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IS CURLY HAIR MORE PRONE TO DANDRUFF?

Curly hair brings some unique challenges, including the way you approach dandruff.

Curly hair is formed by the shape of the follicle that the hair comes out of.

For straight hair, these follicles are symmetrical, but for curly hair they are asymmetrical, shaped like the letter “J.”

This shaping of the hair is reinforced in the clumping of certain proteins on the inner side of curly hair.

Its structure gives curly hair some unique properties. Your scalp’s natural oils have a hard time working their way down the shaft of curly hair, which can cause your hair to dry out.

At the same time, grease can get trapped on your scalp, especially since people with dry, curly hair tend to choose styles that can be worn for multiple days between shampoos.

In an indirect way, it’s this build-up of grease that causes dandruff to appear worse.

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Dandruff and curly hair

Dandruff is caused by the microbe Malassezia globosa.

We all have this fungus, but for some this can cause dandruff as their body reacts strongly to the presence of oleic acid – a substance produced as the microbe digests natural scalp oils.

This causes all the itching, flakes and dryness of dandruff.

Luckily, there is an easy fix.

More about the cause of dandruff

Getting rid of dandruff from your curls

Head & Shoulders shampoo, is specifically formulated to fight dandruff and has been proven to help:

  • get rid of flakes¹

  • stop itching²

  • moisturize your hair and scalp

  • remove excess oil and oleic acid

There’s also ultra-moisturizing shampoos like our Moisture Care Shampoo which not only treats the symptoms of dandruff but gives you all the nourishing moisture you expect from a beauty shampoo.

More hair care tips and advice

¹ visible flakes with regular use ² associated with dandruff

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