Causes and Remedies of Dandruff

Dandruff is a very common skin condition that nearly all people experience at one point in their lives regardless of age or ethnicity. Having dandruff may cause a lack of confidence and self-esteem. The person suffering from dandruff often feels they cannot wear dark clothing because others may notice. There are treatments and steps that can be taken to help prevent dandruff problem. Understanding what dandruff is and the conditions that cause it are the first steps in treating and preventing it.

What is Dandruff?

Dandruff is an itchy skin disorder of the scalp that develops during the normal growing process of the scalp's skin cells. In a normal scalp, old cells die and are sloughed off approximately every month, and replacement cells are manufactured quickly. In a dandruff scalp, the departing cells are sloughed off before they are dead.

There are two forms of dandruff, internal and external.

• Internal dandruff can be caused by hormonal imbalance, poor health, poor hygiene, allergy to dairy, chocolate, nuts or shellfish, lack of rest, emotional stress, excessive consumption of sugar, fat and starch, and hereditary predisposition.
• External dandruff is caused by excessive use of hair sprays and gels, improper use of hair-coloring products, excessive use of hair curlers or curling irons, cold weather, dry indoor heating, stress, infrequent shampooing of the hair or inadequate rinsing of the scalp.

What causes Dandruff?

Dandruff can have several causes, including:

• Dry skin: Simple dry skin is the most common cause of itchy, flaking skin. Flakes from dry skin are generally smaller and less oily than those from other causes of dandruff.
• Irritated, oily skin (seborrheic dermatitis): This condition, a frequent cause of dandruff, is marked by red, greasy skin covered with flaky white or yellow scales.
• Not shampooing often enough: If you don't regularly wash your hair, oils and skin cells from your scalp can build up, causing dandruff.
• Psoriasis: This skin disorder causes an accumulation of dead skin cells that form thick silvery scales. Psoriasis commonly occurs on your knees, elbows and trunk, but it can also affect your scalp.
• Eczema: If you have eczema on your scalp, it's possible you could develop dandruff.
• Sensitivity to hair care products (contact dermatitis): Sometimes sensitivities to certain hair care products or hair dyes can cause a red, itchy, scaling scalp.
• Malassezia fungus: Malassezia lives on the scalps of most healthy adults without causing problems. But sometimes it grows out of control, feeding on the oils secreted by your hair follicles. This can irritate the skin on your scalp and cause more skin cells to grow.

What should I do?

In order to treat dandruff, you can try out the following tips:

• Hair gels and other hair products can irritate the scalp in some people. For a while, try doing without whatever you have been using, or change to a different product.
• If your dandruff is mild, try shampooing your hair twice a week using any antidandruff shampoo containing tea tree oil. This will remove the flakes that are being shed, and the moisturizer in the shampoo will protect the scalp.
• Avoid dyeing your hair (unless you absolutely must). We all have bacteria on our scalp, some of which are beneficial. These ‘good' bacteria prevent dandruff yeast, and hair dyes reduce their numbers.
• For more severe dandruff, the most effective treatment is an anti-yeast shampoo containing ketoconazole and selenium sulfide. Wet your hair, rub the shampoo onto your scalp and rinse off. Repeat, leaving the shampoo for 3-5 minutes before rinsing off. Also remember, anti-dandruff shampoos may not produce immediate results; it can take a week or two to see the difference. So be patient.
• Eat a healthy, balanced diet. Make sure to get plenty of zinc, Omega-3 fatty acids, and vitamin-B, and avoid excessive yeast and sugar.
• Oil your hair with herbal oils or use special herbal gels. Do this on a regular basis, at least twice a week for improvements.
• Stress challenges the body's defenses and encourages all sorts of ailments, including dandruff, so relax now and don't worry about wearing a black shirt tomorrow.

Whatever method of treatment you choose to follow, it is important to be persistent. All methods of treatment take time. When you discover which treatment is right for you, be sure to follow through with recommendations. Dandruff does not have to keep you from going out and enjoying life to its fullest.