What Is The Best Shampoo For A Dry, Itchy Scalp?
What is the best shampoo for a dry, itchy scalp?
People who suffer from itching or dryness of the scalp usually have a condition called seborrheic dermatitis (also known as dandruff). Knowing the root cause of a dry, itchy scalp will help you to select the appropriate ingredients to get the relief that you are looking for.
In another blog post we discussed the causes of seborrheic dermatitis (also known as dandruff) as well as the ingredients typically used to treat it. In this blog post we’ll focus more on the best shampoo for a dry, itchy scalp and how flaking as the main concern sometimes needs different treatments than for patients whose main concern is just itching.
What Causes a Dry, Itchy Scalp?
As we mentioned in our overview blog post there are several things that lead to the development of an itchy and dry scalp. Of these, however, the dryness is mostly attributed to the increased burden of the Malassezia yeast on the scalp. This yeast is a normal part of our skin, and present everywhere in the world, so we can’t ever get rid of it completely. However, we can use shampoos with prescription strength products to control the amount of yeast and keep it to a healthy minimum. At Allura Medicinals we use zinc pyrithione (also used in Head and Shoulders) as well as a prescription strength of an anti-yeast medication called ketoconazole. Regular use of our shampoos that contain these ingredients will minimize the yeast burden on your skin and reduce the dryness. A shampoo with just ketoconazole is no different than what you would get from visiting a dermatologist in person though, and we know from our 20+ years combined experience in dermatology that this is not enough. Because of this we don’t stop there. Using our knowledge of this condition and what really gets people the results they want we add other key, prescription only, ingredients to our shampoo.
How Do I Treat a Dry, Itchy Scalp?
We know that you are looking for fast results to treat your dry scalp so in addition to the anti-yeast medications mentioned above we specially formulated our Max Control Shampoo with 2% salicylic acid as well as a topical steroid. Salicylic acid is an beta-hydroxy acid that works to dissolve the scaly build up in your scalp to keep it smooth and flake free. The topical steroid does two things to further control and treat a dry, itchy scalp. First, it targets the inflammatory response that your skin has to the yeast build up, which over time is what leads to the flaking and dryness. Second, topical steroids work synergistically with salicylic acid as it will eliminate any irritation you might have from using an beta-hydroxy acid on your scalp. Just salicylic acid on its own can actually further dry out your skin over time by causing irritation, but the addition of a topical steroid keeps this to a minimum while controlling the flaking.
What Else Can I Do for My Itchy, Dry Scalp?
For those who experience an especially heavy build up of flaking in their scalp we also offer an oil based or water based scalp serum that is applied to the scalp one to two times a day to provide all day relief from flaking and itching.These scalp serums contain a prescription medication called calcipotriene, which is similar to vitamin D. This is a very safe and effective anti-inflammatory medication that will treat both seborrheic dermatitis (dandruff) as well as scalp psoriasis. If a shampoo alone is not enough to control your dry scalp issues then the addition of an oil based product is likely the right choice for you.
In conclusion, the best shampoo for a dry, itchy scalp will contain medications that not only address the heavy yeast build up in the scalp but also work to directly dissolve the heavy scale build up. For even further control and all day soothing action we also offer oil and water based scalp serums that hydrate the scalp while working to reverse the root causes of your dry, itchy scalp. Regular use of these products will get you the smooth, soothed scalp you are looking for!