Sunday, February 1, 2009

Understanding What Causes Dandruff

By Jille Kelly

Dandruff is such a common condition for many around the world. Most individuals experience it as a result of having hair scalp that is itchy. Other unique health states might lead to one falling foul of it, such as eczema, which presents various possible diagnoses.

As a result the treatments can be varied and wide, while requiring some to go through a few methods before finding one that completely eradicates their problem. Before one knows what to try, some consultation is necessary to determine the type of dandruff that is being experienced.

Most people will suffer from dandruff as a result of having an itchy scalp. This itself is a condition arising from a scalp that is either too dry or oily. With dryness, the lack of moisture often leads one to feel irritability and therefore the compelling urge to scratch.

With a scalp that is too oily, the situation can be ten times worse. The oil will cause dust particles from air to clump together which promotes germs and bacteria to accumulate. Not only will dandruff result, but widespread infection of the scalp can lead to other serious problems.

Being too clean has its own problems. If you wash or treat your scalp too many times, expect the skin to suffer from one of the two common conditions. Too much treatment can dry the skin, while shampoo that has oily ingredients might actually cause more harm than good.

An uncomfortable weather climate can also contribute to one developing dandruff. If your hair scalp tends to be oily, living in a warm country usually means a lot of perspiration. This can cause reddish looking scalp and even infection.

There is also an yeast-like fungus that can lead to this embarrassing hair problem. Malassezia is actually present in most individual's hair. But if it is not controlled, they will thrive in the oily hair follicles. This leads to layers of dead skin cells and another form of dandruff.

Those who suffer from other health conditions may also be unfortunate enough to end up with dandruff. In many situations, prevention will be a big help to avoiding having to endure this embarrassing problem. For those who have not been so lucky, a trip to the dermatologist will be necessary in order to cure their condition. - 16004

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