How to get rid of dandruff

Even the most shiny, silky and thick hair can be spoiled by such a trifle as dandruff. It comes suddenly and it is not clear from where, but to get rid of it you need to make a lot of effort, while rarely when positive results are obtained the first time. Therefore, it is much better to anticipate problems in advance. In this article, we will understand the causes of dandruff, its types, methods of treatment and preventive measures.

Dandruff cause

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 does not attach much importance, thinking that "it will pass by itself," and they begin to treat it only when it is completely itchy and a real "snowfall" falls from the head onto the shoulders. Yes, dandruff itself does not pose a threat to health and the general condition of the body, but this is a cosmetic defect that does not paint its owner in any way. So, we will talk about the treatment of dandruff a little later, and 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 served as the impetus. So, the main provocateurs are:

• Metabolic disorders... When metabolic processes are disturbed, a decrease in immunity occurs, which makes the body weak and it can no longer resist attacks from bacteria and fungi.
• Disruptions in the hormonal background also often cause dandruff, but this only applies to women.
• Disorders in the work of the endocrine system, diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, respiratory organs, problems in neuralgia.
• Hereditary predisposition plays a significant role.
• Disorders in the work of the sebaceous glands.
• Deficiency of vitamins in the body and unhealthy diet.
• Mental and physical stress.
• Defeat by P. Ovale fungus. In a healthy person, they can be found on the body in an amount of 90%, but they do not show their activity. And this can be done only with reduced protective functions of the body.
• Both overheating and hypothermia of the scalp: frequent use of hot air when drying hair with a hairdryer, wearing hats, in which the head sweats a lot.
• Disregard for scalp hygiene.

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

Doctors consider dandruff to be a scalp disease. If, under normal conditions, the scalp scales leave within a month, with seborrhea, the process takes seven days.

Dandruff myths

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

• You can get rid of dandruff with a good shampoo. Indeed, a high-quality medicinal product will help to remove the problem for a while, but will not be able to cure it. Shampoo can be used as part of a treatment, but not alone. In addition, such things need to be purchased only on the advice of a trichologist, who will help you choose an individual remedy.
• Another myth is that dandruff can be caused by a dirty pillow. To some extent, this can be. The fact is that the fungus that causes this problem may be on the pillow. Once on the scalp, it begins to develop causing peeling. However, with strong immunity, such an infection will not occur.
• Frequent washing of the head also does not affect the appearance of the problem in any way. 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 evidence of a hormonal imbalance.
• Dandruff cannot be cured - it is also a big delusion. Yes, getting rid of it is problematic and it can take a lot of time, but you can fix it. But quality treatment is possible only by eliminating the cause that caused it. Therefore, first you need to go to an appointment with a trichologist.
• Dandruff can cause hair loss. An easy problem does not cause such consequences, but the advanced stage of oily seborrhea can really cause profuse hair loss... But this is due to the fragility of the follicles, which are destroyed with abundant erasure of the epithelium. Dandruff causes severe itching, redness, and irritation, which by itself will not do any good to your hair.
• Dandruff can be defeated in one session. To date, there are no drugs or procedures that would get rid of the disease at one time. At best, scalp treatment will take several months and you need to be prepared for this.
• Dandruff is only a threat to oily hair. Nothing like this. Yes, more often the disease is diagnosed to carriers of this type of hair, but this is by no means "immunity" for the rest.
• If you use someone else's comb, dandruff may appear. Indeed, such things of personal hygiene should be different for everyone, but combing the hair of someone else's comb simply cannot be the cause of dandruff. The disease arises due to problems within the body and not a single comb can influence this.
• Dandruff can be combed out - no, no, and again no. It's like trying to get rid of snow in winter and dust in summer. But it is precisely combing that can seriously harm the scalp, especially if the procedure is carried out with a comb with sharp teeth. This only injures the affected skin more severely.

Types of dandruff

In general terms, there are four types of scalp disease with dandruff.

Thick oily seborrhea... Thickened skin with reduced elasticity. Its color becomes brownish-gray, the sebaceous glands are open, the hair becomes coarse and coarse. Often the sebaceous ducts are "clogged" by the exfoliating epithelium saturated with sebum. This is how comedones appear. In this form, atheromas often appear, opening which a mass similar to cottage cheese comes out. If the atheroma becomes inflamed, it opens itself, releasing the accumulated pus outside, after which a scar remains at the site of damage.

Liquid oily seborrhea... In this case, the appearance of the skin resembles an orange peel: the pores expand, the scalp becomes shiny due to the abundant secretion of fat. Literally on the second day after washing the head, the hair sticks together. The head and hair are covered with a large amount of loose scales. This condition is often accompanied by itching and can lead to hair loss. The neglected stage leads to the formation of boils on the head, damage to the follicles and the appearance of yellow crusts. After the formed crusts have passed away, pigmentation appears.

