Dealing with dry skin & scalp conditions
Dry skin and scalp conditions are easily overlooked, misidentified and misdiagnosed as so much time is spent on other types of skin conditions. This sometimes leaves dry skin conditions so far developed that it can be difficult to isolate and treat.
Dryness is a very common condition, especially on black skin and solutions can go much deeper than just making sure to moisturise and hydrate the skin daily. It can feel very irritating, sore, hot to touch and in some cases, painful.
Dy skin can be caused by several factors such as exposure to extreme temperature shifts, dry air, bathing in hot water, the overuse of drying skincare products such as foaming washes, alcohol toners and excessive hand washing as well as genetics.
Why can Black skin be so excessively dry?
Skin is considered dry when it lacks any or enough of the necessary natural fats (often called lipids) to hold onto water to keep the skin moisturised and balanced.
For Black people, suffering with dry skin is an even greater condition than most, Dr Amiee Vyas, Black Skin Directory Practitioner and Founder of Doctor Amiee Facial Aesthetics & Skin shares, “black skin is prone to dry skin conditions because:
It naturally displays lower levels of ceramides - special fats that help to keep moisture in and impurities out
It has higher levels of transdermal water loss (the water that evaporates from the body to the environment) than any other ethnicity”.
On top of that, the different dry skin conditions that can arise (see below) can also be overlooked or misdiagnosed because on lighter skin tones these conditions can appear through redness but as Dr Amiee tells us , for black skin “it will show up in an ashy appearance and often appear as a darker brown, purple or grey alongside the skin being scaly, itchy, swollen or warm”.
So, what are the most common dry skin and scalp conditions to take note of?
Contact Dermatitis (On the skin)
- Often caused by an allergic reaction which can be because of an irritating skincare product or over washing of the hands.
- The skin will become dry, itchy and in some cases sore and inflamed with either a violet or darker brown tone depending on skin tone.
Eczema or Atopic Dermatitis
- The exact cause of Eczema is unknown; however, experts know that it isn’t down to one sole thing and often starts at childhood.
- Triggers can include genetics (through asthma, hay fever or allergens), allergens (pollen, foods etc), stress or the environment (smoke, air pollution, harsh soaps, fabrics, or skincare products).
- It appears as either red, violet, or dark brown, bumpy patches of itchy skin or as tiny bumps that resemble goosebumps along the limbs and torso (commonly called Papular Eczema).
- It can appear anywhere on the body, but the most common places are in the folds of the elbows, behind the knees or around the eyes.
- Due to the greater amount of dryness in black skin, dark circles will also appear more severe.
Black Skin Directory Practitioner and Fulham Scalp and Hair Clinic Trichologist, Eleanore Richardson adds some common scalp conditions;
Seborrheic Dermatitis
- This is usually an itchy, flaky, and greasy condition which can result in large flakes peeling away and lifting from the scalp.
- Its causes are often down to a range of factors such as an overproduction of the naturally-present yeast – Malassezia, higher levels of the hormone – Androgens, increased levels of skin lipids, an inflammatory condition or family history.
- Factors that can trigger or worsen the condition can be due to stress, cold or dry climates, oily skin, history of skin disorders such as acne, psoriasis and rosacea or using alcohol-based products.
- It commonly affects the scalp, eyebrows or ears but can also affect the central chest, underarms, and groin.
- The condition is more likely to affect men than women and appears lighter in tone than the rest of the skin.
Contact /(Allergic) Dermatitis on the scalp
- An itchy, flaky scalp condition that is seen as yellowish flakes on the scalp that is rather itchy, tender, and sensitive to touch.
- This is triggered by using sensitising products on our skin or scalp such as strong relaxers/chemical straightening treatments or permanent colour bleaching.
- The extreme sensitising of the scalp makes it difficult to narrow down products that won’t cause a flare up or an allergic reaction.
- Products that can often trigger a flare up can include natural oils, colouring treatments, hair gels, or heavily fragranced hair products.
Appearing slightly different on black scalps compared to other skin tones, Eleanore explains that “Dry skin and flaking can range in colour from white, yellow, pale brown or even grey looking on black skin. Frequent scratching, common with dry scalp conditions can also result in skin looking lighter or pinky in patches. We might also see some hyperpigmentation around the hair follicle and that tells us inflammation is present”.
Treating Dry Skin & Scalp Conditions In-Clinic
We recommend you seek professional guidance and treatments when dealing with dry skin or scalp conditions.
For dry skin, “ Treatment will focus on reducing inflammation and repairing the skin barrier, followed by an intense moisturising and infection control. However for skin of colour, it is important reduce the impact of post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation using ingredients such as Arbutin, Kojic Acid or moderated hydroquinone at an early stage” Dr Amiee adds “Depending on the skin concern, treatment can involve a mix of prescription topical and or oral medication and therapeutic skin care with gentle in-clinic treatments if necessary”.
For dry scalps, “A thorough routine and treatment is introduced which involves exfoliating the scalp, using anti-mitotic (helps to control skin cell turnover) and antiseptic products to clean the scalp. Also, using steam treatments and hypoallergenic leave-in products to hydrate the skin barrier and promote the function of your sebaceous glands to produce sebum to naturally help to moisturise the scalp”, Eleanore explains.
Dealing with dry skin at home - tips and tricks
There are many at-home remedies that you can introduce to help soothe and control your dry skin.
- Always moisturise after bathing or cleansing the skin, moisturise while the skin is damp.
- Use gentle moisturisers and washes that contain glycerin and hyaluronic acid to draw in moisture and ceramides to lock in that moisture.
- Use PHA’s like gluconolactone and lactobionic acid in skincare to gently exfoliate, moisturise and repair the skin barrier.
- Use hypoallergenic washing products to reduce the risk of allergic reactions on the skin - often gentler and kinder to skin.
- Immediately stop applying and massaging any oils or greases (no matter how organic, or natural they are) directly on your scalp. Oils and greases are easily the most common contributor to flare ups and persistent inflammation if your scalp has become sensitive or is experiencing inflammation.
- Be gentle with your hair and scalp, hold off on any colour processing or chemical straightening if you feel itchiness or are noticing severe flaking.
- Avoid picking, scraping, or scratching off flaking dry skin as you can injure your scalp and skin further triggering more inflammation.
- Fragranced and foaming products can sometimes be triggers, especially those that have sodium lauryl sulfate and alcohol.
- Avoid harsh physical exfoliators and lay off active skincare ingredients like acids and retinoids.
- Opt for warm, instead of hot water when cleansing and bathing.
- Avoid tight fitting synthetic clothing as it can cause overheating, seating or irritation which can lead to itching >>> read more about how clothing can affect your eczema.