Seborrhoeic dermatitis
Greasy, yellowish flakes on a red, itchy scalp, often with the same thing at the eyebrows, the sides of the nose or behind the ears. This is what most dandruff actually is.
Dandruff treatment in Chennai
Persistent flaking is usually seborrhoeic dermatitis, not a dry scalp. A yeast that lives on everyone's skin — Malassezia — overgrows where there is oil, the scalp reacts, and the surface sheds in flakes with itch and redness underneath. Chennai's heat, humidity and sweat feed it. Washing less makes it worse, because the oil it feeds on stays put.
Which type do you have?
Identifying the type matters, because each is treated differently.
A genuinely dry scalp
Small, fine white flakes with tight, itchy skin and no redness. Usually from over-washing, harsh shampoo, hard water or air conditioning — and it gets worse, not better, on an anti-dandruff shampoo.
Scalp psoriasis
Thick, silvery scale in well-defined plaques that often extend past the hairline onto the forehead or behind the ears. A different condition with different treatment, so it needs identifying rather than shampooing.
A reaction to something you are using
Flaking, itch and sometimes swelling that began after a new hair dye, oil, keratin treatment or shampoo. The fix is finding the culprit, not adding another product on top.
What causes it
- Overgrowth of Malassezia, a yeast that lives on everyone and feeds on scalp oil
- Heat, humidity and sweat — helmets and caps trap both
- Washing infrequently, which leaves the oil the yeast lives on
- Hair oils left on the scalp overnight, which feed it in susceptible scalps
- Harsh shampoos and over-washing, which irritate the skin and worsen flaking
- Stress, illness and poor sleep, which are recognised flare triggers
What actually helps
Use the medicated shampoo properly
The active ingredient matters — ketoconazole, zinc pyrithione, selenium sulphide or coal tar — and so does contact time. Most people rinse it straight out. Work it into the scalp rather than the hair, and leave it on for a few minutes before rinsing.
Wash more often, not less
Skipping washes is the commonest mistake. The yeast feeds on scalp oil, so leaving the oil there feeds the problem. Washing more frequently with the right shampoo is what brings a flare down.
When shampoo is not the answer
Thick silvery plaques extending past the hairline, a scalp that is weeping or crusted, patchy hair loss with broken hairs in a child, or flaking that started immediately after a hair dye. None of those is ordinary dandruff and each needs a diagnosis before any treatment.
Plan for it coming back
Seborrhoeic dermatitis is relapsing. It is controlled rather than cured, so a workable plan includes a maintenance wash once the flare settles and instructions for when it returns — which it will, usually with heat, stress or a change of season.
Treatments we use for this
Common questions
Is dandruff caused by a dry scalp?
Usually the opposite. Persistent flaking is normally seborrhoeic dermatitis, which needs oil to thrive — which is why oiling the scalp and washing less commonly make it worse. A genuinely dry scalp gives fine white flakes without redness, and it is much less common.
Does dandruff cause hair loss?
Not directly, and it does not cause pattern baldness. Inflammation and scratching can increase shedding while a flare is active, and the hair usually recovers once the scalp settles. If thinning continues after the flaking is controlled, something else is going on.
Can dandruff be cured permanently?
No, and anyone promising that is overselling. It is a long-term relapsing condition that responds well to treatment and then returns when maintenance stops. Realistic control — long clear stretches and short, manageable flares — is the goal.
Should I stop oiling my hair?
Oiling the lengths is fine. Leaving oil on the scalp overnight is what tends to feed a flare, so during one it is worth stopping. Once the scalp has settled, most people can go back to oiling if they wash it out the same day.
This page is educational and does not replace an in-person consultation. Medical disclaimer · How we write our content
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