Seborrheic Dermatitis, How To Prevent Extreme Dandruff? 

Seborrhea “Dandruff”:

Causes of Seborrhea (Dandruff):

As the epidermal layer continually replaces itself, cells are pushed outward where they eventually die and flake off. In most people, these flakes of skin are too small to be visible. However, certain conditions cause cell turnover to be unusually rapid, especially in the scalp. 

For people with Dandruff, skin cells may mature and be shed in 2 – 7 days, as opposed to around a month in people without Dandruff. The result is that dead skin cells are shed in large, oily clumps, which appear as White or Grayish patches on the scalp and clothes.

Dandruff has been shown to be the result of three required factors:

• Skin oil commonly referred to as Sebum or sebaceous secretions.
• The metabolic by-products of skin microorganisms (most specifically Malassezia yeasts);
• An individual susceptibility.
• Due to stress.

There are many factors leading to the build-up of extreme dandruff. They are either triggered internally or externally sometimes even both. Internal causes range from fungi e.g. M. restricta, M. globosa, and M. which normally thrives on the scalp and secretes waste lipids causing seborrhoeic dermatitis, weak immune system due to a certain illness, stress, or hormonal imbalance. On the other hand, external elements can be from Contact dermatitis caused by powerful additives found in certain hair products to weather conditions.

List of Causative Factors:

• Fungus.
• Bacteria.
• Hormonal imbalance.
• Heavy sweating.
• Oily glands.
• Stress.
• Extreme weather conditions.
• Allergies.
• Heredity.
• Constant use of hair coloring products, hair gel.
• Hair curlers.
• Illness.
• Powerful shampoo additives.
• Lack of combing.
• Symptoms of Extreme Dandruff.
• Severe flaking of the skin.
• Scalp irritations.
• Oily skin scalp.
• Redness on the scalp.
• Sore.
• Slight wounds.

Signs And Symptoms: 

For most people, the signs and symptoms of Dandruff are very clear sometimes elaborate enough to embarrass the patient in public. White, oily looking flakes of dead skin that dot your hair and shoulders and an Itchy, scaling scalp. But it’s not quite that simple; many conditions cause excessive skin scaling, including:

1. Dry Skin:

Simple dry skin the kind you get in winter when the air is cold and rooms are overheated is by far the most common cause of Itchy, flaking skin. But flakes from dry skin are generally smaller and less oily than those caused by Dandruff.

2. Seborrheic Dermatitis:

This condition, a frequent cause of Dandruff, is marked by Red, Greasy skin covered with flaky White or Yellow scales. Seborrhoeic Dermatitis affects not only your scalp but also other areas rich in oil glands, such as your eyebrows, the sides of your nose and the backs of your ears, your breastbone, your groin area, and sometimes your armpits.

3. Cradle Cap (Seborrhoeic Dermatitis of the Scalp):

This disorder, which causes a scaling, crusty scalp, is most common in newborns, but it can occur anytime during infancy. Although it can be alarming for parents, Cradle Cap isn’t dangerous and usually clears up on its own by the time a baby is a year old.

4. Psoriasis:

This skin disorder causes accumulation of dead skin cells that form thick silvery scales. Psoriasis commonly occurs on your knees, elbows, and trunk, but it can also affect your scalp.

5. Contact Dermatitis:

Sometimes sensitivities to certain hair-care products or hair dyes can cause a Red, Itchy, scaling scalp.

Risk Factors:

Any adult can become a victim of Dandruff, but certain factors can make you more susceptible:

A. Age:

• Dandruff usually begins in young adulthood and continues through middle age.
• That doesn’t mean older adults don’t get Dandruff, however.
• For some people, the problem can be lifelong.

B. Sex:

• Because more men than women have Dandruff, some researchers think male hormones may play a role in Dandruff.
• Men also have larger sebaceous glands that produce oil called Sebum.

C. Scalp And Oily Hair:

Malassezia feeds on oils in the scalp. For that reason, having excessively oily skin and hair makes you more prone to Dandruff.

D. Other Causes:

• Still, there are inadequate researches regarding these factors.
• It is believed that Adults with Neurological diseases, such as Parkinson’s disease, are more likely to develop Seborrheic Dermatitis and Dandruff.
• So are people recovering from stressful conditions, particularly Heart Attack, and those with compromised immunity.

Misconceptions: