Dandruff is a common chronic scalp disease characterized by flaking of the skin on the scalp. Although the problem is not contagious and rarely severe, it can be embarrassing and difficult to treat. Fortunately, this problem can generally be controlled. Mild cases of dandruff only require daily washing with a mild cleanser. Severe cases often respond to medicated shampoos.
signs
Recognizing the symptoms of dandruff is easy for many teens and adults, the greasy, white flakes of dead skin that appear on the hair and shoulders, and possibly an itchy scalp. This disease worsens during the autumn and winter seasons, when the heat inside the house contributes to the dryness of the skin, and it improves during the summer. A type of dandruff called cradle cap that affects babies. This disorder, which causes flaking of the scalp, is more common among newborns, but it can happen at any time during childhood. Although this type of dandruff causes concern for parents, it is not dangerous and usually It disappears by itself and when the baby is three years old.
Other symptoms of this problem include the following:
1- flaky and dry skin that gets worse in cold weather
2- Dry skin in the area of the face, forehead, ears or eyebrows
3- Flaky skin on the chest or other hairy parts of the body
4- Fatty areas in the scalp or other parts of the body
5- Slight redness in the affected areas
6- Temporary hair loss
Causes of dandruff
Dandruff is caused by various reasons such as improper nutrition, excitement, worry and stress, hot and humid weather, or cold and dry weather, oily skin, excessive sweating, imbalance of hormones, especially androgens, excessive use of hair cosmetics, and non-observance of hair care. (Not shampooing regularly, not washing the head enough after using shampoo, or leaving soap residue on the scalp) appears. Dandruff is also caused by microorganisms and fungi, and the factors mentioned above are also effective in causing dandruff.
The relationship between dandruff and fungus
Since ancient times, scientists have believed that small scales on the head or dandruff are caused by a small fungus that grows on the scalp. Today, the existence of such fungi has been proven. Skin inflammation is also an important point. Fungi settle first on the scalp and then on the fat on the scalp. They break down these fats into their desired fatty acids and even destroy substances that hinder and interfere with their growth. This inflammation causes scalp cells to divide faster and after that, a suitable environment is provided for the growth of fungi. All of these go hand in hand and cause the scalp cells to divide faster, resulting in dandruff. Still no one knows the reason for the millions of scalps that fall on different people’s clothes every day. There are two types of fungi that cause dandruff: Malassezia vestricta and Malassezia globosa. The only reason that has made everyone think that Malassezia furfur is the cause of dandruff is that this fungus grows on culture media. But the other two species are too sensitive to grow on animal or plant fats and they definitely need human skin fat to grow. Currently, fungi are not the only ones responsible for causing dandruff.
skin diseases
Other skin diseases with dandruff are caused by inflammation of the scalp, and diseases such as eczema cause severe scaling on the scalp, and sometimes infectious diseases such as impetigo, head lice or pediculosis appear in the form of crusts on the head. Other skin disorders such as seborrheic dermatitis and atopic dermatitis, dendrof (puberty), rosacea, acne, psoriasis, obesity, Parkinson’s disease, the use of drying leucine containing alcohol and AIDS are some of the diseases that cause severe dandruff. . Dandruff treatment and prevention cannot be definitively prevented. But we can use the following methods to minimize the severity or frequency of disease flare-ups.
Simple and non-pharmacological treatment
The simple and non-drug treatment of regular hair brushing is very important in the treatment of dandruff because it causes the blood flow to be faster and the cells to be nourished. Every night before going to bed, brush your hair with a hair brush in different directions, so that the brush moves on your head about a hundred times and circulates the blood in all places. Combing the hair regularly, especially in the open and clean air, has a great effect on the treatment of dandruff. Because this work increases blood flow and scalp tissue cells. Shampoo your head well once a day. How to wash your head with shampoo is more important than the type of shampoo. While shampooing, loosen the flakes with your fingernails and rub your scalp for at least 5 minutes. To clean your hair, use a shampoo suitable for your hair type. You can add some vegetable or animal strengthening ingredients to this shampoo depending on the type of hair.
diet
According to some experts, diet is the main cause of dandruff due to bad diet. If dandruff is caused by malnutrition, a suitable diet is recommended for it. Avoiding eating animal fats, avoiding excessive consumption of sweets, chocolate, nuts, fried and spicy foods will restore health to the hair. For those who are facing the problem of dandruff, it is recommended to eat vegetables and fruits and protein-rich foods in large quantities. Foods that have enough vitamins, A, E, B and protein prevent dandruff.
Traditional treatment
Dandruff treatment in the traditional way is the best natural treatment for dandruff apple juice. Massage your hair with apple juice to treat it. The natural acids in this fruit remove dead cells from the head. After a few minutes, wash your head with shampoo. Apple cider vinegar with warm water can also act as an anti-dandruff and anti-grease agent.
Drug treatment
Treatment of Dandruff by Medicinal Method To get rid of brief dandruff, you can use medical anti-dandruff shampoos such as selenium sulfide, ketoconazole, pyrithenium zinc (Prithion Zinc) and various poly tar shampoos and antiseptic shampoos such as Stavlon shampoo as well as skin softening lotions. do. In more severe cases, shampoos containing tar or scalp creams containing cortisone may be prescribed. To apply the medicine on the scalp, part the hair in a small part of the head and apply the ointment or lotion well on the scalp. Repeat this in other places. In severe dandruff (with flaking and scabbing), salicylic acid ointment 5% is useful.
Consequences of dandruff
The consequences of dandruff is one of the most common hair diseases, which is a chronic disease, often the disease remains silent for a long time. During the active stage of the disease, symptoms can be controlled with treatment. This disease does not cause hair loss, and greasy hair and dandruff do not play a role in baldness. However, it’s side effects include clumsiness and lack of comfort in social interactions and secondary bacterial infection in the affected areas.
prevention
Keeping skin and hair healthy prevents dandruff. During the occurrence of dandruff, it is very important to wash the hair more regularly. You can use the personal care tips mentioned above to prevent dandruff. Dandruff is a very common problem, especially among teenagers and men. There are many ways and methods to remove and treat dandruff that you can do. If you do not succeed in treating dandruff with the methods mentioned in the article or if you are suffering from severe dandruff, it is better to consult a doctor to apply the best definitive treatment for dandruff.