Dry Scalp but Oily Hair

Dry scalp and oily hair?  It seems like the two shouldn't go hand in hand; it seems like they should cancel each other out.  The tendency is to not shampoo your hair so much so you can try and calm down the dryness but you also have an oily build up and want to 'clean' it.  How can you combat both? One thing is, dandruff can be present when scalp is dry or oily so it doesn't just mean DRYNESS.  It is also said to be genetic but the flakiness can also be caused by seborrhoeic eczema  which is essentially a skin rash, but can be anywhere on your body.  Seborrhoeic eczema also affects the sebaceous glands, which are on your head. So it can be treated with a medicated shampoo, as if you were treating a rash with medication.

Some tips that might help with flaky scalp:

1. Leave medicated shampoo on the scalp for anywhere from 1-5 minutes. 
2. Try this with your regular shampoo/Head and Shoulders-if that's what you are using. 
3. Use medicated shampoos like a prescription, on a regular basis for a certain amount of time, just like a medicine in order to be effective.

One rule that stands either way; for any flakiness and scalp irritation, is to not treat your scalp too rough during shampoo, i.e. do not rub too hard.  A doctor's visit might be in order if you've already tried everything and the problem persists, or the scalp is red, irritated or itchy.  This means you need to treat it as eczema; like you would if it appeared anywhere else on your body.

One strong ALMOST medicated shampoo is Kenra's Dandruff Shampoo.

One reason I find this product works is that I learned it is the closest to prescription grade in the ingredient Zinc Pyrithione at 1.9%.  Use it as you would a medical grade shampoo and leave it in for five minutes.  Also, use as needed, you don't need to use it every day forever.  The next step would be to see a doctor and get a prescription grade shampoo if the problem doesn't lessen or go away.

What causes the oiliness in the hair despite you washing it all the time, is that frequent shampooing (as you are trying to get rid of the flakiness) is causing the sebaceous glands to over produce.  Your body needs and makes a certain amount.  Sometimes this gland is over active, and sometimes you are causing it to make more.  

Tips to help with oily hair:

1. Be gentle to your scalp, try and shampoo every other day if you are shampooing daily.
2. Don't rub too hard or be too rough.  
3. Use your conditioner on your ends only. No need to get it into your scalp.  
4. Use a leave in spray on conditioner, on the ends only, as the spray leave ins seem to be lighter in weight.  

Trying everything and still seeing a rash or oily flakes, might mean a call to a dermatologist is in order.  This is fixable and workable!  And as usual, watch your diet, medications, hormones; all of which affect your GLANDS SCALP and HAIR.

A helpful link:  top 8 Dandruff Poo's.