What Causes Dandruff? Are There Natural Remedies Worth Trying?
Do you dare wear that black shirt? If you have never had dandruff then you may not understand that question, but for the majority of us that have suffered from this at some point or another, read on. Dandruff is a mostly embarrassing condition marked by itchy, flaking skin on the scalp. The causes of dandruff have been attributed to dry skin, oily skin, shampooing too often, not shampooing often enough, poor diet, stress, and the use of too many styling products. The real culprit may actually be a yeast-like fungus called Malassezia, also known as pityrosporum. Malassezia lives on the scalps of most healthy adults with no problems, but it can get out of control (due to hormone imbalance, stress, suppressed immune system, illness, or increased oil production) and cause mild inflammation, which increases cell turnover. As the cells fall off, they clump together with oil from the hair, making them appear white and flaky. Most people tend to use over-the-counter (OTC) dandruff shampoos to
