The hard white stuff in your hair is likely dandruff (seborrheic dermatitis), scalp buildup from products/oils, or possibly white piedra, a fungal infection causing gritty nodules; it could also be normal hair bulbs on shed hairs, but persistent hard flakes need attention, starting with medicated shampoos or seeing a dermatologist if it's stubborn, as causes range from dryness to fungus.
Dandruff: A chronic condition linked to inflammation and excess oil. Produces fine, white or yellowish flakes, often oily and persistent. Usually requires targeted anti-dandruff treatments with active ingredients.
With a regular haircare routine, you can clear all the crystallized sebum balls on your scalp and maintain healthy sebum levels.
White piedra is a superficial fungal infection of hair caused by Trichosporon species. It presents clinically as white nodules encasing the hair shafts and may lead to increased fragility. It can usually be differentiated easily from clinically similar conditions based on clinical and microbiologic features.
So what exactly is scalp buildup? It's when residue from your haircare products, minerals from pollutants and hard water, or even your body's own oil accumulate on your scalp. While almost everyone experiences this from time to time, persistent buildup can cause major hair challenges.
Scratching it can cause it to bleed and sometimes even scar. A seborrheic keratosis is removed only if it bothers you. The doctor will freeze it or scrape it off with a tool. The doctor can also use a laser to remove a seborrheic keratosis.
Regular Shampooing & Brushing
Use a shampoo containing salicylic acid or piroctone olamine. It also needs to be gentle, sulfate-free and suitable for your hair type. Try to use warm water and avoid hot water. Hot water may cause irritation and dry up the scalp.
Sebum plugs are small, waxy deposits that can form on the scalp when the natural oils produced by your scalp mix with dead skin cells, dirt, and other impurities. They are referred to as "scalp acne" or "follicular keratosis."
You should avoid squeezing your sebaceous filaments. Sebaceous filaments are natural, and if you manage to squeeze out sebum, your pores will fill up again within 30 days. Your skin is sensitive, and your nails are much stronger than your skin.
Scalp fungal infections frequently cause visible redness and inflammation. The affected areas may appear as red or purple patches of various shapes. In darker skin types, these patches might look brown or greyish instead of red.
Have you ever scratched your scalp and noticed white, waxy buildup under your nails? That's sebum mixed with dead skin cells. It's hard for shampoo alone to wash away your oily scalp issues. And issues like stress and weather can increase the scalp's sebum production, making you even oilier.
Sebum plugs on scalp vs face
Of course, the sebaceous glands on our scalp can also become clogged around the hair follicles, especially around the hairline. Excess sebum on the scalp can form a white or yellowish residue, but can also become flaky and resemble dandruff or eczema.
Piedra is the Spanish word for stone. White piedra appears as white or light brown depositions that loosely attach to the tip of a hair shaft and may group to form clusters. The stones, sometimes called concretions or nodules, feel gritty and are easy to remove.
Some signs of yeast infection on scalp can include:
Never pick at your baby's cradle cap. Picking at scales can lead to skin damage, irritation, scarring, and even skin infections. Either leave the flakes alone or use baby shampoo for cradle cap to remove the scales.
Symptoms of keratin plugs include small bumps, usually on the upper arms, butt, thighs or cheeks. You might mistake a keratin plug for acne. But they aren't the same as pimples. They often develop in clusters or groups and feel rough (like sandpaper) when you touch them.
When you use your fingers, you risk pushing the infection deeper, leading to more inflammation, scarring, and even rupturing beneath the skin. Dermatologists use specialized tools because they apply even pressure, making extractions safer and more effective. If you do use a tool, be gentle!
Pustules: These are pus-filled pimples that look like whiteheads surrounded by discolored rings. Picking or scratching your pustules can cause scarring.
There are commercial shampoos specially formulated to treat sebum buildup. These "clarifying" shampoos contain ingredients like clay, activated charcoal, argan oil, or salicylic acid that gently remove sebum without damaging your hair or the skin of your scalp. Daily washing is advised for oily hair.
Dandruff and seborrheic dermatitis both cause a flaky scalp, but dandruff is only found on the scalp. Stress can lead to symptoms like scalp peeling because it triggers skin conditions such as seborrheic dermatitis and psoriasis.
When the skin around the pore is squeezed, sebaceous filaments are released as white or yellowish strands. Sebaceous filaments and other substances clogging pores can oxidize upon exposure to air, turning into blackheads.
Vitamin D seems to inhibit sebocyte proliferation, differentiation, and sebum secretion, all of which are key factors in the production of sebum.
Scalp detox for natural hair
Stress can influence hormone levels, which in some people can affect sebum production on the scalp. Higher amounts of sebum production create a more conducive environment for malassezia to grow and flourish.