Dandruff is a common scalp disorder that causes excessive shedding of skin cells from the scalp, leading to itching and irritation of the skin.

It is normal for some dead cells to be shredded off the skin, including the scalp, as part of the skin’s renewal process. However, certain triggers, such as exposure to extreme temperatures and certain chemicals, may cause the scalp’s cells to flake off rapidly and in large amounts.

Dandruff can affect anyone regardless of age, sex or race and there are three main causes (or requirements) for it and they are explained below.

 

For dandruff to develop the following three factors are required:

• Skin oil known as sebum, excreted by the sebaceous glands inside the hair follicle.

• The metabolic by-products of Malassezia yeast which is a skin microorganism that naturally lives on our skins.

• Individual susceptibility and skin sensitivity

 

Preventing Dandruff

Dandruff has multiple causes and they largely depend on individual traits of one’s hair and skin. Therefore it is difficult to pinpoint exactly how to prevent it.

Massaging instead of scratching the scalp certainly helps lessen the effects of Dandruff and may prevent it from deteriorating.

Good personal hygiene can affect dandruff only slightly as there is some evidence to suggest that dandruff is more common in people with greasy than dry hair.

The good news is that there are many reliable products for preventing dandruff. Consulting your doctor or a skin specialist will help you find one suitable for you.

 

Treating Dandruff

As with prevention, treating dandruff can be a complex issue, but ultimately may be easier than one might think.

First of all, by limiting any hair styling you might be doing the hair and scalp will be less stressed and that might lead to diminishing the effects of dandruff. Also, switching into using an anti-dandruff shampoo along with special conditioners will most probably help too.

If you are experiencing severe dandruff you should consider seeking advice from a doctor or a skin specialist who will be able to advise you on whether a more drastic treatment is required.

Finally, if you are experiencing other symptoms (such as soreness, bleeding, hair loss and others) apart from skin flaking then perhaps this is due to another cause such as psoriasis or dry scalp and you must seek medical help for those problem