|
Dandruff, aka scurf, has been historically known by the long-winded medical term Pityriasis capitis. The condition, which is characterized by the excessive shedding and flaking of dead skin from the scalp. Dandruff is believed to be caused by several factors. Most notably, diet plays a role in a person's development of dandruff. People with a high sugar intake, or those who struggle with insulin-regulation such as diabetics, often suffer from dandruff. Perhaps this is because the primary cause of dandruff is considered to be a yeast called Pityrosporum ovale (malasezzia). (FYI – yeast feeds on sugar!)
Those who follow a low or no-fat diet also tend to struggle with dandruff. Those folks may be deficient in unsaturated, or essential, fats such as Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids which help build up the body's natural oils. Of course, too much oil can lead to dandruff as well, leading to the common consensus that the actual causes of dandruff are poorly understood.
Other factors that may cause dandruff include, but are not limited to:
- hormones,
- stress,
- illness,
- neurological disorders such as Parkinson's disease
- a suppressed immune system
- infrequent shampooing
- allergies, etc.
The most common treatment for dandruff requires the usage of special shampoos and the avoidance of gel-based and other regular styling products. Of course, there are more natural and home-based remedies you can concoct if you have the gumption. (We will delve into those in another article.) Dandruff-sufferers are also discouraged from over-styling and over-processing their hair and encouraged to keep the hair dryer at least ten inches away from their heads while drying their hair.
Dandruff shampoos are usually classified according to their active ingredient:
- Sodium Bicarbonate (Baking Soda)
- Zinc Pyrithione (Selsun Salon, Head & Shoulders, Sikkai Powder, Pantene Pro V)
- Ketoconazole (Nizoral, Fungoral)
- Coal Tar (Neutrogena T/Gel)
- Salicylic Acid (Ionil T)
- Tea Tree Oil (Himalaya Anti-Dandruff Shampoo)
- Selenium Sulfide (Selsun Blue, Vichy Dercos Anti-Dandruff Shampoo, certain varieties of Head & Shoulders)
Experts recommend that you use these shampoos daily until your dandruff is under control (at least for several weeks). Then, you can cut back to 2-3 times per week to keep your dandruff under control. If one shampoo seems to lose its effectiveness, you can certainly alternate by using another brand of shampoo, or one that contains a different active ingredient.
If you see no improvement whatsoever in your condition after a month or six weeks, you should probably talk to your doctor or make an appointment with a dermatologist. It's possible that the dandruff may not be dandruff at all, but rather a symptom of seborrhoeic dermatitis, a form of eczema the affects the scalp, face and trunk.
|
