According to my dermatologist, dandruff can develop at any time in a person’s life. In a lot of cases, it's the result of an overgrowth of a particular yeast naturally found on the scalp called malassezia furfur. In my case, it was brought on by an intense case of contact dermatitis that flared up my childhood eczema and left me with a new chronic condition - dandruff.

Like most, my first stop was Google where I found a hoard of advice on the application of oils like sweet almond oil, jojoba oil and tea tree oil directly onto the scalp to treat flakiness. After three weeks of putting my faith in the internet I decided to cut my losses. Directly applying oil to my dandruff ridden scalp was notably making my condition worse and during a phone call to my dermatologist, I was quickly educated on my mistake. 

Oils actually create damp or moist environments optimal for yeast growth. A lot of the time, it even masks the condition, making it difficult for the individual and even health professionals to assess just how bad things are.

Alternatively, my doctor recommended I try medicated shampoos like Nizoral and Neutrogena T-gel. While Nizoral was extremely drying and far too strong for my sensitive scalp, Neutrogena T-gel brought significant improvement to both my itching and flaking. 

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Final Thoughts

What I took away from my experience is an understanding of dandruff as a truly chronic condition. This means there isn’t a wonderful fix-it-all solution (honestly, is there ever?) and most people affected by it will continue to experience the condition for most, if not all, of their adult life. So, instead of looking for an oily band-aid to cover things up as they arise, it’s best to build a daily or weekly routine that manages and minimises flare-ups. 

For those already in the know this may not sound that revolutionary but WASH YOUR HAIR ON A REGULAR (even weekly) SCHEDULE. Some of you might be wondering, why aren’t people already doing this? I blame the mainstream narrative of how to take care of curly/coily hair to which, I can admit, I fell victim. Some self-proclaimed “gurus” recommend washing your hair just once a month to minimise manipulation. On reflection, this is crazy when you think about how much sweat and dirt is accumulated on your scalp. Washing your hair simply helps prevent product build up guys, which is arguably one of the biggest inhibitors to moisture retention and styling. 

If my scalp does begin to get flaky mid week, I apply a topical leave in treatment. These types of products generally provide a variety of solutions like helping to dislodge the flaky skin, lubricate my scalp, treat the yeast growth and soothe the itchy feeling. I've tried a range of products but some of my faves are Eucerin DermoCapillaire Scalp Treatment and Living Proof Revitalizing Scalp Treatment.