Head-on with Dandruff

Of the countless discomforts that tax human living, dandruff is certainly among the most common. People, grown-ups especially, suffer from a bout of dandruff at one time or another, and in varying degrees. Some are stricken by the problem only slightly and occasionally. Others, however, are encumbered by chronic attacks of the disease.

Dandruff is a condition in which the skin of the scalp flakes off, in amounts ranging from light to excessive. It can be caused by a dry scalp or by too much secretion from the oil glands. But the exact cause of chronic dandruff has never been pinpointed. And with the threat it poses to a person's image and health, dandruff has given birth to a major global hair-and-scalp-care industry.

Advertisers of anti-dandruff shampoos usually play upon people's fears. TV and print commercials often dramatize the rejection that results from failing to use their indorsed products. The implication is that product usage brings love and acceptance. Which is true, albeit indirectly.

Normally, dandruff is not a life-threatening health condition. But it can undermine one's relationship with others in no minor way. For instance, many a time an intense attraction flies away as soon as tiny flakes start fluttering off a love object's head. The problem can also deflate the self-confidence of the afflicted person.

It's a big turn-off to see dandruff flakes dropping from one's head to his shoulders. Worse when the flakes travel from one's head to another's shoulders. It's as gross as swollen gums and spotty teeth. Maybe worse. It strongly suggests poor personal hygiene.

People who are exposed to dust, heat or have quite oily skin are most likely to develop dandruff. Some cases of dandruff, however, are caused by a disease of the oil glands of the skin. It is characterized by an increased secretion of sebum, or fatty matter, and is manifested by an oily or scaly appearance of the skin, especially of the hairy parts. The disease can interfere with hair nutrition, resulting in partial baldness.

When the oil glands of the skin malfunction and overproduce sebum, the fatty matter may accumulate in the ducts of the glands. The glands bulge with the collected sebum, and form a small hard particle called a whitehead. When the sebum in the mouth of the duct becomes discolored with dirt, it becomes a blackhead. On the scalp, the abnormality can cause irritation and flaking.

Individuals with oily faces are also likely to have greasy scalps. They are prone to develop a scaly and itchy inflammation of the skin that produces dandruff as well as rashes on the scalp, chest, and back. They may also develop acne, a condition commonly affecting adolescents and young adults. In acne, bacteria break down sebum into fatty acids, which eventually come out and form whiteheads and other eruptions on the skin surface, including the scalp.

The excessive use of hair lotions, hair sprays, and coloring dyes can also lead to dandruff. These products are commonly used to condition the hair, keep it in place, or make it glossy and looking good. But they can also leave chemical residues that can cause scalp irritation.

For instance, most hair bleaches contain hydrogen peroxide. While the chemical is intended only for the hair, it often seeps down to the scalp. Hair-styling oils, for their part, can cause air dust to stick to the hair and scalp. On the scalp, the stuck dust can clog openings of the sweat glands and gather around the hair base. This can cause irritation, too, which can then lead to danruff.

Periodic hot-oil shampoo is advisable for those who are very exposed to sun and dust or have overactive oil glands. So is a frequent self-applied scalp massage. When a chronic scalp problem is not averted, medical intervention is necessary. A physician will usually prescribe a medicated shampoo and other treatments.

For most people the regular use of a mild shampoo is enough. Some anti-dandruff shampoos specially designed for certain chronic scalp disorders may be too strong for daily use by those who don't have the problem. Anti-dandruff formulations often have very strong chemical ingredients that may damage an otherwise healthy hair and scalp.

Even a mild, daily maintenance shampoo must be rinsed off thoroughly, making sure the chemical ingredients are washed away with the dirt. And a light finishing hair tonic must be applied only on the hair, not on the scalp. A large variety of hair-care products is easily available today. But everything shall be used in the right way.

The wise keep their heads cool. The wiser keep theirs cool, clean and healthy. It can cost a little time and effort-even some money-but the investment is all worth it.