HAIR WAX OR DANDRUFF?
Your hair feels greasy, and there are flakes on your shoulders. But is it dandruff, or hair wax?
This is a question many have pondered. Is that sudden itch a sign of something bigger? It could be...
Even if your head is itching, it might not be dandruff. Many conditions can cause your scalp to itch, including contact dermatitis, which can occur if you’re sensitive to any ingredients in the hair care products you try.
Product build up on the scalp that isn’t rinsed out may be more likely to trigger this problem. So, how do you tell the difference?
Hair wax or dandruff?
Product build up comes from products like hair wax which have not been washed out properly.
This can happen because products like wax are not water soluble. Waxes adhere much more to the hair fibers than water-based styling gels, for example.
Telling the difference between hair wax residue and dandruff should be pretty straightforward. Waxes are designed to be soft & re-moldable, so they won’t have a flakey appearance.
Instead, when used in excess, you might see or feel a greasy build up on the hair and scalp.
Dandruff however, is characterized by large clusters of shed skin cells in your hair. The flakes can have a white or yellowish appearance.
If there are flakes appearing in your hair or on your shoulders, it’s probably dandruff – a chronic condition caused by the fungus Malassezia globosa.
Learn more: Dandruff in pictures