Dandruff is a common scalp disorder affecting almost half of the population at the post-pubertal age and of any sex and ethnicity. It often causes itching. It has been well established that keratinocytes play a key role in the expression and generation of immunological reactions during dandruff formation. The severity of dandruff may fluctuate with season as it often worsens in cold weather. Dandruff is rare before puberty, peaks in the teens and early twenties, and declines with age thereafter. Most cases of dandruff can be easily treated with specialized shampoos. There is, however, no true cure.
According to Wikipedia, Dandruff is the shedding of dead skin cells from the scalp. As skin cells die, a small amount of flaking is normal; about 487,000 cells/cm2 get released normally after detergent treatment. Some people, however, experience an unusually large amount of flaking either chronically or as a result of certain triggers, up to 800,000 cells/cm2, which can also be accompanied by redness and irritation.
Those affected by dandruff find that it can cause social or self-esteem problems, indicating treatment for both psychological and physiological reasons.
Dandruff can have several causes, including dry skin, seborrhoeic dermatitis, not cleaning/scrubbing often enough, shampooing too often, psoriasis, eczema, sensitivity to hair care products, or a yeast-like fungus. Dry skin is the most common cause of flaking dandruff.
Dandruff can also mean a common scalp condition in which small pieces of dry skin flake off of the scalp. If you have dark hair or you’re wearing dark colours, you may notice the flakes in your hair or on your shoulders. Dandruff may also make your scalp itch.
Many people believe that dandruff is caused by poor hygiene, but this is not true. Although infrequent shampooing can make dandruff more obvious, researchers are still studying the causes, which appear to be complex.
According to Gary Cole, there are things that do not help dandruff and they include:
- Moisturizing: Moisturizing lotions don’t do much more than smooth out scales and make plaques look redder.
- Switching brands of shampoo: Shampoo doesn’t cause dandruff. However, medicated shampoos can help.
- Changing hair-care routines: There is no “right” shampoo or conditioner. What is more important is the frequency with which these agents are used. As a rule, the more frequently one shampoos, the better the result. Seborrhea and dandruff are not caused by excessive shampooing “drying out the scalp.” Hair dyes and conditioners do not cause or aggravate dandruff.
- Switching antiperspirants: When underarms are red from seborrhea, almost anything will make them redder, including antiperspirants, even though they are only aggravating the seborrhea and not causing it.
The most effective way to treat and control dandruff is to use dandruff shampoo and scalp treatments.
For most people, dandruff does not require medical attention. However, sometimes the flaking and itching that appears like dandruff is actually a medical condition, such as seborrheic dermatitis, psoriasis, fungal infections of the scalp, or eczema.
If you continue to have symptoms after using a dandruff shampoo, consult a board-certified dermatologist. A dermatologist can properly diagnose your condition and recommend a treatment plan that best meets your needs.
