Dandruff is a very embarrassing and not very aesthetic problem. White flakes of skin falling from the hair are embarrassing. This is a disease that should be treated. But how to do it effectively?
Many people struggle with dandruff. It is important to know that this is a common scalp disease, and these white flakes – are nothing more than an exfoliated layer of epidermis. Dandruff can appear at different ages, often affecting children between 6 and 10 years old, teenagers and the elderly. Few people are aware that if we neglect this problem, it can lead to seborrheic alopecia
There may be several reasons for the appearance of dandruff. It may be a reaction to some hair-care products or a disorder of skin cell proliferation
It is believed that white flakes, i.e. dead skin cells, appear on the scalp after washing hair in too hot water. The fact is that improper hair care undoubtedly aggravates the problem because the hydro-lipid balance in the epidermis is disturbed. We should not go to bed with wet hair. Why not? Because it leads to the proliferation of bacteria and fungi, which aggravates skin problems. Dandruff is also more likely to appear on sweaty skin, so always remember to wash your hair after strenuous activity
The typical symptoms of dandruff are the white flakes on the scalp, which fly out of your hair nearly every time you bend your head. This is accompanied by unpleasant itching. There are three types of dandruff: dry dandruff, seborrheic dermatitis and infantile dandruff. The first one manifests itself by excessive exfoliation of the epidermis, thus white, dry scales appear. Usually this problem affects teenagers. Seborrheic dermatitis, on the other hand, is associated with inflammation – the exfoliated skin adheres to the scalp and, in addition, a very strong itching occurs, which even makes everyday life difficult. Severe seborrhea may occur not only on the head but also on the eyebrows, forehead and ears. Dandruff in infants is called cradle cap, which is an orange, yellow or brown scaly skin.
There are many myths about dandruff. One of them is that this is an ailment that affects people who do not take care of hygiene. Nothing could be further from the truth. Inadequate skin care or the lack thereof may exacerbate the problem. In the same way, it’s not true that you can “scrape away” dandruff. The skin will continue to flake and more flakes will appear on your hair
If dandruff is slight and we suspect that it may be caused by the cosmetics we use, it is worth replacing the shampoo or conditioner with hypoallergenic products. If after a few weeks you do not notice any improvement, it is necessary to visit a dermatologist. He will verify what is the cause of the problem and whether we really have to deal with dandruff, or maybe it’s psoriasis or atopic dermatitis. The doctor will then recommend us to use specialized cosmetics. Such anti-dandruff treatment recommended by a dermatologist or trichologist usually involves the use of appropriate anti-dandruff shampoos, masks and lotions. These specifics usually have in their composition ketoconazole, which has antifungal and anti-inflammatory properties. Ingredients that equally often appear in this type of cosmetics are pyroctone olamine (responsible for regulating the proliferation of skin cells), sulfur (helps normalize the work of the sebaceous glands) and zinc pyrithione
It should be remembered that at the beginning of the treatment there may be even more dandruff, because the keratinized epidermis is removed – the skin must be cleaned. Later, it is important to choose the right cosmetics that will not irritate the scalp and prevent a relapse
Main photo: Andrey Popov/ adobestock.com
