If you have a dry scalp, it’s important to determine the cause of the problem and go from there in deciding on the best course of action. We wish you the best of luck on your journey to finding the products and treatment that are right for you. Click on the banner below to start shopping some products that have helped dozens of customers. Check out our products here.
