Dandruff is associated with Seborrheic Dermatitis (SD), which causes itchy, scaly skin, but only occurs on the scalp. It’s so common, it affects about half of the global adult population.
Most people focus on splinters. Itching, on the other hand, may be the most uncomfortable side effect.
So what is your itchy scalp actually trying to convey?
Itchy, scaly flakes and scalp are the main symptoms of dandruff. Greasy white flakes usually build up on your hair and shoulders and often get worse during the fall and winter, when the air is dry.
Additional symptoms could include:
- erythema, namely red patches on the scalp, and sometimes on the face
- eyebrow dandruff
- hair fall
- Dry flakes on facial skin
So why am I getting dandruff?
Skin cells on your scalp (like the rest of our body) are constantly being replaced and shed. This is part of normal cell turnover and is usually not noticeable. However, it can become obvious if skin cells start dividing too quickly — and this is what happens with dandruff.
50% of us are genetically predisposed to scalp problems like dandruff and when there’s susceptibility, flaking can show up in varying degrees although she notes that other warning signs like dryness, redness and itching tend to show up before flakes appear. Instead of just being irritating, an unhealthy scalp ultimately results in unhealthy hair, as hair grows through the damage with the cuticle lifted. What’s even more terrifying is that flaky scalp can also cause hair loss, which means addressing the problem prematurely.
For those who have never experienced the familiar shoulder sprinkling, finding out you suddenly have dandruff can feel a little disconcerting. The trigger is an overgrowth of a certain yeast that is naturally found on the scalp, called malassezia furfur.
Natural skin secretions, such as sweat and sebum normally protect the scalp and keep these levels in check. However, metabolic changes such as hormonal changes and stress, can interfere with skin secretions that allow Malassezia furfur to develop. And when the scalp tries to release these irritants along with the skin cells, in just a few days a dandruff sufferer can produce as many new cells as a healthy scalp produces in a month.
Apart from stress, diet can play an important role in suddenly realizing more flakes with the most common culprits being full-fat dairy products, white wine and champagne.
