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What is dandruff?
Dandruff is the most common condition affecting the scalp.
It is a mild skin condition, usually confined to the scalp,
which can cause irritation and embarrassment to the
sufferer. Treatment can often be simple.
Dandruff is the common term used for white skin flakes
shedding from the scalp, or in some cases, other
hair-covered skin.
Although dandruff is not contagious and usually not serious,
it can be embarrassing and itchy.
Dandruff can happen at any age and is found in people
between the ages of 12 and 80, however the condition mostly
occurs after puberty, usually between the ages of 20 and 30
and usually affects males more often than females.
A form of dandruff known as cradle cap occurs in newborns
and infants
Dandruff is a mysterious ailment. Mysterious, in that there
is no commonly agreed upon theory about what actually causes
the condition. It is estimated that as much as 97% of the
population will at some point in their lives have a form of
dandruff, but there is still a lack of total agreement about
this condition.
Changing to a good quality shampoo may solve the problem,
and nowadays there are many over-the-counter treatment
shampoos.
For more persistent cases a doctor may advise hydrocortisone
or coal-tar treatment.
It is often found that the problem with dandruff is worse in
the winter months and better in the summer, this is thought
to be caused by changes in humidity.
The skin cells on the scalp are constantly renewing and the
old cells get pushed to the surface by the new ones. If you
have dandruff, the process of skin renewal, or skin
turnover, speeds up to twice the normal rate, hence a
greater number of dead cells are shed.
The scalp becomes scaly and the skin cells shed and collect
in clumps.
Dandruff responds very well to treatment, but will commonly
recur if treatment is stopped.
Dandruff is believed to be associated with an overgrowth of
a fungus commonly found on the skin and scalp, called
Pityrosporum ovale.
Although the experts are certain that the yeast is involved,
they can’t decide which comes first, does a reaction to the
yeast actually cause the increased turnover and flaking, or
does the flaky skin simply provide an ideal environment for
the yeast to thrive? It seems very likely that the former is
the case, so getting rid of the yeast should improve the
dandruff.
Hormones may also be involved, because dandruff usually
starts after puberty. For unknown reasons, people with some
illnesses, such as Parkinson’s disease, are more likely to
have dandruff.
It is sometimes associated with seborrhea where sebum
production is excessive. Dandruff shares some features with
seborrheic dermatitis, and both conditions are frequently
treated with common topical medications.
Seborrheic dermatitis generally affects body sites in
addition to the scalp, including the forehead, nasolabial
fold, eyelash and eyebrow regions, and the outer ear.
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