How to get rid of dandruff

Even the most shiny, silky and thick hair can be ruined by such a trifle as dandruff. It comes suddenly and out of nowhere, but to get rid of it you need to put in a lot of effort, and it’s rare that positive results are obtained the first time. Therefore, it is much better to prevent problems in advance. In this article we will look at the causes of dandruff, its types, treatment methods and preventive measures. 

Cause of dandruff

Dandruff is one of the most common scalp diseases, which probably every person has suffered from at least once. This prevalence of the disease has led to the fact that dandruff is not given much importance, thinking that “it will go away on its own”, and treatment begins only when it becomes absolutely imminent and real “snowfall” falls from the head to the shoulders. Yes, dandruff itself does not pose a danger to the health and general condition of the body, but it is a cosmetic defect that does not make its owner beautiful. So, we will talk about the treatment of dandruff a little later, but now we will analyze in detail the reasons that contribute to the development of the disease.

There are many reasons that can cause dandruff. Only a specialist can determine what exactly was the impetus. So, the main provocateurs are:

• Metabolic disorders. When metabolic processes are disrupted, a decrease in immunity occurs, which makes the body weak and can no longer resist attacks from bacteria and fungi.
• Hormonal imbalances They also often cause dandruff, but this only applies to women.
• Disturbances in the functioning of the endocrine system, diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, respiratory organs, problems with neuralgia.
• Hereditary predisposition plays a significant role.
• Disturbances in the functioning of the sebaceous glands.
• Vitamin deficiency in the body and poor nutrition.
• Mental and physical stress.
• Infection with the fungus P. Ovale. In a healthy person, they can be found in 90% of the body, but they do not show their activity. And this can only be done if the body’s protective functions are reduced.
• Both overheating and hypothermia of the scalp: frequent use of hot air when drying hair with a hairdryer, wearing hats that make the head sweat a lot.
• Neglect of scalp hygiene.

Factors that can also affect the health of the dermis of the head include frequent stress and nervous strain, as well as young age: at the time of puberty, a hormonal imbalance occurs, which can provoke the appearance of dandruff.

Doctors consider dandruff as a disease inherent to the scalp. If under normal conditions the scales of the scalp come off within a month, with seborrhea the process takes seven days.

Myths about dandruff

There are many different tales that relate to dandruff, but not all of them have a basis in reality. Here are just a few of them:

• You can get rid of dandruff with a good shampoo. Indeed, a high-quality medicinal drug will help temporarily remove the problem, but it will not be able to cure it. Shampoo can be used in a treatment complex, but not alone. In addition, such things should be purchased only on the advice of a trichologist, who will help you choose an individual product.
• Another myth says that dandruff can be caused by a dirty pillow. To some extent this may be the case. The fact is that the fungus that causes this problem may be on the pillow. Once on the scalp it begins to develop causing flaking. However, with strong immunity, such infection will not occur.
• Frequently washing your hair also has no effect on the problem. Seborrhea is a fungus that cannot form due to excessive hygiene. And even from the shampoo itself it will not appear, as many assume, that fragrances and other chemicals may be to blame. Dandruff is a sign of hormonal imbalance.
• Dandruff cannot be cured - also a big misconception. Yes, getting rid of it is problematic and can take a lot of time, but it can be eliminated. But high-quality treatment is only possible by eliminating the cause that caused it. Therefore, first you need to go to an appointment with a trichologist.
• Dandruff can cause baldness. A mild problem does not cause such consequences, but an advanced stage of oily seborrhea can actually cause severe hair loss. But this is due to the fragility of the follicles, which are destroyed by excessive abrasion of the epithelium. Dandruff causes severe itching, redness and irritation, which in itself will not bring any benefit to the hair.
• Dandruff can be defeated in one session. To date, there are no drugs or procedures that would get rid of the disease in one go. At best, scalp treatment will last for several months and you need to be prepared for this.
• Dandruff only affects oily hair. Nothing of the kind. Yes, more often the disease is diagnosed in carriers of this hair type, but this is in no way “immunity” for others.
• If you use someone else's comb, dandruff may appear. Indeed, everyone should have their own personal hygiene items, but combing your hair with someone else’s comb simply cannot be the cause of dandruff. The disease occurs due to problems inside the body and not a single comb can influence this.
• Dandruff can be combed out - no, no and no again. It's like trying to get rid of snow in winter and dust in summer. But combing can seriously harm the scalp, especially if the procedure is carried out with a comb with sharp teeth. This will only further injure the affected skin.

Types of dandruff

In general terms, four types of scalp disease dandruff can be distinguished.

Thick oily seborrhea. Thickened skin with reduced elasticity. Its color becomes brownish-gray, the sebaceous glands are open, the hair becomes coarse and stiff. Often the sebaceous ducts become “clogged” with exfoliating epithelium, saturated with sebum. This is how comedones appear. With this type, atheromas often appear, and when they are opened, a mass similar to cottage cheese comes out. If the atheroma becomes inflamed, it opens on its own, releasing the accumulated pus, after which a scar remains at the site of damage.

Liquid oily seborrhea. In this case, the appearance of the skin resembles the peel of an orange: the pores expand, the scalp becomes shiny due to the abundant secretion of sebum. Literally on the second day after washing your hair, your hair becomes sticky. The head and hair are covered with a large number of detached scales. This condition is often accompanied by itching and can lead to hair loss. The advanced stage leads to the formation of boils on the head, damage to the follicles and the appearance of yellow crusts. After the resulting crusts come off, pigmentation appears.

