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The hidden dangers of scraping Off Dandruff you don’t know about!
If you believe you can scrape off dandruff to get rid of it, then let me correct you, you cannot. Nobody likes to have white flaky pieces of skin on their scalp or their hair or worst on their shirts. However, the effects of scraping are pointless as it only offers temporary satisfaction. You are not eliminating the rooted reason for dandruff in the first place, which tends to be dry skin.
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Is it good to scrape off dandruff?
The short answer: no. I would highly discourage using your fingernails, comb, or anything else to scrape head flakes from your scalp. All that will do is irritate the skin on your head and basically scratch it raw. As a result, causing your scalp to become infected, hence worsening your dandruff.
To learn more about why this causes more harm than good, and how you can really cure it, keep on reading.
What is dandruff scraping?
The simplest way to explain what’s dandruff scraping is to describe the action of clearing hair flakes from the head. Scraping dandruff is when a human nail or a foreign object is used to scratch flakes off the scalp. The dangerous practice often does little to rid the head of scalp chips.
According to Dr. Anjali Mahto, author of The Skin Bible, said in rare cases the damage from picking the scalp of dandruff may be irreversible. She goes further and explains “the itchiness is initially caused by irritation from dandruff, but scratching will increase irritation and lead to a vicious cycle.”. It’s best not to scrape dandruff of the scalp at all but instead massage the head with your fingertips.
Why shouldn’t you scrape off dandruff?
Dandruff is flaky skin that can fall onto your shoulders or collar… Let’s be frank, brushing it off in front of people is embarrassing. There’s an absurd new trend on the internet where people are scraping dry skin off their scalp, and unaware of the side effects.
It can be really enticing to pick and scratch dandruff from your head, and difficult to resist sometimes. However, your scalp has dandruff because of inflammation. The more you pick your head flakes and scratch it, the more you increase the inflammation and the dryness, sometimes even resulting in wounds and scabs.
High inflammation may start leading to hair loss, not to mention how many germs you can introduce to your scalp through your nails or other scraping tools.
So scratching is a big NO! But rest assured, there are several accurate solutions present on the internet that can help you get rid of dandruff.
What causes dandruff?
Research shows us that men are more prone to dandruff in comparison with women. This is because the male scalp produces more sebum.
But what are the controllable causes of dandruff? Why do we even get worse dandruff in the first place? If we can cut down the root causes, we might be able to get rid of them for good.
What is the white stuff I can scrape off my scalp? (sebum)
The white crust that is easily visible on low haircuts is called sebum. It is an oil (or grease) deposit that comes from natural scalp secretion. However, normal grooming such as brushing, and combing could spread it throughout the head, so it doesn’t create the oil buildup.
The top causes for dandruff are as listed below.
- Dry skin – dry skin is one of the most fundamental causes of hair flakes, what we’ll call the root cause of dandruff. Your scalp will become red and irritated, especially during winters when your whole body is dry from the cold weather and needs to be oiled and moisturized.
- Insufficient shampooing – Not shampooing enough, besides being unhygienic, can also be a cause of dandruff. What happens when you do not shampoo?
Oil accumulates and builds up on your skin, which leads to flaking on the head. Make sure that you are using a shampoo that is strong enough to break down the oil barrier that is contributing to your dandruff. The amount of shampoo being used should be enough to cover your hair as well as the scalp. You can purchase a bottle of BIOLAGE Scalpsync Anti-Dandruff Shampoo on Amazon.com.
- Allergic reaction – Being allergic to certain things is quite normal. From dust to peanuts, people are allergic to a wide variety of substances.
Could an allergy to your hair care products be to blame for your dandruff? Absolutely. If your scalp feels itchy after using a hair-care product, stop using that product immediately. Often the irritation is a sign, you may be sensitive or allergic to the ingredients used in it.
Bad habits that lead to excessive dandruff on the scalp
Whenever we experience more dandruff than usual, we automatically assure it is genetics or the products we use. That isn’t always the case, in some cases, it is our own bad habits that cause the flaky scalp. Let’s take a look at a couple of things that you may be doing to cause your head dandruff.
Not Using Conditioner after washing your hair
Often one of the leading bad habits that leads to excessive dandruff is the lack of conditioner after hair washing. The absence of hair conditioner causes the scalp to become dry and irritated, leading to scalp scraping.
One of the best and most inexpensive ways to reduce the urge to scrape dandruff is to adapt hair conditioner in your daily hair moisturizing routine. It is important to condition your hair every day, regardless of how often you wash your hair… and you should always use a hair conditioner after your shampoo.
Keep in mind that conditioner enhances health by adding vitamins and nutrients to the hair and scalp and prevents over-drying. Note, hair conditioner moisturizes your scalp and hair, so use the freaking thing! You can find Oribe Serene Scalp Balancing Conditioner on Amazon.
Shampooing your hair too frequent
I am all about keeping your hair clean and keeping up with your hygiene, however, over-shampooing will cause problems. Note, shampoo’s fundamental objective is to remove grime, product buildup, and excess build-up. So essentially, washing your hair with shampoo will cause itchy and dry scalp which may result in scraping off flakes.
The natural oil the scalp produces reduces inflammation which in turn reduces the urge to scratch dandruff off. If you are washing your hair with shampoo every day, consider limiting shampoo usage to avoid stripping your scalp of natural oils. Instead, simply alternate the days you wash your hair by rinsing with only water.
This will not only give your scalp breaks in between washes; you’ll still be able to remove the excess buildup during rinse days… but also allow shampoo washing every second or third day.
Does getting a haircut help dandruff?
This is one of the questions that I get asked a lot “Can haircut reduce dandruff?”. Let me cut to the chase and flat out tell you “No”… If you have head flakes, cutting your hair will not solve the problem.
In fact, it may worsen the irritation and cause you to scrape off dandruff. Keep in mind, if you have severe dandruff consider contacting a dermatologist. Excessive hair flakes may be a sign of something more serious going on.
Are barbers grossed out by dandruff?
Since we’re on the topic of haircut flakes, I figure I’d give you a bonus and tackle “barber dandruff”! Another question that I am asked often “How do barbers feel about hair dandruff?”
I don’t know for sure whether or not if they’re grossed out by hair dandruff. Honestly, it solely depends on the individual barber who is cutting your hair… What I can suggest is to wash your hair and avoid picking dandruff off your scalp. This will not only get rid of some dandruff before a haircut, but it is also courteous to your barber.
Now, let’s go over how to get rid of dandruff without scraping it off.
How to get rid of dandruff without scraping it?
Now that we have discussed the causes of dandruff, let’s move towards the solutions. Not only can you improve your dandruff condition by using a good, professional anti-dandruff shampoo, you can also use simple and easy home remedies, like the following:
- Applying apple cider vinegar + water on your scalp after washing your hair. Leave it for around 15 minutes or so and then wash it off.
- Mix 2 tablespoons of coconut oil with a few drops of lemon juice. Put it on your scalp, leave it for 20 minutes, and rinse it off.
- Apply curd to your hair, and once it dries, wash it off.
- Apply yolk on your scalp and cover your head with a plastic bag. Leave it for an hour and wash your hair.
Related article: 9 Coconut oil hair mask recipes – 5 Minute DIY Treatments
Now you know that there is no need to scrape off dandruff from your scalp. Rather, by following these simple solutions, you’ll be able to free yourself of it in literally no time. It’s about time you say goodbye to your dry scalp and dandruff. Here’s to having full, clean, and dandruff-free hair!
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