Dandruff: Prevent from flaring up.

What causes dandruff?

It's probably caused by a fungus. Hair follicles and oil glands make an oil called sebum, which may be a breeding ground for yeast or the fungus. This fungus usually lives on your skin, but too much fungus may lead to dandruff. Dandruff is very common. People with dandruff and dandruff-like symptoms might lose hair, especially if the dandruff is severe. Dandruff tends to be worse during dry months. Cold, dry winter weather in particular can make dandruff worse. Stress or fatigue can trigger or aggravate it, too.

The Root Cause of dandruff

Dandruff may occur due to climate change, sweating, or even hormonal imbalance in the body. It can also occur due to a fungal infection known as "Malassezia Furfur." Sometimes, you may also develop dandruff if you don't maintain scalp hygiene. The other reason behind dandruff could be Inflammatory conditions like seborrheic dermatitis or scalp psoriasis.

What causes dandruff flare-ups?

There’s only one cause of dandruff, but it has been shown that it can appear worse at sometimes compared to others.

That’s because there are a number of different factors which can exacerbate a problem or make it seem worse. These include:

• Heat
• Sweat
• Pollution

These don’t cause the problem, but can make it seem worse at certain times of the year or when doing particular activities like sports.

What Is Dandruff?

Dandruff is the result of when excessive dead skin cells get accumulated in the scalp.  Dead skin cell accumulation on the scalp is a natural physiological process and part of every person's hair cycle. However, excessive accumulation of dead skin scales causes the scalp to get itchy and flaky. Those flakes and itchiness associated with it are what is referred to as dandruff.

Dandruff Can Show Up in Other Places

You can get dandruff on parts of your body other than your scalp, like your forehead, eyebrows, eyelashes, or ears. Flaky skin on your chest -- or anywhere you have body hair -- could be a sign of dandruff, which is a mild form of seborrheic dermatitis. If the skin on your body is oily or greasy or has a slight redness, that could also be a sign. Talk to your doctor about treatment.

"Getting rid of dandruff is not a one-time activity. You have to do the right things to keep things cool on top of your head, and inside it, too!"

Nutritional Requirements

Hair is made primarily of special amino acids, otherwise known as proteins. We suggest eating a portion of high-protein food (eggs, milk, fish, cheese, nuts, seeds, pulses) with breakfast and lunch to provide your hair with the best daily nutrients for growth.

Treatment:

Type of shampoo: Frequent washing with a regular shampoo is the most important treatment for dandruff. Use a regular shampoo to remove the scales as quickly as they form. In addition, the detergents in the shampoo will cause smaller, less visible flakes to shed. Some people mistakenly think that dandruff is caused by a dry scalp that will improve by shampooing infrequently or by applying oily substances to the scalp. This will actually aggravate the condition by preventing the shedding of cells.

If frequent washing with a regular shampoo does not control dandruff, try a dandruff shampoo. Choose products with effective ingredients (check labels):

• Very effective: Nizoral 1% (active ingredient: ketoconazole) is an antifungal shampoo that helps reduce the number of yeast micro-organisms present on the scalp
• Moderately effective: salicylic acid and sulphur (selenium sulphide).

Dermatologists recommend alternating a regular shampoo with an antifungal shampoo when dandruff appears. Dandruff shampoos may need to be used routinely to control dandruff. As symptoms improve, you may use dandruff shampoos less frequently.

Hair washing method is important in treating dandruff. Lather the hair twice and on the second lather, leave the shampoo on the hair for five minutes (or as directed on the shampoo label) before rinsing to give the medicine time to work properly.

The frequency of shampooing necessary to control dandruff varies from person to person. Some need to shampoo twice a week, others more frequently, even daily.

Many people forget that the scalp as well as the hair needs to be shampooed. Massaging the scalp to promote circulation may be beneficial, but scrubbing the scalp may be harmful.

Prevention

Here are some tips to prevent dandruff and dry scalp:

If you have dandruff, wash your hair often with an antidandruff shampoo. Make sure to rinse out all the shampoo.

Avoid using hair products that contain harsh chemicals, like bleach and alcohol. These ingredients can dry out your scalp. Also avoid oily hair products that can build up on your scalp. Maintenance therapy is also required to prevent relapses.

Spend a few minutes out in the sun every day. There’s some evidence that ultraviolet light exposure can help control dandruff.

Manage your stress with meditation, yoga, deep breathing, and other relaxation techniques.

Scalp health for better hair

'Scalp health' is the beauty buzzword du jour for good reason; the length, luster and health of your hair depends on the skin that covers your head.

With stress and pollution levels consistently creeping up and up, it's hardly surprising we've all got scalp issues on our mind. It is essential that the follicle and the scalp, at point of exit, are clean, clear, healthy and maintained; follicles that are full of sebum or blocked by dead skin, dandruff or infection will have an impact on the quality of hair growth. In fact, permanently blocked or obstructed follicles may eventually cease to produce hair at all.

Seek medical help if:

• Itching associated with dandruff increases
• Using a dandruff shampoo fails to control the problem adequately
• Inflammation (redness, swelling, severe scaling) occurs on the scalp or other parts of the body.