The skin in the scalp is constantly renewed, as is the skin in general. The old outer skin cells come off as small, usually invisible, dry white scales. It is only when the amount of skin flakes increases and they become visible that it is called dandruff.
Dandruff can be difficult to remove, but through treatment, the problems can usually be reduced. Dandruff does not infect.
Yeast mushrooms may be behind
It is unclear what causes dandruff. This may be because the body responds to a kind of yeast fungus found everywhere on the skin of adults. If you have the fungus in large quantities or are extra sensitive to it, your skin may react with producing more skin flakes than normal. Dandruff is more common during adolescence and puberty.
Dandruff occurs whether you have a dry or oily scalp. The dry type of scales loosens easily and falls on the shoulders. The fat type often gets stuck in the scalp.
More dandruff of strong hair remedies
If you use strong hair remedies, such as jelly, mousse, liquid or spray containing alcohol, hair and scalp may dry out and dandruff can get worse. Furthermore, if you have the dry type of dandruff, the hassles can increase in winter when the air is drier. Dense caps and hats can also cause fungus to grow.
Dry scalp – try using a mild shampoo
If the skin flakes are barely visible, it’s probably just a sign of dry scalp. Then you can try a mild shampoo that is specially designed for dry and sensitive scalp.
Dandruff shampoo can help in moderate conditions
If the flakes are bigger and you expect it to be dandruff, but the trouble is not that great, you can wash your hair and scalp with a mild dandruff shampoo for a period of time. If that doesn’t help, you can use special shampoo containing selenium. Different types of dandruff shampoos are available both in pharmacies and in regular grocery stores.
It does not help one shampoo so try something else. The scalp reacts differently. To also avoid unnecessarily irritating the scalp, make sure to lather the shampoo in the palm before washing and rinse your hair extra long.
Shampoo against yeast fungus for more difficult problems
If you have a lot of dandruff and maybe scalp coatings, you can try a shampoo that removes the skin fungus that may have caused dandruff. The shampoo contains the active ingredient ketoconazole, which is effective against yeast fungus. You should treat the hair and scalp twice a week for two to four weeks, and then once a week or as needed. Shampoo with ketoconazole can be purchased without a prescription at a pharmacy.
When should I seek care?
If you have not been helped by regularly using a shampoo containing ketoconazole, you should contact your health care center. You may have had dermatitis or some other skin disease, such as psoriasis, which requires different treatment.