Dandruff (with the exception of pimples) is possibly the one
of the most common cosmetic problem faced by a huge portion of the population. And
although dandruff is not as repulsive as body odor or bad breath, it remains a
major turn off for most people. So what can ordinary people like us do to make
the dandruff go away?
Well the first thing at solving any problem is to first
understand the problem, right? So after hours of searching on the internet,
here’s what I’ve found about dandruff and some of the ways people contract it
and how one can get rid of it.
WHAT CAUSES DANDRUFF?
Dandruff or Seborrhea
is the shedding of dead skin cells from the scalp which is actually pretty
normal. Yes, you heard it right, dandruff is normal. An average person should
shed about 487,000 cells per cubic centimetre after detergent treatments.
However, there are people that can shed double this amount due to several
factors including skin oil (sebum) and metabolic by-products of micro-organisms
to name a few.
Genes can also play a part for dandruff susceptibility as
there are people who are more susceptible to dandruff while others have genetic
traits that make them more resistant to it. Nonetheless, any person suffering
from dandruff shows the same symptoms, that is, aside from the flaking of the
skin, dandruff is also associated with itching and at times rashes with dry
flakes and red spots.
HOW TO TREAT
DANDRUFF?
For mild cases, dandruff can easily be treated with the use
of over the counter products such as anti-dandruff shampoos, coal-tar
preparations and Ketoconazole. For more severe cases, additional products such
as clobetasol solution and other scalp nourishing products maybe applied.
I’ve also stumbled upon some easy to follow practices which
anyone can follow to help treat and prevent dandruff. Here are some of them.
- Shampooing everyday may help reduce scalp oil which in turn can lessen the occurrence of dandruff. Almost all known shampoo brands today offer an anti-dandruff variant so this will definitely not be a problem. However, as not everyone’s skin can suit a specific brand, try to experiment on which type and brand of shampoo works best for you.
- If the current shampoo you are using doesn’t help, you may want to try to switch brands or shampoo type. This helps by preventing yourself from developing a form of resistance to your shampoos active ingredient.
- Another thing you might want to try lathering twice. The first lathering will get rid of excess oil and flakes of skin and will allow the active ingredient of the shampoo to penetrate the skin and do its work during the second washing.
- You might also want to stop yourself from scratching your head whenever the itchiness from dandruff sets in. Of course, this is because frequent scratching can cause wounds on the scalp which in turn makes it difficult to use specialized shampoos on your head.
- Try to lessen the use of hair styling products. Although there is no proof that hair products can cause dandruff, lessening the use of these products can prevent oil build up on your scalp which in turn may prevent dandruff.
Please do note that the contents of this post are not backed
up by any medical expertise. It is purely informational and any tips or
suggestions indicated in this article should be followed at the reader’s own
risk.
