Dandruff is something that occurs to us naturally. It’s a harmless condition, but it causes insecurities and embarrassment for a lot of people.
Yes, it does. 🙁
If your shaved head has dandruff and you’ve had enough, you’re at the right place. We prepared a comprehensive guide on the causes of shaved head dandruff and the different actions you can take to get rid of it - from your shaving routine to your general lifestyle.
Page Contents
What Is Dandruff And What Causes It?
Dandruff is a common skin condition on your scalp. It is characterized by white (or sometimes gray) flakes that feel itchy and typically fall onto your shoulders.
Although it is normal, non-contagious, and harmless, it tends to cause embarrassment and lower self-esteem.
Having dandruff doesn’t necessarily signify poor hygiene, as it is caused and/or worsened by genetic and environmental factors, such as:
- Cold weather
- Stress
- Very oily or very dry scalp
- Contact dermatitis caused by an allergic reaction from shampoo, hair spray, or other hair product
- Conditions such as seborrhoeic dermatitis or psoriasis
If your dandruff causes redness, inflammation, pain, or if the flaking occurs in other parts of your body, you probably have one of the aforementioned conditions and you have to consult a dermatologist.
How Does Dandruff Form?
Technically, dandruff doesn’t come from your hair - it’s from the skin on your head. This means that no matter how short or long your hair is, you are still susceptible to dandruff.
For a person without dandruff, skin cells typically mature every month. However, under certain conditions, these skin cells can grow and shed rapidly in about 2-7 days.
Why Do Bald Guys Get Dandruff?
Bald dandruff still occurs due to dry skin, which tends to be the case for most bald guys because shaving your head also means you’re stripping off some skin layers.
This causes pressure to your scalp’s sebaceous glands (the part of the hair follicle that produces natural oils) which may cause it to dry out over time, especially since you don’t have much hair to hold the oil and keep your scalp moisturized.
Additionally, dandruff on a shaved head is more visible because your head is exposed, so you need to take proper action if you want to treat it as soon as possible, which we’ll talk about next.
How Can I Prevent Bald Head Dandruff?
During Shaving
Since shaving is a vital part of a bald black men head care, you need to consider many factors to avoid drying out your scalp during your shave, such as:
Lubricate Before Shaving
Lubricating serves a pivotal role in making sure that the razor glides smoothly across your body. This can also moisturize to some extent to reduce the dryness on your scalp.
Depending on what works best, you may use shaving gel, shaving cream, or even a hair conditioner to apply lubrication.
You can also use tools such as a shaving brush which will apply the lubricant evenly in your scalp, lift and soften your hair follicles, and exfoliate your skin cells, making it easier to shave.
However, if you’re using shaving cream, avoid using the aerosol type because it barely has any water content and it contains chemicals that can dehydrate your skin.
Use The Right Razor
When shaving your head, you have to minimize the number of strokes to avoid excess pressure on the scalp. Otherwise, your head will be dry from razor burn, leading to a bald head with dandruff.
There are four types of razors - straight, safety, cartridge, and electric razors.
A cartridge razor is simple to use despite being a manual razor which is perfect for beginners who want to avoid getting nicks or cuts. Besides, getting cuts on a shaved head is something you want to avoid since it would be so visible.
With the pivoting head feature, you can angle the razor to maintain skin contact especially on the contours of your head.
Additionally, cartridge razors typically have multiple blades so you can get a smoother and closer finish upon shaving.
Having constant skin contact and a smooth finish means you don’t have to pass through a specific spot multiple times.
You just have to remember to replace the blades regularly, since using a worn-down blade jeopardizes the cutting efficiency and safety of your razor.
Shave Gently
Apart from having the right razor, you also need to make sure that you’re not shaving too quickly or pushing the razor too hard against your scalp.
Developing a gentle technique saves you from cutting your skin and gives you a smoother shave, resulting in fewer strokes and fewer razor burns.
Moisturize And Use SPF After Shaving
Once you finish shaving, you can apply finishing touches such as an aftershave balm, lotion, or moisturizer. You can also use remedies that help in dealing with the itch.
These products prevent shaved head dandruff by reducing dryness as well as soothing and disinfecting any irritation from shaving.
