Trying to figure out if you’ve got dandruff? Straight after you’ve washed it might not be the best time.
While your hair is still wet, it can be harder to see the flakes of dandruff.
That’s because even the worst shampoo will wash away a few loose flakes, making it harder to tell if there is actually a problem. Also, the water wets the flakes that remain, making them more transparent and difficult to see.
And if there is a problem, this sort of shampoo will do little to help – instead the temporary effects of washing some flakes away will quickly be replaced by the symptoms of dandruff.
So, if your head is itchy and your scalp irritated, you’ll need a more reliable way to find out if you have dandruff.
A far better idea is to check when your hair is dry, just before your next shampoo.
In many cases, you’ll see loose flakes in your hair or on your shoulders, but you could also rub your hair vigorously with your head angled downward to see whether any flakes fall out (this is especially effective on dark-colored surfaces).
In clinical tests, graders look for “adherent” flakes, the ones that are still attached to the scalp.
You can try this for yourself: part your dry hair in various places and checking in the mirror will give you a good view across the whole scalp to see what’s going on.
Beyond the flakes, you should also look out for the other signs of dandruff – itch, dryness, redness and irritation.
More about the signs of dandruff
Once you’ve figured out whether you do have dandruff or not, you can work out your next plan of action.
What do you do if you have dandruff?
Dandruff is caused by the microbe Malassezia globosa, not poor hygiene!
This means you will need a shampoo designed specifically to treat dandruff.
A good anti dandruff shampoo like Head & Shoulders is formulated with an active ingredient that’s proven to work – in our case that’s Pyrithione Zinc (ZPT).
The active in the shampoo works to fight dandruff and helps stop the symptoms from coming back.
We also know that a great anti-dandruff shampoo should do more than fight flakes. They also need to clean and nourish your hair, so it looks and feels fantastic.
There’s a whole range to choose from too from our moisturizing anti-dandruff 2-in-1s to oil control shampoos and fruity, fresh-smelling variants too.
More about dandruff