Dandruff is a common hair problem. Not only can it cause discomfort, dandruff can also affect your appearance or self-confidence. Dandruff is thought to result from lack of care of the scalp. In fact, the exact cause of dandruff is often unknown.
Possible Causes of Dandruff
The body goes through a natural process in which it sheds dead skin cells on the scalp after new skin cells are formed. Dandruff is the result of the rapid growth and death of these cells.
It is not known for certain the cause of accelerated growth and cell death in the scalp. However, there is a suspicion that it is caused by a disturbance in the skin’s oil-producing glands, which makes it produce too much skin oil.
The loss of dead skin cells on the scalp that causes dandruff can also be triggered by other factors, such as:
- Rarely shampooing, or even too often shampooing.
- Suffering from tinea capitis, a fungal infection of the scalp.
- Suffering from atopic eczema, which is a disease that makes the skin dry, itchy, cracked, and red.
- Have allergies, for example due to the use of hair care products, such as hairspray or gel
- Suffering from psoriasis, a chronic inflammation of the skin that makes the skin flaky, thickened, dry, and scaly.
Changes in the weather can affect the condition of the scalp, and increase a person’s risk of dandruff. In addition to the weather, dandruff is also more common in conditions, such as:
- Men in puberty.
- Have oily hair type.
- Suffering from a disease that affects the immune system, such as HIV.
- Consuming alcoholic beverages.
- Frequent consumption of high-sugar, spicy, or high-salt foods.
- Eating less foods with B vitamins, such as eggs, cheese, and fish.
How to reduce dandruff
There are many ways to remove dandruff, but some basic rules for treating your dandruff are:
- Use shampoo that has 2 per cent ketoconazole or zinc pyrithione.
- Keep your scalp clean
- Avoid using too many hair products
- Consult a dermatologist if dandruff still persists