Additionally, if you’re planning to go outside, we recommend applying SPF to your scalp, especially since a bald head is extra sensitive to UV rays and extreme heat.
Constant sun exposure can lead to sunburn which will cause the skin on your scalp to peel. That would be an ugly and uncomfortable experience, wouldn’t it?
Outside Shaving
On the other hand, this section contains the different activities you can incorporate in your lifestyle to discourage dandruff growth, which are:
Wash With Shampoo
We’ve all jokingly asked, “Do bald people use shampoo?”
If not regulated, this build-up creates an ideal environment for Malassezia, which is a fungus found in the scalp that’s responsible for rapid skin cell production, resulting in dandruff.
There are even brands out there that manufacture anti-dandruff shampoo, so you may want to seek out those products.
However, shampoo strips the scalp of its natural oils so make sure to wash less if your scalp feels dry afterward. You can also use an oil-based conditioner or a moisturizer for black bald heads to reduce the shampoo’s dryness.
Massage Your Scalp
A great way to combat bald dandruff is improving your blood circulation through a scalp massage.
This provides a smoother flow of oxygen and nutrients through the blood, resulting in a healthy scalp. Plus, who doesn’t love a good massage?
You can even use natural oils such as almond, olive, and coconut oil, and you can treat yourself to a relaxing time.
Take Care Of Yourself
Speaking of a relaxing time, taking care of your mental and physical health can go a long way in preventing bald head dandruff.
Hormonal imbalance and a weak immune system make us more prone to some of the skin fungi that contribute to dandruff growth. If you start living a healthy lifestyle, your scalp and body will thank you in the long run!
Exercising not only strengthens your body, but it also promotes blood flow, whose importance we discussed in the previous section.
On the other hand, getting enough sleep means that we’re giving our bodies a break to rest and revitalize. During this time, the body produces collagen to repair and heal our skin cells, which in turn prevents our skin from getting brittle.
Regarding mental health, the main goal is to reduce stress - you can do yoga, meditation, or any quality-time activity that makes you feel good!
Adjust Your Diet
In conjunction with the previous section, you can also incorporate specific food groups into your diet that discourage skin flaking - more specifically, food rich in omega-3 and probiotics.
Omega-3 is an acid found in fatty fish such as trout, salmon, and mackerel. It serves a pivotal role in skin health by managing oil production and reducing inflammation, which are two factors that correlate to dandruff.
On the other hand, probiotics are helpful microorganisms found in yogurt and fermented food such as kimchi. It strengthens your immune system and alleviates skin conditions such as eczema and dermatitis.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Can You Avoid Dry Scalp On A Shaved Head?
We mentioned a lot of solutions to combat dry scalp on a shaved head, but the most important thing is to moisturize. When you moisturize after shaving, not only are you preventing dryness on your scalp, but you can also soothe any inflammation when you shave which alleviates flaking. The act of shaving itself can dry out your skin, but when you use a subpar razor and poor technique, this can worsen into razor burns.
Watch this scalp cleansing treatment for the bald head:
Does Shaving Your Head Help With Dandruff?
Yes. Shaving can actually help with dandruff. When you shave your head, you are also exfoliating your skin which gets rid of the dead skin cells that eventually turn into dandruff. However, make sure that you have the right tools and procedures to avoid drying out your skin. As we mentioned, dry scalp is the most common source of bald head dandruff.
Do I Need To Consult A Doctor For My Dandruff?
Dandruff isn’t a cause for alarm -- it’s just uncomfortable. However, if it doesn’t come off even if you use anti-dandruff shampoo, or if your dandruff comes with redness, inflammation, and pain, you might have a skin condition such as seborrhoeic dermatitis or psoriasis.
In this case, you have to consult a dermatologist to get the proper diagnosis and treatment.
The Bottom Line
If you want to keep your bald head smooth and free of dandruff, you need to commit yourself to a proper maintenance routine.
This is crucial since the lack of hair makes your head more exposed to conditions such as harsh sunlight, which can dry out your skin and result in flaking.
Whether you want to incorporate something new into your head-shaving process or your lifestyle in general, we hope our tips helped you get rid of bald dandruff!
