Who would have thought that a little dry scalp could make a multitude of people feel terrible about their lives! dandruff is not only upsetting because of the physical constraints it brings along, but also because it is a compelling cause of mental setback. Peers and relatives judge you silently; they might choose to avoid your company. Some might even console you that you are making the issue more embarrassing. Instead of feeling depressed about flaky scalp skin that recurrently keeps worsening, one must make efforts to deal with it. A wide mass of people will suggest you with tips and ideas to tackle the situation; in most cases a majority of these tips arise from popular assumptions. The best suited option for you is to consult an expert dermatologist and to maintain the health of your hair through natural home remedies alongside.

Ways to curb dandruff:

1. Apply a fenugreek hair pack at least once a week: fenugreek or methi is known for its inimitable medicinal purposes. Fenugreek paste can be applied on the roots of your hair to remedy dandruff. This protein rich ingredient provides strength and nourishment to one's hair while curing flaky skin. It is also rich in amino acids. Lecithin, an emollient, can prove to be effective in strengthening the hair roots and preventing them from falling off due to dandruff and subsequent itchiness.

2. Use egg white in combination with lemon juice: lemon juice has a high concentration of citric acid. When used in combination with egg whites, it can treat a dry and itchy scalp. This concoction is also acclaimed for its smoothing effect on rough and brittle hair.

3. Listerine is a multifaceted product: you knew it could only act within the realm of your mouth and you were very wrong. Listerine has more to itself than a person can think of. Listerine is meant to fight fungal and bacterial infections and it therefore, can be used on a person's scalp. One part of this liquid should be mixed with two parts of plain water and then poured into a spray bottle. This mixture should be applied on your head to make you experience the difference.

4. Neem leaves could be your ready solution: neem leaves are held in high regard for their antifungal properties. Apply neem paste on your scalp to get rid of dandruff. One may even boil a fistful of these leaves in water and wash his or her hair with the lukewarm liquid after a head bath.

How to Control Dandruff

Dandruff is one of the most common chronic hair conditions. It is characterized by a white, flaky substance on the scalp. Dandruff is not a serious condition and neither is it contagious. However, people still want it gone so that their hair looks better. Here are the symptoms as well as the causes of dandruff.

Causes
1.  Skin drying up: Dry skin is the most common cause of dandruff. The flakes from dry skin are usually less oily and smaller than with other forms of dandruff.

2.  Seborrhoeic dermatitis: Dandruff can also be caused by oily irritated skin. In this type of dandruff, red, greasy skin has flaky white or yellow scales covering it.

3.  Infrequent shampooing: This is also a very common cause of dandruff. This is because oil and skin cells accumulate, thus resulting in dandruff.

4.  Malassezia: Malassezia is a yeast like fungus. It is usually harmless and stays on the scalp of most adults. However, it is worth noting that sometimes the yeast may irritate the scalp and cause extra skin cells to grow. The skin cells then fall off and become flaky. 

5.  Contact dermatitis: Contact dermatitis is a sensitivity to health care products and when you use too much shampoo, hair styling products or other chemicals, such as paraphenylenediamine, the red, itchy, scaly scalp associated with dandruff is caused.

6.  Other skin conditions: There are many other skin conditions, which cause dandruff as well. These include eczema and psoriasis. Eczema is a chronic skin disease, which causes the skin to become inflamed. Psoriasis is another skin condition. It is characterized by thick scales forming resulting from rough, dry, dead skin cells which build up rapidly. 

These are just the causes of dandruff. Now you will see how to identify when you have dandruff by learning about the symptoms of dandruff.

Symptoms
1.  The symptoms of dandruff are pretty easy to spot. All that happens is that you will see white, flaky, dead skin cells in your hair.
2.   It is sometimes accompanied by an itchy, scaly scalp. 
3.  There is also a type of dandruff called cradle cap, which occurs in newborns. Just like dandruff, it is not dangerous and goes away when the baby is 3 years old.

Causes and Symptoms of Dandruff

Do you know that dandruff causes acne?

Acne is a skin condition that happens when pores get clogged with dead skin cells and oil, giving rise to pimples. It can be caused by numerous reasons like hormonal changes, improper diet, stress, consumption of specific drugs, excessive use of cosmetic products etc. In addition to these factors, acne can be caused by dandruff too, which may not be known to most of you. It has been observed that people who suffer from dandruff problems are more prone to getting pimples.

How does dandruff cause acne?

Dandruff has been associated with presence of yeast or fungi, it is also associated with abnormal skin ultrastructure. Dandruff makes the skin on your scalp flaky. These dry flakes of skin are often responsible for clogging the pores on your face, mostly affecting your forehead. In this way, dandruff triggers appearance of acne and can worsen the condition of your skin if you already have pimples. Though acne is more common among teenagers, acne due to dandruff is mostly experienced by people above the age of 20.

How can you prevent acne due to dandruff?

Eradicating dandruff from your scalp is the best way to prevent acne breakouts on your skin due to dandruff. Here are some simple ways to keep acne due to dandruff away from your skin.

1. Ensure that your hair stays off your face

Keeping hair off your face will ensure that dandruff doesn't come in contact with your skin and clog pores, preventing pimples. For this, you can use hair bands or tie your hair in a ponytail or braid.

2. Brush your hair at least twice a day

Brushing your hair at least two times a day will ensure that the dead cells on your scalp are removed and don't get a chance to clog pores. This option is highly beneficial in getting rid of acne caused by dandruff.

3. Use medicated anti-dandruff shampoo

Topical medicated solutions like a medicated shampoo should be used as a treatment. Short contact period of shampoo with scalp is important for more benefit. Good conditioner should also be used after head wash with shampoo.