Dry appearance of seborrhea. The illusion of dry skin is created, although fat is produced, it is just very viscous and hardly comes out of the ducts due to their tightness. In this situation, the dermis of the scalp becomes very sensitive and easily irritated. Dandruff falls from the head like snow, severe itching occurs. Scabs may form on the head. Most often, peeling occurs in the occipital region, but it can also spread around the entire perimeter.

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

Dandruff treatment

Considering several types of the disease, as well as many reasons that can lead to it, it becomes clear that such an ailment cannot be cured by the "poke" method. It is imperative to go to a session with a trichologist and find out the reason, and then discuss the treatment method with the doctor. You can, of course, if there is no such opportunity, to do the treatment yourself, having previously analyzed and understood what went wrong and try to eliminate the cause. A little later, we will provide effective recipes from traditional medicine that will help restore the normal dermis on the head.

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

• Bifonazole. Stays on the head for a long time. It is not addictive to bacteria, due to which the effectiveness does not decrease with prolonged use.
• Tar. Well exfoliates the scalp and cleanses it of dead epithelium.
• Ketoconazole. Shows good effectiveness against fungal infections that cause dandruff. However, with prolonged use of drugs containing ketoconazole, a weakening of the effect is noted, since 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 well against fungi.

Anti-dandruff shampoos

We have already mentioned that shampoo cannot cure dandruff alone; an integrated approach is needed. Here are three of the best shampoos that can help you heal.

• Shampoo "Algopix". On average, the price for a 200 ml bottle is 200-300 rubles. The active substances are salicylic acid and tar, both of which have anti-fungal properties, and the former is also an antiseptic, which deprives pests of the nutrient medium. This shampoo helps stop the development of the disease and relieves itching. They need to wash in a slightly different way than with ordinary shampoo: it needs to be distributed over the scalp and left for 10 minutes, only then rinse off.
• Sulsena shampoo. The active substance is selenium disulfide. It affects the work of the sebaceous glands and normalizes the process of cell division. Unlike the previous one, it needs to be kept on the hair for only three minutes.
• Shampoo "Nizoral". For 60 ml, you will have to pay in the region of 500-600 rubles. However, he has the advantage of a wide range of actions. In addition, it is very thick, which allows it to be consumed economically. Keep it on your hair for at least five minutes. This tool has shown its effectiveness in 96%.

Dandruff masks

A list of masks that contribute to the healing of the scalp.

• Mix a large spoonful of castor oil with the yolk of one egg. Stir and spread over the head. Keep under polyethylene for about two hours, then rinse. You need to do it about twice every seven days for a couple of months.
• Combine four large tablespoons of fatty kefir with any base oil in the amount of one large spoon. Knead everything and leave it on the scalp for two hours.
• Rub simple onion juice into your head for several hours and the result will not be long in coming. However, with caution, you need to use such a composition for people with porous hair, since the aroma of onions eats into them for a long time. To minimize the unpleasant odor, you need to: drip aromatic oils with a strong odor (for example, lemon) into the onion juice; apply the composition exclusively to the scalp, without affecting the hair along the entire length; wash off the mask with a solution of vinegar and water. If the hair is not porous, then a 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 the head for an hour and a half, then rinse.
• Mix two large tablespoons of burdock oil with five drops of rosemary, two drops of orange, four drops of eucalyptus oil. Apply the composition to the hair for an hour.

Folk remedies for dandruff

• Take a tablespoon of flaxseed oil daily. It contains a lot of vitamins that will have a beneficial effect on the state of the body, strengthen the immune system.
• Crush a couple of aspirin tablets into a powder and add shampoo to it. 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. Rinse off after 40 minutes.
• Wash your hair with apple vinegar (6%).
• Mix a large spoonful of St. John's wort with 10 large spoons of vodka and let it brew for a week in the dark. Massage the composition into the scalp twice a week.
• After washing, rinse your hair with a solution of sea salt, prepared in the proportion: 1 large spoonful of salt to half a liter of water. You can add a large spoonful of fresh lemon juice to the composition.
• Perform massage sessions daily for 5-10 minutes.

Dandruff prevention

The following actions can be considered preventive measures:

• Reduce the consumption of fatty, fried, salty, alcoholic beverages, foods that can cause allergies.
• Drink plenty of clean water. This helps to cleanse the body, which has a beneficial effect on all its functions.
• Follow basic hygiene rules - wash your hair as it gets dirty. Make sure that the head is not overcooled or overheated.
• Make regular grooming masks to keep your scalp healthy.
• Try not to be nervous, at least over trifles, go in for sports and start leading a healthy lifestyle and eat only the right food.

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