Overcoming dandruff problem
Flick off the white menace this winter with these useful tactics.

dandruff problemCome winter and you start seeing flakes—snow on the hillside if you are lucky, dandruff on shoulders and pillows, if you are like the rest of us.

This common, itchy condition of the scalp is caused by a variety of reasons and can be a social embarrassment. Dandruff can also occasionally be a precursor to, or a harbinger of other scalp infections and conditions. A closer look at this white menace.

What is dandruff?

Sharing combs does no harm

Dandruff, in its simplest form, is nothing but the flaking of normal, dead tissue from the scalp. The natural cycle for dead cells to come to the top of the scalp is about a month.

However, regular dandruff is barely visible, except in unwashed hair or during a bath and is quite asymptomatic. The moment dandruff is visible or itchy, it needs to be addressed.


Clinically, there are two types of dandruff: dry and sticky. Dry dandruff is more Types of dandruffcommon, worsens in winter due to the general dry weather conditions and can be itchy.

Anti-dandruff shampoos at a glance

Active ingredient Example of product

Zinc Pyrithione Head & Shoulders, Clinic All Clear, Pantene Pro V

Ketoconazole Nizoral

Selenium Sulphide Selsun Blue, Vichy Dercos antidandruff shampoo

Tea Tree Oil Himalaya anti-dandruff shampoo

Tar Neutrogena T (Gel)

Piroctone Olamine Kaya anti-dandruff lotion

Sticky dandruff is more common in summer and can be accompanied by small boils on the scalp. Both can be controlled fairly easily with the right interventions.


Predisposing factors

Dandruff has been shown to be the result of four common factors:

1. Excess skin oil commonly referred to as sebum

2. More by-products of skin micro-organisms (most specifically Malassezia yeasts) that multiply faster in the presence of excess oil

3. Individual susceptibility

4. Dandruff, on rare occasions, can be the manifestation of an allergic reaction to chemicals in hair gels/sprays, hair oils, or sometimes even dandruff medication like ketoconazole (found in most anti-dandruff shampoos).

Serious dandruff

Excessive dandruff, especially of the sticky variety, can be the precursor to more serious problems of the scalp like seborrheic dermatitis or psoriasis.

Shampoos can help

This sort of dandruff will usually be persistent, long standing and resistant to home treatments or routine anti-dandruff shampoos. One needs to consult a dermatologist to tackle this.

Treatment

A lot of home remedies are known to work quite well.


* Fenugreek seeds are excellent in treating dandruff. Soak them overnight, make a paste, apply on the scalp for 20 minutes and then wash off with shampoo. Do this twice a week to keep your scalp clean as well as to condition your hair.

* Mix the juice of half a lemon with 2 teaspoonfuls of olive or almond oil. Massage on scalp for 10 minutes. Rinse off with shampoo.

dandruff treatment* Boil a handful of herbal leaves in 4 tea cups of water. After cooling and filtering, use it for rinsing hair.

You can remove the flakes by simply shampooing more often. However, elimination of the fungus Malassezia results in dramatic improvement. Regular shampoos with an anti-fungal product can reduce recurrence.

Dermatologists prescribe oral antifungal like fluconozole in pulse form (in a cyclical pattern instead of daily) to treat and control dandruff. Usually a dose of 150 mg/week for three weeks brings dandruff under control.

Shampoos

They form the main line of defense while fighting dandruff. There are many options available in the market. Various studies have shown that anti-fungal/anti-dandruff shampoos containing ketoconazole are more effective.

So, get set this winter to rid yourself of the white flakes, the right way.