Understanding Dandruff: Causes and Treatment

Have you ever experienced an itchy scalp that causes white skin flakes in your hair? While harmless and fairly common, this pesky dandruff condition is pretty embarrassing and can wear down your confidence.

Dandruff (a.k.a dermatitis or seborrhoea) affects everyone at some point in their life irrespective of gender and age. But the good news is that it can easily be treated with medicated anti-dandruff shampoos such as Rausch Coltsfoot Anti Dandruff Shampoo 200ML or Bioderma Node Ds+ Anti-Dandruff Shampoo 125ML.

What is Dandruff?

Dandruff occurs when small pieces of dead and dry skin fall off the scalp due to certain skin conditions such as seborrhoeic dermatitis or oily skin. The most common symptoms include an itchy scalp and dandruff flakes in your hair or on your shoulders.

Causes of Dandruff

Dandruff can happen for a number of reasons, including:

·         Seborrhoeic dermatitis.

·         Oily skin.

·         Excessively dry skin.

·         Using a shampoo that dries the scalp.

·         Weakened immune system.

·         Certain diseases.

·         Poor hygiene.

·         Skin disorders such as psoriasis, rosacea, acne, or eczema.

Treatment

Dandruff is a often chronic, but treatable, condition that is most commonly treated with gentle shampoos or OTC anti-dandruff shampoos.

The best shampoos for dandruff are:

·         Shampoos with tea tree oil such as La Roche-Posay Kerium Anti-Dandruff Cream Shampoo 200ML.

·         Shampoos with selenium sulphide which can be found in Head & Shoulders Clinical Strength and Selsun Blue.

·         Shampoos with an antifungal and antibacterial ingredient called pyrithione zinc which can be found in DermaZinc and Sebamed Anti-Dandruff Shampoo 200ML.

·         Shampoos with salicylic acid and tar-based shampoos like Neutrogena T/Sal and Uriage DS Hair Anti Dandruff Shampoo 200ML.

Spending some quality time in the sun and eating a healthy diet with plenty of foods that are rich in omega-3 fatty acids have been recognised by dermatologists as ways to prevent dandruff.

Cutting back on hair products like pomades, sprays, and styling gels that cause oil buildup on the scalp is also an effective way to stop dandruff from developing.