dandruff treatment

Dandruff. If you're one of the 50 million Americans who have this common condition, you've undoubtedly suffered through similar scenarios. And you may feel you've personally paid out a sizable portion of the $300 million that Americans spend annually on products to control dandruff. Still, the condition persists.

What is dandruff?

Skin constantly renews itself by shedding the outer layer of cells as new cells push up from beneath. This shedding is normal, and most of the time it's unnoticeable. When flakes of sloughed-off skin from the scalp become obvious or are accompanied by itchiness, it's called dandruff. Dandruff can occur in all age groups.

If your dandruff persists despite treatment, or if you have very large flakes together with symptoms around your nose, ears or chest, you may have seborrheic dermatitis. Sometimes referred to as seborrhea, this greasy, scaly, itchy rash can occur on the sides of your nose, in and between your eyebrows, behind your ears, in the center of your chest, or around your navel or genitals as well as in the scalp. Or severe dandruff may be the result of psoriasis of the scalp.

What causes it?

Contrary to popular notions, dandruff is usually a result of too much oiliness of the skin and scalp rather than dryness. While mild dandruff may be caused by overactive oil glands, recent evidence suggests that the more severe dandruff associated with seborrheic dermatitis may be caused by an overabundance of Pityrosporum ovale, a yeast-like organism found on healthy scalp in low numbers. With the increased scaling and oiliness of seborrheic dermatitis, these yeast organisms thrive and multiply, aggravating inflammation and scaling.

Treatment

There is no cure for skin disorders that lead to dandruff, so it often recurs. But mild cases often improve with careful shampooing using professional salon anti-dandruff products.

The FDA has approved five ingredients for these specially prepared shampoos: salicylic acid, coal-tar, pyrithione zinc, selenium sulfide, and sulfur. You may need to try several shampoos before finding the one that works best for you.

Massaging the scalp vigorously as you shampoo helps loosen flakes so they can be rinsed away. Thorough rinsing is essential, since shampoo residue encourages more flaking. For best results, shampoo daily, leaving the lather on for a few minutes before rinsing. When the condition clears up, keep it in check by shampooing with medicated shampoo as needed to control the problem.  Maintain a healthy scalp with Bain de Terre Peppermint Patty Scalp Treatment.

If your dandruff doesn't clear up with over-the-counter shampoos, you should see a dermatologist, especially when dandruff is severe or areas other than the scalp are involved. Your dermatologist may recommend one of the following treatments:

• A stronger coal-tar or salicylic acid lotion to loosen thick scaling so that shampoos may work more effectively. These are usually applied and left on overnight under a shower cap.
• An anti-fungal shampoo containing ketoconazole, such as Nizoral, if an overabundance of yeast seems to be the root of the problem.
• Steroid creams applied to the affected areas to suppress flaking.
• Stronger coal-tar shampoo or other treatment if psoriasis of the scalp is the underlying problem.