HAIR GEL OR DANDRUFF?
Greasy-looking hair and flakes on your shoulders can be either hair gel, or dandruff. Find out how to tell the difference.
The difference between hair gel and dandruff can be hard to spot sometimes, especially if you’ve got some build up.
So how do you figure out which one it is?
How to tell if you have gel build up
Overusing hair gel or not washing it out properly is generally the cause of build-up.
Often, this can happen because products are often not water soluble, making it harder to wash them out properly.
Once gel has built up on your scalp, it can start to break down into potentially irritating substances, causing:
An irritated scalp
Dry flakes of gel and skin
Greasy appearance
There are two ways to deal with gel build up: moderation, and a deep cleaning shampoo.
Make sure that you’re washing your hair thoroughly, and go easy on the product once you’re out of the shower.
If you’re using gel every day, you may also want to wash your hair more often, to clear the old gel and any excess scalp oils that have built up underneath.
How to spot dandruff
Caused by the common microbe, Malassezia globosa, dandruff is a condition that affects half the world’s population.
It’s present on everybody’s scalp, but for the unlucky 3 billion people who are sensitive to it, it causes dandruff.
This usually displays itself with one or more of the following symptoms:
An irritated scalp
Dry flaky skin
A red or itchy scalp
With white flakes being the most visible sign, it’s easy to get them confused with build up – so how do you tell the difference.
Read more: The causes of dandruff