Does dandruff lead to hair fall or baldness? AIIMS-trained skin doctor explains what is fact and what is myth

Ever wondered if dandruff can actually make you go bald? Celebrity dermatologist and hair transplant surgeon Dr Gaurang Krishna has the answer—and it’s not what most people think. In a chat with Siddharth Kannan, the AIIMS-trained expert busted one of the most common hair myths, revealing how dandruff affects your hair and what really triggers hair loss. He also shared simple, practical tips to manage scalp issues like dandruff and psoriasis without panicking or over-treating.

According to Dr Gaurang Krishna, dandruff does lead to hair fall, but it doesn’t damage the hair root permanently. The problem starts when scalp inflammation weakens the roots, causing temporary shedding. Once dandruff is treated, the hair usually grows back because the roots regenerate naturally. The confusion, he explained, lies in blaming childhood dandruff for adult baldness, when the real reason is genetic. People with inherited baldness who also struggle with severe dandruff tend to lose hair faster, as both factors combine to weaken regrowth.

Dandruff vs Psoriasis

He also broke down how scalp conditions differ. Psoriasis, he said, isn’t an infection—it’s an autoimmune skin reaction that appears as scaly patches on the scalp or body. Unlike dandruff, which is fungal in nature, psoriasis is more about how your body’s immune system behaves. While it can’t be completely cured, conditioning the scalp regularly can make a huge difference. Dr Krishna recommends using coconut oil once or twice a week and leaving it on for a few hours to soften scales and reduce flaking.

Can oiling work for dandruff?
But when it comes to dandruff, oiling does more harm than good, as per the doctor. Since dandruff is a fungal issue, applying oil can actually feed the fungus, making the problem worse. So while coconut oil works wonders for psoriasis, those battling dandruff should stick to medicated anti-fungal treatments and keep oiling to a minimum.


If not dandruff, then what causes hair loss?
Dr Krishna explained that hair loss results from a mix of genetics, lifestyle, and environment. Around 70% of baldness cases are genetic, making heredity the leading cause in both men and women. Lifestyle and nutrition account for 20%, with poor diets, stress, and lack of sleep weakening hair follicles. The remaining 10% comes from external factors like air and water pollution. People without a genetic predisposition usually retain hair despite bad habits, but when genes and poor lifestyle overlap, hair loss accelerates—making it appear earlier and more severe in newer generations.

Who is Dr Gaurang Krishna?

Dr Gaurang Krishna, an MD in Dermatology from AIIMS, New Delhi, is one of the leading dermatologists and hair transplant surgeons, known for simplifying complex scalp, hair and skin issues.