Dandruff - Causes, Remedies

 Dandruff is a common chronic scalp condition, which is marked by itching and flaking of the skin on your scalp. Although dandruff isn't contagious and is rarely serious, it can be embarrassing and sometimes difficult to treat.

 Dandruff is a common chronic scalp condition, which is marked by itching and flaking of the skin on your scalp. Although dandruff isn't contagious and is rarely serious, it can be embarrassing and sometimes difficult to treat.

The good news is that dandruff can usually be controlled. Mild cases of dandruff may need nothing more than daily shampooing with a gentle cleanser. More stubborn cases of dandruff often respond to medicated shampoos.

Symptoms

For most teens and adults, dandruff symptoms are easy to spot: white, oily looking flakes of dead skin that dot your hair and shoulders and an itchy, scaling scalp.

A type of dandruff called cradle cap also can affect babies. This disorder, which causes a scaling, crusty scalp, is most common in newborns, but it can occur anytime during infancy. Although it can be alarming for parents, cradle cap isn't dangerous and usually clears up on its own by the time a baby is a year old.

When to see a doctor

Most cases of dandruff don't require a doctor's care. But if you're still scratching your head after several weeks of experimenting with over-the-counter (OTC) dandruff shampoos or if your scalp becomes red or swollen, see your doctor or dermatologist. You may have seborrheic dermatitis or another condition that resembles dandruff. Most often, your doctor can diagnose the problem simply by looking at your hair and scalp.

Cause

The exact cause of dandruff is unknown. Possible causes and associations include increased oil production, oily skin, increased skin secretions, and increased numbers of normal skin yeasts.

Bacteria have not been found to cause dandruff. Dandruff is not a fungal infection and is not the same as scalp "ringworm," which is actually a fungal infection called tinea capitis.

Dandruff may also be triggered by poor hygiene and infrequent shampooing and washing. The immune system may also play a part in dandruff. Although mild dandruff is a very common condition in many people with a normal immune system, severe dandruff is generally more common in people with chronic illnesses or a compromised immune system as in advanced HIV/AIDS and Parkinson' s disease.

•    Common triggers of dandruff include the following:

o    Increased oil production
o    Oily skin
o    Oily scalp
o    Sweating
o    Poor hygiene
o    Weather (hot and humid or cold and dry)
o    Infrequent washing or shampooing
o    Yeast or fungus
o    Poor immune system
o    Chronic illness
o    Emotional or mental stress

•    Risk factors for dandruff include the following:

o    People with extreme or severe cases of dandruff usually also have other chronic health conditions
o    Dandruff probably has a small hereditary component making it more common to run in families.
o    Dandruff is not contagious.

Treatment

Anti-dandruff shampoos are the mainstay of treatment for simple dandruff. It's usually trial and error finding the one that works for you.

For more stubborn dandruff or seborrhoeic eczema, selenium, zinc, coal tar in coconut oil or salicylic acid can be successful. Scalp preparations contain various combinations of these. Be careful when using tar, however, as it can discolour fair hair and bed linen.

Antifungal shampoos containing ketoconazole work well for dandruff and seborrhoeic eczema. They need to be used a few times a week. Be patient: they can take up to six weeks to work.

All these treatments are available from the pharmacist without a prescription.

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