Dandruff is not caused by poor hygiene. Flakes can reflect subtle inflammatory activity within the scalp, which is why supportive care should focus on the skin—not shame or aggressive scraping.

Synthetic braiding hair is widely used in protective styles, but many people don’t realize it may contain chemical coatings that can irritate the scalp and disrupt follicle health. In this article, we break down what synthetic hair is made of, how it interacts with your scalp, and what you need to know to protect your hair while wearing braids and extensions.