Dandruff Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis and Treatment

What Is Dandruff ?

Dandruff is known as a common scalp condition characterized by the skin flaking on the scalp. Even though, dandruff is not spreadable and rarely seems as a serious condition, it can be uncomfortable as well as hard to manage sometimes.

But, the good thing is that you can control dandruff. If there is mild dandruff case, then only shampooing daily with a gentle cleanser is enough to treat it. However, medicated shampoos are used for stubborn cases.

What Are The Symptoms Of Dandruff ?

Mostly, the symptoms of dandruff are easy to find:

• Oily, white dead skin flakes that usually dot your shoulders and hair,
• Itchy, scaly scalp.

This condition may get worse during the winter because inside heating majorly contributes to dry skin, but become improved during summer time.

A dandruff type which is known as cradle cap highly affects children. In this complaint, there is a crusty, scaly scalp which is common in infants. Even though, it is an alarming condition for mother, cradle cap is not risky and become controlled when baby is over 3 years.

What Causes Of Dandruff ?

There are numerous causes, such as:

• Dry skin. The common cause of dandruff is dry skin. Flakes present on the dry skin are small generally and less oily as compared to other dandruff causes.
• Not cleaning enough. You may not wash your hair regularly that may result in oil secretion and further dandruff can be caused by the skin cells on the scalp.
• Other conditions of the skin: different skin conditions, for example:

1. Eczema( an inflammatory chronic skin condition), or

2. Psoriasis ( a condition of the skin marked by a dry, rough, dead skin cells resulting in dense scales.

• A fungus like a yeast (named as Malassezia): On the adult’s scalp, Malassezia is present which may irritate the scalp resulting in dandruff.
• Hair care products Sensitivity.

How Dandruff Is Diagnosis ?

Dandruff is most common disease state which can be diagnosed easily because its symptoms are obvious such as dry, itchy and flaky scalp. The Seborrhea (a dermatitis condition) seems as reddish skin with greasy, mild, yellow scales as well as plaques with unclear margins. Also, Psoriasis is related to silvery, well-defined, scaly or flaky plaques.

How Dandruff Treatment ?

It is very easy to control dandruff, but with persistence and patience. Overall, cleansing hair daily with a medicated shampoo to diminish oiliness and building up of skin cell might assist in controlling dandruff. The medicated shampoos include:

• Tar-based shampoos (For instance: Neutrogena) or those Shampoos which contain salicylic acid
• Zinc pyrithione shampoo (for example: Head & Shoulders, Jason Relief 2 in 1 Dandruff).
• Ketoconazole shampoos (For example: Nizoral).
• Selenium sulfide shampoos (Like: Selsun Blue).

Use any of the above mentioned shampoo daily or alternatively until dandruff is controlled completely: then use it as required.

By : Natural Health News