What is Dandruff?
DANDRUFF is a very common problem indeed, that of flakes falling from the scalp every time a person combshis/her hair or rubs the head. Dandruf is caused by a commonyeast cell pityresporen ovale which causes an inflammation of the scalp, making it shed flakes. Dandruff is a very common sclap problem. A morbid condition of the sclap is the emergene of dandruf which is caused by the excessive secretion of the sebaceous glands. Dandruf is infectious and personal articles like comb, towel, etc. of the patient should not be used by others.
What causes dandruf ?
Dandruf is caused by micro-organisms called pityrosporum-ovle which are present in every body’s scalp. Symptoms of dandruf get aggravated when exposed to dust, UV light, harsh chemical based shampoo, hair dyes etc., this results in increase in number of microbes which causes unhealthy residue over the scalp which leads to dandruff, which is the cause of unhealthy, lifeless hair and may result in excessive loss of hair too. Your hair may get damaged by several environmental reasons. To meet these issues, a number of environmental organizations are collaborating for this goal. Followings are also responsible for dandruf:-
1. Heredity
2. Lack of proper Diet
3. Environment
4. Dry or Greasy Scalp is etc.
5. Stress, anxiety and tension.
6. Infrequent shampooing of the hair or inadequate rinsing.
7. Improper use of hair-coloring products or excessive use of electric hair curlers.
Can Dandruf Lead to Baldness?
Dandruf can lead to other problems, like acne or a rashy skin, and can even trigger off hair loss. In severe cases of dandruf, for which the medical term is seborrheic dermatitis or seborrhea, some hair follicles could be damaged or destroyed. But there is no evidence in the medical journals that baldness is caused by ordinary dandruff. Dandruf and baldness often occur together though. Many people assume from this that one is caused by the other. It’s a false assumption.
Treatment of Dandruff:
The aim of treatment is to reduce the level of the yeast pityrosporum ovale on the scalp. Dandruff responds well to the use of medicated, anti-fungal shampoos, especially those containing, in order of effectiveness:
- Selenium sulfide
- Zinc pyritic
- Coal tar
- Ketoconazole
Dandruff should improve within 1-2 weeks of starting treatment, but will commonly recur if treatment is stopped.
Home remedies for Dandruff Cure and Treatment:
1. Oil your hair with pure warm coconut oil and apply the juice of half a lemon onto the scalp.
2. Massage the scalp with almond oil and steam bathe your hair. Steam bath is taken by dipping the towel in boiling water and wrapping it around the hair, like a turban. Do not let the corners of your towel be wet so that you can hold them. When your towel gets cold, repeat it thrice or four times. Steaming opens the scalp pores and increases the capacity of the hair to absorb oil at its roots.
3. You can also take a spoonful of lemon juice, mix it with two spoonfuls of vinegar, and massage it on the scalp. Wash your hair with an egg shampoo.
4. Take on part almond oil, and pure sulfur in the same quantity, mix and add ‘surgical spirit’ in the quantity equal to the above two. Put four parts distilled water or rose water and rub on the scalp. An effective home remedy for dandruff.
5. Mix a spoonful of lemon juice with two spoonfuls of vinegar and massage on the scalp. Wash your hair with an egg shampoo after this. Your hair will be dandruff-free.