Queries on Dandruff: What Causes Dandruff?

Dandruff is essentially the abnormal shedding of skin cells from the scalp. The condition is sometimes mistaken to be parasitic, but the tiny white flecks of dandruff are not parasites; they are merely flakes of dead skin. Skin cells are of course always dying and being discarded, but this normally happens at a steady rate and is therefore mostly unnoticeable. However, certain factors can interfere with this process, resulting in dead cells accumulating and then being discarded in clumps.

The mechanism that causes dandruff is as yet not fully understood, but several conditions are known to cause it. Skin conditions such as psoriasis and seborrhoeic dermatitis typically cause the skin to peel and flake, and can affect the scalp just like they affect any other part of the body. Such condition will of course have their own causes, which need to be determined in order to cure them along with the dandruff. These conditions may be caused by problems with the immune system, nutritional imbalances, allergies, or infections. Fungal infections are known to be a common cause of dandruff, and many anti dandruff shampoos work by eliminating fungal infections.

In some cases, dandruff is simply the result of an excessively oily or excessively dry scalp. Severely dry skin has a tendency to flake, and excessively oily skin does not allow dead cells to fall off normally. Instead, they accumulate on the scalp, and fall off only after forming large clumps.

If you feel your scalp is too dry, you can try oiling it several times a week, with either coconut oil or olive oil. However, be sure to apply the oil at night, and wash it off in the morning. Do not keep the oil on your head all through the day. In case this does not work within a week or two, you will need to try other measures. For an oily scalp, sometimes simply changing your shampoo is enough to get rid of the dandruff. Also, more thorough shampooing will help dislodge dead skin during washing itself, so that there is less to flake off later.

If these measures do not work, you should simply try an anti dandruff shampoo. You could also try tea tree oil, but this oil is quite strong, and may irritate your scalp if the dandruff is being caused by a skin condition. In this case, you will need to consult a doctor to find out what you are suffering from, and what is causing it.