Friday, January 23, 2009

The Different Causes Of Dandruff

By Jille Kelly

Dandruff is a medical condition that is suffered by millions worldwide. It is a hair problem that is often caused by itchy scalp, or an overly oily one. Other health problems might cause dandruff, and this leads to tough diagnosis when treating it.

Treatments are plentiful, and usually specific to the cause and problem. It is therefore crucial to find out what the exact cause of your dandruff problem is, before a quality treatment method can be provided.

Having an itchy scalp is the number one reason why many people have dandruff. Unfortunately, this in itself can be caused by different reasons. If your scalp is too dry, it often gives you an urge to scratch it due to being irritated by dust or dirt.

If one experiences oily scalp, the problem can be even worse. Oil that is secreted by the glands will accumulate near the hair roots. This in turn traps the dust and dirt from one's surrounding. A very unhygienic hair environment is then created which leads to bacteria and germs and resultant itchiness.

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.

The weather of the country you live in can also be a factor. If you have oily scalp and live in a country with high humidity, expect a higher possibility of experiencing dandruff. Heavy perspiration is a common occurrence and that encourages the condition to fester.

Did you know that most of us have fungus in our hair? It is actually normal, but if you allow them to grow, malassezia can lead to a serious case of dandruff. It is often the result of not washing the hair regularly and allowing dead cells to accumulate.

Many other causes can lead to this hair condition, such as eczema and psoriasis. Prevention might be the best instead of waiting for a problem to rear its ugly head. However, if the situation worsens, it is always advisable to consult a dermatologist and attempt the various cures under supervision. - 15266

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