Sebhorreic dermatitis, commonly known as dandruff, causes your scalp to shed white flakes of dead skin. For a person with normal hair, dandruff can be washed and combed out of the hair, but if you have dreads, you may find the flakes get trapped among them and become difficult to remove.
About Dreadlocks
According to the KnottyBoy website, dreadlocks are created by backcombing sections of hair until they form knots. Over time, the knots tighten and the hair "locks," creating a hairstyle that looks a bit like ropes. When you have dreadlocks, you do not shed loose hairs to the extent that you do when you are able to use a comb or brush. Instead, the hair that is shed remains trapped inside the individual locks, sometimes becoming quite heavy as the hair grows long. Dandruff flakes can similarly become trapped inside locks, making it very important to avoid.
Causes of Dandruff
Causes of dandruff include too frequent or infrequent shampooing, sensitivity of the scalp to styling products and dry skin conditions such as psoriasis and eczema. According to the Mayo Clinic, a fungal infection resulting from overproduction of Malassezia yeast can also lead to dandruff. Malassezia lives on most people's scalps and usually does not grow out of control. However, because it feeds on the oils secreted by your scalp, an excessively oily scalp can lead to excessive yeast growth and, as a result, dandruff.
Dreads and Itchy Scalp
Because you cannot comb or brush your hair when you have dreadlocks, your scalp is not stimulated in the same way as the scalp of a person with undreaded hair. Itchy scalps are common as your head adjusts to the lack of stimulation, but according to the DreadHeadHQ website, fully mature dreads do not itch unless you are washing too frequently or infrequently, using the wrong shampoo or suffering from a skin condition. Shampoos for non-dreaded hair often contain fragrance and conditioner, which can become trapped inside your dreadlocks and lead to buildup and itching. Dreads should be washed with a fragrance-free, conditioner-free shampoo that leaves no residue behind to irritate the scalp.
Home Remedies
Folk remedies for dandruff that can be particularly effective for dreadlocked hair include apple cider vinegar rinses and treatment with natural antiseptics such as tea tree and rosemary. Adding apple cider vinegar to a pitcher of water and using it as a final rinse after shampooing may be all it takes to rid your scalp of dandruff. Soaking your hair with a tea made from dried rosemary boiled in water may also be effective, according to KnottyBoy.
Medicated Shampoos
A common treatment for dandruff in normal hair is an over-the-counter medicated shampoo containing selenium sulfide, salicylic acid or pyritione zinc shampoo. Antifungal medicated shampoos are also available and can be effective against dandruff that does not respond to other medications. However, these shampoos also often contain fragrance and conditioner, which can be counterproductive when it comes to treating dandruff in dreadlocks. If you have dreads and want to try a medicated shampoo, look for an unscented formula with no conditioner added.
