It’s a real concern, but it’s not inevitable. Here's how to get rid of dandruff with our best anti-dandruff tips.
How to identify dandruff and get rid of it. |
This hair problem affects 50% of the Australian population according to the Department of Health, either occasionally or regularly. But did you know that there are actually two types of dandruff: dry and oily? Let’s learn how to spot dandruff to get rid of it more efficiently. |
Dry dandruff come in the form of a fine white and dry powder that is sometimes greyish, like little flakes that easily fall from the scalp, particularly on the shoulders. Unlike oily dandruff, it can be easily removed from the scalp, it is mainly located on the top of the head and can entail various degrees of itching. Oily dandruff, on the other hand, appear as larger, greasy, yellowish flakes that tend to stick to the hair. They are mainly located on the temples and behind the ears and can be combined with seborrheic dermatitis or hyperseborrhea. |
We are still struggling to identify all the factors that cause dandruff, but let’s take a closer look.
Dandruff occurs when the cells of the epidermis, the outermost layer of the scalp, multiply too quickly, leaving no time for the dead cells to shed as they grow. They can be linked to skin diseases such as psoriasis or seborrheic dermatitis, and exacerbated by numerous aggravating factors (hormonal imbalance, harsh shampoo detergents, smoking, excessively dry air, pollution, skin dryness, diet, stress etc.). Finally, the proliferation of Malassezia fungus leads to inflammation, sebum overproduction and scalp flaking.
Flakes are small pieces of skin that fall off the surface of the scalp. They appear after a break in the skin's cell renewal cycle. The cycle will then take about 28 days to 5 days. The dead cells don’t have the time to loosen from the scalp, they stick to one another and concentrate in the form of flakes. The oilier they are, the more the flakes are likely to clump together with the hair and form large yellowish crusts (not very glamorous we agree!). In any case, although flakes tend to be a bit off-putting, there is nothing dirty about them. But in terms of what you can do to fix it, we can give you a helping hand.
- Avoid overly drying shampoos that make the scalp more sensitive
- Make sure the hair dryer is not too hot on your head
- Space out washes to allow time for sebum to re-regulate
- Don't give in to the temptation of scratching
- Adopt a specific anti-dandruff routine suited for your type of dandruff
Anti-dandruff treatments are generally based on anti-fungal treatments to combat the proliferation of the famous Malassezia fungus. The use of Galangal is an anti-dandruff tip that offers a natural alternative to zinc pyrithione, a chemical molecule widely used when treating dandruff. And it has so many other virtues... nature does do it well, don’t you think?
If you have dandruff, you should avoid shampoos that are too harsh or too strong and use natural ingredients instead, which are just as effective.
