Dandruff
[toc]Dandruff is known as the flaky deposit on the scalp, which is rather itchy in nature and also tends to be an embarrassment when it gets out of hand. When our cells die, then the skin tends to shed them off in the form of dry flakes, which is exactly what happens to the scalp too. But there is a difference between natural shedding and forced shedding. Basically during the dry seasons the skin tends to have more dandruff, but those prone to oily scalp too get the same. Here are the top causes and treatments for dandruff:
Causes
Dryness
Dry and flaky scalp is the home to dandruff. What happens is that because of excessive dryness, the skin tends to shed off these dead cells, which are basically of no use. Hence, dryness on the scalp is a major culprit of dandruff.
Diet
Fruits And Vegetables
This dryness is caused because of poor diet, lack of enough water, excessive chemical treatments, etc. Remember that eating healthy and fresh fruits and vegetables along with drinking lots of water is vital for maintaining good hair. The lack of essential minerals and vitamins, which are provided via the bloodstream, causes dandruff too.
Environmental pollutants
Believe it or not, all that smoke out there along with the harsh sun are only aggravating the problem of dandruff. What happens here is together, these elements lead to damaging the hair and scalp, which means more of dead skin and thus dandruff. Another cause here is these pollutants make the scalp dirty and thus more prone to infections.
Oily And Dirty Scalp
Oily scalp tends to attract dirt and this does not allow the layers of the skin to breathe. As a result, the cells die out and thus dandruff is caused. Oiliness also means that the dandruff is stuck to the scalp, which means it only spreads faster.
Illness
At times, illnesses like high fever, chicken pox, malaria, etc. leave the body in a weak stage and create havoc with the internal balance of the skin and scalp. So along with your glowing skin, your hair and scalp tend to wither and get very dry. Medications too may cause dandruff.
Symptoms
Symptoms of dandruff are easily visible and if you notice any of these, you should immediately opt for treatments to make sure that the same does not get worse-
Itchiness
Itchiness
Another common symptom of dandruff is constant itchiness on the scalp. This is seen in both oily and dry forms of dandruff. The constant itchiness is because the skin is sensitive and the shedding leads to a lot of friction, which in turn causes the itchiness. Sometimes, excessive dandruff can also mean infections along with scratching and bit of blood.
Dandruff Shampoo is the best way to control and treat dandruff. You can get one of the over the counter shampoos to treat the same or even ask your dermatologist to prescribe one for you. But again, make sure that you use a regular shampoo post 3-4 dandruff shampoo washes to maintain a neutral balance.
Flaky Deposit
You can see snowflakes on your scalp and this is one of the most common signs of dry hair dandruff. Because of dryness, these flakes tend to be hovering all over the hair and scalp, making it seem as if it just snowed on your hair.
