Dandruff vs Dry Scalp: What's The Difference?

Dry scalp vs dandruff

Our scalps need care the same way the rest of the skin on our body does. It can help to think of scalp care in the same way you approach your skincare for facial complexions. We cleanse to remove impurities, exfoliate to clear dead skin and moisturise for hydration. Your scalp needs all these supportive steps too, and if compromised and unbalanced, common concerns like dandruff or dry scalp can result (which can also spell bad news for hair follicle growth). Let’s take a closer look at each.

What is a dry scalp?

A dry scalp is exactly what it sounds like. Just the same as dry skin on face, scalps can become imbalanced and lose important water content. If this happens, the area of skin around the scalp can become dry, resulting in the following appearance and feeling:

• Discomfort or tightness
• Dry hair
• Small flakes which are white in appearance (similar to dead skin build-ups on face)

What is dandruff?

One of the main differences between dandruff vs dry scalp is that dandruff is viewed as a medical condition, whereas dry scalps result when skin is dehydrated. Because of this, it’s always recommended to speak to a healthcare professional. Dandruff can range in severity, but features tend to be more noticeable than a dry scalp:

• Tenderness across the scalp, eyebrows and beard
• Larger white or sometimes yellowish dandruff flakes that sit higher in the roots of hair
• Sometimes, redness in skin

Causes of dandruff vs dry scalp

Though the signs can overlap, the causes of dandruff and dry scalp are distinct. Dandruff and dry scalp are often mistakenly associated with poor hygiene, but it’s important to remember that both these concerns can affect anyone (and can be due to a whole range of triggers).

• Dandruff causes

Oiliness, stress, dryness, and yeast imbalance can all contribute to dandruff. Overwhelmingly for adults, dandruff occurs as a result of yeast interacting with oil on the scalp, which can trigger an overproduction of skin cells and result in a build-up of visible flakes. To find out more, check out our comprehensive guide to dandruff causes.

• Dry scalp causes

Unlike dandruff, a dry scalp results from external and behavioural stress. Dehydration in skin occurs when moisture content becomes imbalanced, leading to a lack of essential water across skin layers. Moisture content can be impacted by dry and cold weather conditions, sun damage and behavioural triggers such as excessive hair washing.

How to care for dandruff vs dry scalp

An uptick in gentle and loving attention will help to address and improve both dandruff and dry scalp concerns. Once you’ve established whether you’re experiencing dry scalp vs dandruff, you can implement targeted haircare into your routine to regain scalp strength and balanced hydration. The Kérastase range of tailored hydrating and anti-dandruff haircare products are developed with skincare ingredients to improve clarity, shine and hair growth at a deep level.

Dry scalp haircare

If you have dry scalp, dandruff-like flakes can appear. Resulting from an increase in dead skin cells on the surface, these small white flakes can be cleared through effective exfoliation and rehydration. Try adding the following steps into your dry scalp routine: