UNDERSTANDING SCALP ISSUES

DANDRUFF

Dandruff is one of the most common scalp conditions. In fact, over 50% of the population experiences dandruff at some point in their life.

What causes dandruff?

Dandruff is the scalp’s response to irritation. Irritation to your scalp causes changes in the skin that create itchiness, dryness, and redness. The irritation also speeds up the turnover of skin cells, and causes immature cells to clump together at the scalp’s surface. This clumping together creates the visible flakes of dandruff.
Dandruff occurs when three things come together:

1. A microbe: There is a naturally occurring microbe called Malassezia globosa that is found on everyone’s scalp.
2. Scalp oils: The microbe breaks down scalp oils. This creates a skin irritant called oleic acid.
3. Skin sensitivity: About 50% of people have skin that reacts adversely to oleic acid. This sensitivity causes dandruff.
More common questions about dandruff causes:
1. Can stress cause dandruff? Stress alone doesn’t cause dandruff but, like so many other conditions, stress can make dandruff symptoms to worse. Worrying about dandruff flakes only increases the problem.
If you think stress is contributing to your dandruff flare-up, we recommend using Head & Shoulders every time you shampoo to get flakes back under control. We would also suggest continuing to use Head & Shoulders on a regular basis afterwards to protect against flakes in the future.
2. Why do I have dandruff? If you have dandruff, the simplest explanation is that your scalp has all three of the factors needed to cause the condition:
1. A microbe: There is a naturally-occurring microbe called Malassezia globosa that is found on everyone’s scalp.
2. Scalp oils: The microbe breaks down scalp oils. This creates a skin irritant called oleic acid.
3. Skin sensitivity: About 50% of people have skin that reacts adversely to oleic acid. This sensitivity causes dandruff.

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