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Do You Know that Dandruff Causes ACNE?

5 simple ways to prevent dandruff in winter

Dandruff is becoming increasingly common. This scalp condition can exacerbate in winter since the humidity of the air around you decreases, which results in dry skin and an itchy scalp. But there are certain ways in which you can prevent the onset of dandruff during winters. Read on to find out.

1. Wash your hair with lukewarm water
You may find a shower with hot water a great way to start your day, but unfortunately, it has a negative effect on your scalp. Hot water baths are responsible for scalp irritation and effectively increase inflammation, which ultimately leads to the occurrence of dandruff. So, always opt for lukewarm water to wash your hair in order to maintain the natural moisture level of your scalp.

2. Give your scalp a coconut oil massage
Make it a habit to massage your scalp with 3-5 tablespoons of coconut oil before sleeping at night. Rinse away the oil the following morning using a gentle shampoo. Regularly following this remedy proves to be beneficial in keeping dandruff away from your scalp.

3. Watch your diet
You can ensure that your scalp remains healthy during winters by including moderate amounts of vitamin b, omega 3 fatty acids and zinc in your diet. To get these nutrients eat foods like walnuts, leafy vegetable, and eggs etc. These foods can help in keeping your scalp hydrated, thus preventing the occurrence of dandruff.

4. Stay away from hair styling products
Winter robs away the moisture from your scalp, which makes it highly vulnerable to damage on exposure to harsh chemicals. Most hair styling products (such as hair colours) contain strong chemicals, and if you use them frequently during the winters, you may end up having an itchy scalp resulting in dandruff later.

5. Use conditioners and shampoos containing tea tree oil
Hair care products like shampoos and conditioners made of tea tree oil help in restoring moisture to your scalp, which in turn stops dandruff from occurring. Alternatively, giving your scalp a tea tree oil massage two times every week works wonders for your hair and keeps dandruff at bay.

If you would like to consult with me privately, please click on'consult.

Seeing a Sudden Rise in DANDRUFF? Here?s What You Need To Do!

Dandruff is not a major health concern but it can affect your self-confidence and self-image. This condition is most often the result of a dry scalp or type of dermatitis. It could also be caused by a yeast infection or eczema. Common forms of treatment for dandruff include medicated shampoos that fight the fungus or slow down the ageing of skin cells on the scalp. Some ways of treating excessive dandruff are:

Neem- Neem is renowned for its anti-fungal properties that help in the treatment of dandruff. It is also well known for its antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. Neem can be used on its own by applying a paste of boiled neem leaves on your scalp or used as a hair mask made of dried and crushed neem leaves and olive oil. Your scalp may itch a little on the application of this paste but this is temporary.

Coconut and Honey Scrub- Coconut helps preserve proteins in the hair and lessens dandruff. Honey is also used to treat dandruff as it has well known anti-microbial properties. To benefit from this, apply and massage a mixture of 2 teaspoons of honey or coconut oil and 3 teaspoons of yogurt to your scalp for about 10 minutes before washing your hair. Wait for about half an hour before rinsing it out. Dry with a towel and massage a few drops of coconut oil into the scalp. However, do not rinse your hair more than twice with shampoo while washing off the paste as it can strip your hair of its moisture.

Banana and Apple Cider Vinegar- Bananas are a good source of vitamin B that helps improve circulation and keeps skin healthy. Apple cider is also a known fungicide that helps treat dandruff. If you suffer from acute dandruff, massage a paste of 1 whole banana and 2 cups of apple cider vinegar into your scalp and leave for 20 minutes on a daily basis for a week. Once dandruff reduces, you can apply the paste once a week.

Yogurt- Yogurt is rich in healthy bacteria that helps reduce yeast in the body and prevents the scaling of dead skin cells. To use yogurt as a form of treatment for dandruff, apply a cup of fresh yogurt to the scalp and leave for 15 minutes before rinsing off. You could also add two spoons of freshly ground pepper to the yogurt as pepper also has antifungal properties.  

How To Deal With Excessive Dandruff?

Should You Oil Hair If You Got Dandruff?

You're said to suffer from the problem of dandruff when the skin renewal cycle of your scalp accelerates all of a sudden. This brings about the development of patches of dead skin on your scalp surface and the resultant dry, skin flakes called dandruff.

The causes of this very common problem can be:

- Not shampooing your hair regularly can cause skin cells and oils to build up in the scalp leading to the outbreak of dandruff.

- Having dry skin can also cause dandruff to develop, which are less oily and smaller in nature.

- Even irritated oily skin, more commonly known as seborrheic dermatitis can cause you to suffer from these white skin flakes. The problem can be easily identified by its distinguishing yellow or white flakes over the red greasy skin surface.

- Sensitivity to certain hair care products and the presence of Malassezia (a type of fungus) are other causes that can lead to dandruff problems.

How to keep dandruff problems at bay?

Having poor scalp hygiene as well as the lack of proper scalp conditioning can cause dandruff to occur. Thus, proper conditioning of your scalp is vital for fighting the flakes that form on your head. Oiling your hair is the most effective measure that you can take against this scalp problem. While the ideal time to do this is at night so that you can wash it off the next morning, one should also remember that hair oil shouldn't be left on the hair for over 24 hours. 

Additionally, dry scalp makes it very easy for dandruff to develop as the oil-secreting glands found in the scalp's epidermal layers produce low or no natural oil. Application of oil helps in keeping the scalp nourished as well as enables glands to produce oil. But leaving it on for more than the recommended hours can intensify your dandruff problem and further accelerate the hair fall process.




Should You Oil Hair When You Have Dandruff Problem?

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