Ever had a good hair day and suddenly felt like you were walking down the street to your own personal hype-up soundtrack? Yep, confidence has a palpable effect on your mood. And if you’ve ever experienced dandruff, you know that the inverse can also be true: The stress of dealing with dandruff can make your confidence take a serious nosedive.
It’s time to lay it all bare—and your stories are helping us do just that. We teamed up with Head & Shoulders to survey Well+Good readers about what it’s like to live with dandruff and how its emotional effect has impacted your lives. We got dozens of heartfelt messages in return, and now? We’re saying it’s time to end scalp shame once and for all.
Hear three of the inspirational stories below, plus get intel on how to care for your scalp for no-stress tresses. Because scalp care = hair care = self care. So, #ShowUsYourScalp.
Show Us Your Scalp
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“Keep Experimenting”
Nicole C., Sterling, VA
On the (literal) bright side, that tendency does make for a very colorful wardrobe, Nicole says, which is exactly the type of silver lining she’s always been on the lookout for during her scalp journey.
So if you’re feeling discouraged by the road ahead? Her advice is to stay the course, take care of yourself, and keep experimenting with solutions. (PSA: Head & Shoulders has over 80 different scalp-care products to experiment with—all of which rely on dermatologist-recommended ingredients—so you can find one that’s tailored to your specific needs at CVS.)
Things that are considered a part of one’s vanity do have a real effect on one’s self esteem and thus overall mental health.
50% of people with dandruff state that
their dandruff gets worse when they’re stressed, which in turn stresses them more.*
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7 out of 10 people who deal with dandruff are dealing with another skin condition at the same time like acne, psoriasis, alopecia, and eczema.*
“Scalp and skin health are rarely addressed in discussions of body acceptance, despite impacting everyone at some point. It’s really normal to have...any number of skin conditions. [It] doesn’t mean that someone doesn’t take care of their skin. I’d venture to say that people with these conditions probably take the most care of their skin.”
Since then, she’s ditched hot tools but remains hyper-aware of visible dandruff and ties her hair back to keep flakes under control. In other words, her scalp still affects her confidence, big-time. But here’s a hopeful sign: She recently graduated from law school and passed the bar (hello, stress) and has since noticed an improvement in her symptoms.
Maddie’s words of wisdom? Dandruff doesn’t equate to poor hygiene, despite what the school nurse might say. So anytime you’re bumming out about your scalp, know you’re not alone—and that the soothing, flake-fighting ingredients in Head & Shoulders can offer a bit of relief… and the confidence reboot that comes with it.
Maddie’s scalp care story begins with an elementary school, a routine lice check (yep, remember those?), and a condescending school nurse. After her comb-through, the nurse told Maddie she was in the clear for lice—but needed some help with washing her hair. “I’d never paid much attention to the flakes in my hair before, but I have since that day,” she says.
Maddie spent high school and college struggling to embrace herself from the shoulders up. She frequently straightened her curly hair, thinking she’d be less noticeable—and scalp build-up would be more easily managed and concealed.
Maddie D., Arlington, VA
“You’re Not Alone”
60% of severe dandruff sufferers say the condition has impacted their overall well-being, such as their anxiety levels and their performance at work.*
My scalp reflects my anxiety, my worries, my happiness.
Now that class is back in session, Denise hopes she can focus her mother-daughter lessons on how to manage stress, physically and emotionally.
And when it comes to scalp care, there’s one piece of knowledge Denise wants to pass on to her daughter—and all women. “Dry skin, dandruff, and skin issues don’t discriminate,” she says. “We can come together as a community and support each other.” One way to do that? By sharing scalp remedies like those found in Head & Shoulders products, and normalizing having scalp-care conversations with others in your community.
Coming from a family of immigrants, Denise has always been conscious of the way media and pop culture represent her—and how that affects her mental health. She’s open about her experience with anxiety, depression, and dandruff throughout her life, and yep—she sees a direct correlation between her emotional well-being and the state of her scalp.
The pandemic was an especially stressful time for Denise, and it came with a side of a very dry, often scabby scalp. At the height of Covid, she decided to quit her in-person job and support her daughter (who also deals with dandruff) as she adjusted to homeschooling.
denise f., Corpus Christi, TX
“Support Each Other”
More Reading
I’ve Struggled With Dandruff for Forever—Until I Did This One Week Scalp-Care Boot Camp
The Stress
and Dandruff Connection—and How to Break
the Cycle
Don’t Flake on Finding Out the Difference Between Dandruff and Dry Scalp
Can Stress
Cause Dandruff? Derms Say: Unfortunately, Yes
Yes, You Can Get Scalp Acne—Here’s Why It Happens and How To Deal
What Scalp
Care Taught Me About Love
*According to a 2019 study titled “International Study on the Psychological and Psychosocial Impact of Dandruff,”
sponsored by Head & Shoulders in partnership with Dr. Kristina Gorbatenko-Roth.
If you feel like the journey to a healthy scalp is never-ending, Nicole is with you. “Me and my shower have seen so much,” she says, and having curly hair has only complicated things for her. “It feels like if I am trying to clear a bout of dandruff, it will cost my curls.”
Real talk: Dandruff and the stigma around it—which Nicole attributes in part to advertising that glamorizes silky, shiny hair—have affected her confidence in a major way. She frets about getting up close and personal with, well, anyone (even the hairdresser or the dentist, for example), she tries to avoid over-washing her hair, and she rarely wears black clothing.
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Dandruff Shampoo
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Classic Clean 2-in-1
Shampoo + Conditioner
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Shop Dandruff Solutions at CVS
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Itchy Scalp Care 2-in-1
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Dry Scalp Care 2-in-1
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Ever had a good hair day and suddenly felt like you were walking down the street to your own personal hype-up soundtrack? Yep, confidence has a palpable effect on your mood. And if you’ve ever experienced dandruff, you know that the inverse can also be true: The stress of dealing with dandruff can make your confidence take a serious nosedive.
It’s time to lay it all bare—and your stories are helping us do just that. We teamed up with Head & Shoulders to survey Well+Good readers about what it’s like to live with dandruff and how its emotional effect has impacted your lives. We got dozens of heartfelt messages in return, and now? We’re saying it’s time to end scalp shame once and for all.
Hear three of the inspirational stories below, plus get intel on how to care for your scalp for no-stress tresses. Because scalp care = hair care = self care. So, #ShowUsYourScalp.
7 out of 10 people who deal with dandruff are dealing with another skin condition at the same time like acne, psoriasis, alopecia, and eczema.*
Shop Dandruff Solutions at CVS
SHOP NOW
$7
Smooth & Silky
Dandruff Shampoo
Head & Shoulders™
SHOP NOW
$12
Supreme
Nourish + Smooth
Head & Shoulders™
SHOP NOW
$6
Classic Clean 2-in-1
Shampoo + Conditioner
Head & Shoulders™
SHOP NOW
$3
Classic Clean
Anti-Dandruff Shampoo
Head & Shoulders™
SHOP NOW
$11
Clinical Strength Dandruff Defense
Itch Relief Shampoo
Head & Shoulders™
SHOP NOW
$3
Classic Clean
Anti-Dandruff Shampoo
Head & Shoulders™
The Stress
and Dandruff Connection—and How to Break
the Cycle
Can Stress
Cause Dandruff? Derms Say: Unfortunately, Yes
Don’t Flake on Finding Out the Difference Between Dandruff and Dry Scalp
What Scalp
Care Taught Me About Love
Yes, You Can Get Scalp Acne—Here’s Why It Happens and How To Deal