01 / 06 · Condition
Flaking and build-up
- Clinical name
- Pityriasis capitis
The scalp renews its outer layer continuously. When cells shed faster than they clear, they stick together into visible flakes. It is not caused by poor hygiene.
What you'll see
- Small white or grey flakes on hair and clothing
- Mild itch
- Worse in winter and with infrequent washing
Course
- Typical onset
- Adolescence onwards
- Course
- Comes and goes
- Contagious
- No
What helps
Loosening the scale so it washes away. Salicylic acid does this; wash three times a week and it usually settles within a month.
Two products at once, no more. More actives means more irritation, not more result.
See a clinician if
- Flakes are thick, yellow and greasy, or the skin underneath is red: that is more likely seborrhoeic dermatitis.
- Hair loss is sudden, or comes out in round patches.
- The scalp is painful, weeping, crusting or smells.
- You see scarring, or skin where hair no longer grows back.
- Hair loss comes with fatigue, weight change or feeling cold.
General information, not a diagnosis.
Vessel 01$65 · Bought once