What should you know about head dandruff?

Dandruff involves shedding of scalp skin and may leave white or grey flakes on hair and clothing. The scalp can feel itchy, tight, or oily, but it does not have to look severely inflamed. Seborrheic dermatitis can produce a more irritated scalp with greasy scale and may affect the ears, eyebrows, or face as well. Psoriasis, contact irritation, and fungal conditions can resemble dandruff, especially when scale is thick or treatment fails.

Wash the scalp regularly and massage shampoo gently into the skin. If flakes persist, use a suitable medicated shampoo according to its instructions, including any recommended contact time. Rotate or change products only with a clear reason, since frequent switching can make it difficult to judge what helped. Limit scratching, rinse out styling products carefully, and pause anything that causes burning or a rash. Improvement may take repeated applications rather than one wash.

See a clinician for painful or bleeding areas, pus, thick crust, marked redness, or patchy hair loss. Arrange an assessment if itching disrupts sleep, scale extends beyond the hairline, or an appropriate shampoo has not improved the problem. A new rash after hair dye or a styling product deserves review because contact dermatitis may need a different approach.

Does this look like dandruff or seborrheic dermatitis? Which medicated shampoo ingredient is suitable for me? How often should I use it, and when should I return if the itch or flakes continue?