10 Ways to Stop Scalp Sensitivity and Live Flake-Free

The other night, after some regular (read: infrequent) working out, I was going through my usual post-swim hairstyling protocol when I saw them: As I combed my dark strands backward and split them down the middle, white flakes seemed to be clinging to my part for dear life. The prospect of me—ME!—having dandruff was too horrible to seriously consider, so I chocked it up to a fluke, maniacally brushed off the flakes, and went on my way. But when I woke up in the morning, they were back.

“Skin cells on our scalp are constantly being replaced and shed as part of normal cell turnover that usually isn’t noticeable,” says Anabel Kingsley, a trichologist at the Philip Kingsley Trichological Clinic whom I consulted in despair. “However, it can become noticeable if the skin cells begin to divide too rapidly, and this is what occurs with d—” I cut her off before she could utter the D word.

What triggers the common condition varies, but it’s typically the result of an overgrowth of a certain kind of yeast that is naturally found on the scalp and usually kept in check by sweat and sebum, but that can be thrown off by any number of factors—from metabolic shifts and hormonal changes to stress and seasonal change (check, check, check, and check). Dietary factors also commonly play a role in scalp sensitivity, adds Kingsley, who notes that full-fat cheeses and cream, as well as spicy and sugar-rich foods, can exacerbate an underlying condition.

Quick, topical relief is thankfully found in antimicrobial shampoos and targeted post-shampoo scalp toners, which are on heavy rotation at Kingsley’s Manhattan outpost, along with deeper, weekly treatments, like the brand’s Exfoliating Scalp Mask. But a simple behavioral change, like switching to a gentle, sodium laurel sulphate-free shampoo, can also do wonders for staving off irritation.

“I like Rahua a lot,” says New York–based naturopath and herbalist Daniela Turley, who often prescribes complementary doses of starflower oil (aka borage oil) and evening primrose oil supplements, which increase your essential fatty acid levels and can minimize dryness. Fermented foods, like kimchi and kombucha, can be dually beneficial, as they work to balance out the overproduction of yeast, says Turley.

Her other fail-safe? Apple cider vinegar. “Sometimes, getting rid of dandruff can be a case of re-establishing the acid mantle on your scalp,” she says. “Keep a bottle of apple cider vinegar in the shower, and after you wash your hair, dilute it with about four parts water and use it as a final rinse on your scalp. It’s great for your body, too!”

 

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