Dandruff is a very common skin disorder that in most cases is not serious but can be embarrassing and unpleasant to those affected by it. The good news is that it is not contagious and can be treated.
Who gets dandruff?
Dandruff is a common chronic condition. It is estimated that half of all people will be affected by dandruff at some point in their lives.
Dandruff often occurs after puberty and is most common in people in their early 20s, continuing into middle age.
It has been reported that dandruff is more common in men than women. It is thought to affect all ethnic groups equally.
Dandruff tends to be worse in the colder months of the year and during dry months as well.
What causes dandruff?
No one is really sure what causes dandruff, but it is not linked to poor hygiene.
The body continually sheds dead skin cells as new cells are formed. In most cases, this is a gradual process that goes unnoticed. This process can speed up, producing excessive amounts of dead skin cells which cause dandruff. We do not know why this occurs but we know certain things that can make dandruff worse and they include the following:
• overuse of hair products
• emotional stress
• washing your hair too much or too little
Dandruff does not mean you have dirty hair, but the way you treat your hair, or the products you use, might cause a flaky scalp.
For reasons which are not yet clear, people recovering from a stroke, heart attack or head injury are also more likely to have dandruff.
How do you know you have dandruff?
Almost all teenagers can readily identify the symptoms of dandruff. These symptoms include the following:
• White oily looking flakes of dead skin
• Itchy scaly scalp
• Flakes on scalp and shoulders
A type of dandruff called cradle cap can affect babies. This disorder, which causes a scaly, crusty scalp, is most common in newborns, but it can occur anytime during infancy. Although it can be alarming for parents, cradle cap is not dangerous and usually clears up on its own by the time a baby is 3 years old.
You can get dandruff on parts of your body other than your scalp, like your forehead, eyebrows, eyelashes or ears. Flaky skin on your chest, or anywhere you have body hair, could be a sign of seborrhoeic dermatitis too. If the skin on your body is oily or greasy, or has a slight redness, that could also be a sign.
When to see a doctor
The vast majority of cases of dandruff do not require a doctor’s care. If you are still scratching your head after several weeks of experimenting with over-the-counter (OTC) dandruff shampoos, or if your scalp becomes red or swollen, see your doctor or dermatologist. You may have seborrheic dermatitis or another condition that resembles dandruff. Often your doctor can diagnose the problem simply by looking at your hair and scalp.
Treatment
In most cases dandruff can be brought under control with anti-dandruff shampoo. There are a number of different types available over the counter from most pharmacists.
Anti-dandruff shampoos work in different ways, depending on the type, so if one type is not effective you may want to try another one.
If treatment fails to clear your flaky scalp after a few weeks, or your scalp is particularly itchy, see your doctor. You may need stronger prescription shampoo or a short course of a steroid lotion.
Dandruff usually responds well to treatment, but it is common for it to recur.
In some cases, you may need to use anti-dandruff shampoo on a regular or semi-regular basis to prevent dandruff returning.
Complications from dandruff
Although having dandruff can be embarrassing, it is harmless. It does not mean that you are not clean. It is not contagious, that is, you cannot catch it or pass it along to someone else. Dandruff does not directly cause hair loss, but scratching your scalp a lot could cause temporary hair loss. Most individual with dandruff, especially teenagers, are extremely embarrassed about this disorder and for this reason alone it should be treated and taken seriously by health care professionals.
Conclusion
Dandruff is a common scalp condition in which small pieces of dry skin flake off of the scalp. Dandruff may also make your scalp itch. Many people believe that dandruff is caused by poor hygiene, but this is not true. We are still not sure about the exact cause but it appears to be complex. The most effective way to treat and control dandruff is to use dandruff shampoo and scalp treatments. If symptoms persist or recur frequently seek medical care.
Ask Your Doctor is a health education column and is not a substitute for medical advice from your physician. The reader should consult his or her physician for specific information concerning specific medical conditions. While all reasonable efforts have been made to ensure that all information presented is accurate, as research and development in the medical field are ongoing, it is possible that new findings may supersede some data presented.
Dr Brett Hodge MB BS DGO MRCOG, is an Obstetrician/Gynaecologist and Family Doctor who has over thirty-two years in clinical practice. Dr Hodge has a medical practice in The Johnson Building in The Valley (Tel: 264 4975828).