Dry type of seborrhea. The illusion of dry skin is created, although sebum is produced, it is simply very viscous and difficult to come out of the ducts due to their tightness. In this situation, the dermis of the scalp becomes very sensitive and is easily irritated. Dandruff falls from the head like snow, and severe itching occurs. Crusts may form on the scalp. Peeling most often occurs in the back of the head, but can spread throughout the entire perimeter.

Combined seborrhea. As the name suggests, this type implies the presence of both dry and oily seborrhea.

Dandruff treatment

Considering several types of the disease, as well as the many reasons that can lead to it, it becomes clear that the “poke” method cannot cure such an ailment. You should definitely go to a session with a trichologist and find out the cause, and then discuss the treatment method with the doctor. You can, of course, if this is not possible, start treatment yourself, having previously analyzed and understood what went wrong and try to eliminate the cause. A little later we will present effective recipes from traditional medicine that will help restore normal dermis on the head.

Whatever drug you choose to treat dandruff, make sure it contains at least one (and ideally two or three) of the following:

• Bifonazole. Stays on your head for a long time. It is not addictive to bacteria, due to which the effectiveness does not decrease with long-term use.
• Tar. It exfoliates the scalp well and cleanses it of dead epithelium.
• Ketoconazole. Shows good effectiveness in the fight against fungal infections that cause dandruff. However, with prolonged use of drugs containing ketoconazole, a weakening of the effect is observed, as bacteria become resistant to its effects.
• Salicylic acid. This ingredient disinfects the skin, perfectly removes dandruff from the surface of the dermis and prevents the formation of new scales, and fights fungi well.

Anti-dandruff shampoos

We mentioned earlier that shampoo cannot cure dandruff alone; an integrated approach is needed. Here are the three best shampoos that can help in treatment.

• Algopix shampoo. On average, the price for a 200 ml bottle is 200-300 rubles. The active substances are salicylic acid and tar, both of them have antifungal properties, and the first is also an antiseptic, which deprives pests of a nutrient medium. This shampoo helps stop the development of the disease and relieves itching. It needs to be washed a little differently than with regular shampoo: it needs to be distributed over the scalp and left for 10 minutes, only then rinsed off.
• Shampoo "Sulsena". The active substance is selenium disulfide. It affects the functioning of the sebaceous glands and normalizes the process of cell division. Unlike the previous one, you only need to keep it on your hair for three minutes.
• Shampoo "Nizoral". For 60 ml you will have to pay around 500-600 rubles. However, it has the advantage of a wide range of activities. In addition, it is very thick, which allows you to use it economically. You need to keep it on your hair for at least five minutes. This product showed its effectiveness of 96%.

Anti-dandruff masks

List of masks that promote healthy scalp.

• Mix a large spoon of castor oil with the yolk of one egg. Mix and distribute over your head. Leave under polyethylene for about two hours, then rinse off. You need to do it about twice every seven days for a couple of months.
• Combine four large spoons of full-fat kefir with any base oil in the amount of one large spoon. Knead everything and leave on the scalp for two hours.
• Rub simple onion juice into your head for several hours and the results will not be long in coming. However, people with porous hair should use this composition with caution, since the aroma of onions is absorbed into them for a long time. To minimize the unpleasant odor you need to: drip aromatic oils with a strong smell (for example, lemon) into the onion juice; apply the composition exclusively to the scalp, without affecting the entire length of the hair; Wash off the mask with a solution of vinegar and water. If the hair is not porous, then the slight smell of onion will be present only when the curls come into contact with water.
• Knead a couple of yolks with the “nectar” of half a lemon, add a large spoonful of castor oil to them. Leave on your head for an hour and a half, then rinse.
• Mix two large spoons of burdock oil with five drops of rosemary, two drops of orange, four drops of eucalyptus oils. Apply the mixture to your hair for an hour.

Folk remedies for dandruff

• Take a tablespoon of flax oil daily. It contains a lot of vitamins that will have a beneficial effect on the body and strengthen the immune system.
• Crush a couple of aspirin tablets into powder and add to his portion of shampoo. Apply the composition to the scalp and leave for 5 minutes, then rinse.
• Combine a couple of small spoons of aloe gel with a tablespoon of orange juice, grated clove of garlic and egg yolk. Mix everything and rub into the scalp. After 40 minutes, wash off.
• Wash your hair with apple vinegar (6%).
• Mix a large spoon of St. John's wort with 10 large spoons of vodka and let it brew for a week in the dark. Rub the mixture into your scalp twice a week.
• After washing, rinse your hair with a solution of sea salt prepared in the following proportion: 1 large spoon of salt per half liter of water. You can add a large spoon of fresh lemon juice to the mixture.
• Carry out massage sessions for 5-10 minutes every day.

Prevention of dandruff

Preventive measures include the following:

• Reduce your consumption of fatty, fried, salty, alcoholic drinks, and foods that may cause allergies.
• Drink more clean water. This helps cleanse the body, which has a beneficial effect on all its functions.
• Follow basic hygiene rules - wash your hair whenever it gets dirty. Make sure that your head does not get too cold or overheat.
• Apply caring masks regularly to keep your scalp healthy.
• Try not to get nervous, at least over trifles, go in for sports and start leading a healthy lifestyle and eat only the right foods.

The main prevention of dandruff is to maintain your immunity level is at the proper level. A strong body is able to resist viruses and infections, including those that contribute to the development of seborrhea.