6 Symptoms of Dandruff

How to recognize the classic hallmarks of dandruff-affected scalps.

Those telltale white flakes that show up on dark colored clothing are often the first sign of dandruff, but there are other signs that may indicate you have a dandruff problem – or possibly a more stubborn condition.

1. Flakes: In addition to small white flakes, you may see flakes that appear gray or yellow. Large yellow flakes with a greasy appearance could be indicative of seborrheic dermatitis, which often affects other parts of the body, not just the scalp.
2. Irritation: Dandruff can cause scalp to appear red, inflamed and swollen in more severe cases. The increases shedding of skin cells that occurs with dandruff is a main cause of this irritation.
3. Oiliness: The dandruff flakes may appear oily in some cases. In fact, if you already have an oily scalp, you are more susceptible to the excessive skin cell shedding which is the hallmark of dandruff.
4. Itching: An itchy scalp may lead you to scratch which can worsen the appearance of dandruff.
5. Tightness: Your scalp can feel tight and sore with this condition which is often mistaken for dryness.
6. Scaling: Crusting and scaling of the scalp occurs in more severe cases of dandruff or seborrheic dermatitis.

The good news? There are several ways to treat these symptoms of dandruff.

©Johnson & Johnson Consumer Inc. 2016