Dandruff and Its Causes

Dandruff is probably the most common and wide spread of scalp conditions.  Yet it can still cause embarrassment.  The social implication is real.  People tend to shun people with this kind of scalp condition.  Scary to use the comb and people with dandruff make for strange bedfellows. 

This never-ending scalp disorder is marked by itching and too much flaking of the scalp.  It falls on hair and lands on clothing.  It can be pushy without prior notice.  But this scalp condition can be regulated.  Shampooing with a gentle cleanser for mild cases while medicated shampoos or anti dandruff prescribed by the doctor is for stubborn flakes. 

Without doubt for most people, the symptoms and indications of seborrhea (dandruff) are instantly recognizable: white, oily looking flakes of dead skin that speckle your hair and shoulders.  It leaves the scalp itchy and scaling.   However more serious signs and conditions can cause dandruff.  Usually dry skin.  This is the most common cause of itchy flaking skin. 

Seborrheic dermatitis is another and most frequent reason of dandruff.  Usually the skin becomes red and greasy covered with flaky white or yellow scales.  Another skin disorder that might trigger dandruff is psoriasis.  The condition is formed by a build up of dead a skin cell that has an outward appearance of silvery scales.  While cradle cap can also cause some for of dandruff this condition usually appear on recent born babies.  But sensitivity to hair care products like hair dyes can also bring on red, itchy, scaling scalp.

Other times the skin doesn’t have to be dry always.  In other cases the skin may seem oily and dry at the same time.  A case of shampooing too often or not often enough can also be attributed to the cause of dandruff.  Other than that a poor diet, stress and the use of many styling hair products can also contribute to the cause of this kind of skin condition.    But it can be said according to recent findings that as the above mentioned causes may make worse scalp flaking, the actual perpetrator in all probability is a yeast-like fungus called malasssezia used to be called pityrosporum. 

But what causes this fungus is not also known.  Malassezia resides on the scalp of most healthy adults.  But when they are not regulated, they cause problems. They feed on the oils secreted by the hair follicles. The resulting end is a number of dead skin cells.  As the cells start to go down they appear flaky, clump and very visible. 

This is a chronic condition but can be controlled.  Shampoos at time may help but when it fails medicated shampoos might just succeed.  Try one.  But if dandruff persists try again another one until you can find the one which suits best your skin condition. 

It might not be preventable but you can at least do something to reduce possibility of having dandruff.  Make your life less stressful.  Proper shampooing and how often can do the trick.   Hold back on that fancy styling gel.