Dandruff

Dandruff is a common and chronic condition of the scalp where small pieces of dry skin flake off from your scalp making your scalp itch. dandruff isn't a contagious condition neither is it serious, however, it can be a matter of embarrassment and sometimes difficult to treat. If your dandruff is mild it might only need frequent shampooing with a mild cleanser. More headstrong cases of dandruff often are treated with medicated shampoos.

Dandruff can have several reasons that includes

• Seborrheic dermatitis tends to affect your scalp and other areas that have oil glands present in them like eyebrows, it is one of the most common causes of dandruff that accompanies red, oily skin covered with flaky white or yellow scales.
• Infrequent cleaning of hair: If you don't wash your hair regularly, oils and skin cells from your scalp can build up, causing dandruff.
• Infrequent shampooing. If you don't regularly wash your hair, oils and skin cells from your scalp can build up, causing dandruff.
• Other skin conditions like eczema, which is a chronic, inflammatory skin condition, or psoriasis that is skin disorder characterised by a rapid buildup of rough and dead skin cells forming thick scales can make it appear you to have dandruff.
• Allergy to hair care products (contact dermatitis): Several ingredients that are present in the hair care products such as hair dyes, especially paraphenylenediamine, may result in the itchy, and scaly scalp. Too much use of hair styling products and frequent shampooing with a hard shampoo may cause sensitivity in your scalp, causing dandruff.

Mild dandruff can be easy to get rid of by keeping in mind the following

• Washyour hair frequently using only a mild shampoo until dandruff clears off; Do not scratch your scalp while shampooing; instead, gently lather up your scalp without scratching
• Do not use too much of hair styling products like hairspray and gel until dandruff goes away Severe dandruff,requires a medicated anti-dandruff shampoo. Some of the most popular and widely used anti-dandruff shampoos are
• Salicylic acid – this shampoo helps in softening and shedding of the dead skin cells from your scalp (some people feel drying up of their scalp after using salicylic acid.
• Zinc pyrithione – This shampoo works efficiently by killing the Malassezia fungi that is believed to be responsible for causing dandruff
• Selenium sulfide – this has the main function of slowing down the production of skin cells while stopping the growth of fungi.
• Ketoconazole shampoo – it is a powerful antifungal agent.
• Coal tar shampoo – This helps in slowing down the production of dead skin cells

You must gently massage the shampoo onto your hair and scalp and lather it up. It's important to leave the shampoo on for at least five minutes to work its magic. If using one dandruff shampoo does not show the desired result, try switching different dandruff shampoos with different active ingredients.

If you do not see any improvement in the symptoms even after a few weeks of using these shampoos, contact your hair expert at Dermcos Skincare Clinic.

For most people, dandruff might be common scalp issue that does not require medical intervention. However, sometimes the condition of flaking and itching that might appear like dandruff can be a serious medical condition like seborrheic dermatitis, psoriasis, fungal infections of the scalp, or eczema


Frequently Asked Question