Is a severe case of dandruff keeping you from wearing your favourite blacktop or t-shirt? Finding flakes of dandruff on your clothes is one of the most embarrassing things for most people. The issues caused by dandruff are not limited to that. If left untreated, dandruff can cause severe skin breakouts, hair fall and painful inflammation on the scalp.
Understanding what dandruff is and how it is caused will set you on the right path to dandruff prevention. Let us break this down for you:
What is Dandruff?
Dandruff is a type of scalp condition that results in the skin becoming flaky. Contrary to popular belief, dandruff is not the same as dry scalp. Fungal infection usually causes it on the scalp that results in the white, powdery flakes. Other conditions cause dandruff, including allergic reaction, psoriasis or seborrheic dermatitis. A dirty scalp, as most people believe, is not a cause for dandruff. However, if you already have the condition, washing your hair regularly is an effective dandruff prevention measure.
Some risk factors increase your chances of developing dandruff. These include weather, stress, age, medication, and the type of hair products you use.
Symptoms of Dandruff
Besides flaky skin, there are other symptoms of dandruff that you must look out for:
- Itchy scalp
- Crusty and scaly scalp, especially in infants
- Flaky skin on the beard, moustache or eyebrows
- Sensitivity to certain hair products that did not affect you before developing dandruff.
When these symptoms are mild, try to find the best dandruff cure in order to avoid unwanted complications like acne.
How to Prevent Dandruff?
There are some measures of dandruff prevention that you can take. Remember, once you have developed dandruff, curing it is a challenging task. Therefore you should take the following preventive measures:
- When shampooing your hair, do not rub the scalp roughly.
- One of the best dandruff prevention measures is using mild products on your hair. Avoid ones with harsh chemicals, especially hair colouring products.
- Do not use gels and hair sprays regularly. They lead to oil build-up, which increases fungal infection, the number one cause of dandruff.
- Get fresh air. Spending a fair amount of time outdoors helps your hair get natural dandruff eliminating benefits of the sun during the day.
- Managing stress helps reduce dandruff.
- Ensure you brush your hair two to three times a day to keep the flaky skin at bay.
- When you wash your hair, make sure that you remove all the products thoroughly. Any traces of these products can irritate the scalp and cause dandruff.
Can Dandruff be Cured?
There are different options for dandruff cure. However, it is not the easiest thing to do. There are some measures that you can take to control dandruff and eventually cure it completely.
- Anti-dandruff shampoos: Some shampoos are specially designed to reduce any infection or inflammation in your scalp. They are particularly beneficial if the cause for dandruff is a fungal infection. Look for products with ingredients like ketoconazole and clotrimazole that are the best dandruff cure.
- Home remedies: Applying lemon on the scalp is one known to be very beneficial in dandruff prevention and cure. However, before you try any home remedy, make sure that it suits your scalp type. You must also be aware of the causal factor of dandruff to pick the right remedy.
- Eat a nutritious diet: A diet rich in healthy fatty acids, B vitamins, and zinc is exceptionally beneficial for reducing and preventing dandruff. Your doctor may also recommend a supplement to curb the issue.
When it comes to dandruff cure, avoid any home remedies or self-medication without consulting the doctor first. If you do not address the root cause, which could be allergies or other skin conditions, it may only aggravate the condition. Therefore, over the counter dandruff, shampoos and remedies fail in getting you the results you want. The best way to manage dandruff effectively is to get an appointment with your dermatologist when you see the initial symptoms.
