Surprising Facts About Dandruff

Dandruff!!! Is that a headache for you? If you have an itchy scalp or flakes in your hair, you may be tempted to just reach for the nearest dandruff shampoo. Before you do, read on to find out common misconceptions about the irritating condition.

Dandruff is not caused by dryness.

It’s caused when the skin on your body or face becomes scaly or itchy .When your scalp is flaky, it’s usually the result of too much oil rather than too little. It’s a common misconception that dandruff is caused by dryness; in reality, it’s usually due to an overgrowth of harmless yeast.

You should wash your hair more often.

Generally, dermatologists warn against shampooing your hair every day. The concern being that you’ll strip the scalp and hair of natural oils and cause irritation. Dandruff poses the opposite problem. Not shampooing enough will only make your dandruff worse. It causes more oil and dead skin cells to accumulate on your scalp.

A flaky, itchy scalp does not always mean dandruff.

There might be a situation when you don’t see any improvement after washing for a week or two with a medicated shampoo. In this case you could have psoriasis or a skin inflammation. Some hair treatments and certain products with harsh chemicals can create an allergic reaction or sensitivity that dries out your scalp. When dandruff shampoos aren't cutting it, you’ll want to see a dermatologist, who’ll be able to diagnose your specific condition and prescribe the right remedy to treat it.

You can get dandruff on your face and body too.

Those oily flakes are not necessarily restricted to your scalp. It’s not uncommon for women to discover dandruff flakes in their eyebrows, around their ears, and along the sides of their nose. Usually such scaly patches occur in addition to a flaky scalp — if you have these extra skin-shedding spots, use your dandruff shampoo to gently clean them when you wash your hair.

Dandruff can’t be cured, but it can be controlled.

If you’re prone to dandruff, it’s most likely a problem that will continue to recur. Still, you don’t have to wait for flakes to make an appearance to start treating them — you can take preemptive action to avoid flare-ups. Diet is very important, you should consume saturated and trans fats that will cause your sebaceous glands to produce more oil, which makes dandruff worse. Avoiding these fats, as well as incorporating varied fruits and veggies that contain zinc and B vitamins, will help keep the flakes at bay.