Dealing with dandruff can be such a nightmare. It’s hard to try and eliminate them without feeling like giving up. Unbeknown to most people, having dandruff can affect you deeply.
Having dandruff doesn’t only have physical effects. It can also cause emotional problems like social anxiety. There is an underlying fear of grossing people out or looking like you just don’t wash your hair enough.
Despite popular misconstrued beliefs, dandruff isn’t a matter of hygiene. However, not washing your hair enough could make the dandruff more noticeable. It commonly occurs on the scalp but more severe cases could start to affect other parts of the body too if the problem is not arrested early enough.
Below are the different types of dandruff and how they can be managed without breaking the bank.
- Types of dandruff
There are two main ways that dandruff occurs.
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The dry type of dandruff or Pityriasis Capitis is a very common form of dandruff. It is characterized by itchiness, dryness and flakiness on the scalp. Often, these flakes move to other parts of the hair and fall on your shoulders. If you’ve experienced this type of scalp condition, you understand how embarrassing it can be especially when you wear dark clothing.
The second type is the greasy dandruff also known as Pityriasis Steatoides. This is a more severe form of dandruff that needs medical treatments to get rid of. It is characterized by large oily flakes that can bleed when picked.
- Causes and triggers
- Hormones
For some people, dandruff is as a result of hormonal changes on the body. You might have reactive oil producing glands that can accelerate the formation of greasy flakes on the scalp. If you naturally have a sensitive scalp, you are more susceptible to dandruff triggers.
- Fungi and bacterial microorganisms
Dandruff thrives with certain strains of bacteria and fungi. Microbes like staphylococcus and Malassesia Globose accelerate the occurrence of dandruff on the scalp.
- Stress
Stress is one of the factors that can make dandruff worse. It’s not the main cause but having high levels of it actually cause the condition to thrive.
- Treatment
- Shampoo
The good news is that there are different types of shampoos that specifically target this condition. Shampoos that contain ingredients like zinc pyrithione, sulfur and tar are known to eliminate this condition. This means that washing your hair many times with the usual store bought shampoos won’t do much to eliminate the root cause. Also, it’s important to always follow the instructions on the shampoo bottles so that they are effective.
- Antifungal creams
This is also one of the effective ways to get rid of them. Topical creams like clotrimazole stop the production of fungal microbes. Get in touch with a professional first so that you get the proper treatment for your specific condition.
- Exfoliation
Using scalp exfoliators is a great way to help you recover. Get some exfoliating masks that don’t contain a lot of sea salt because this could eventually cause more irritation. Use them often so that your old cells can be removed and new cells can begin to form. This is also a great preventative measure.
- Stress management
We all know that stress causes many health problems. It can lead to heart conditions, ulcers, migraines and other terrifying conditions. Although dandruff is a less scary stress related condition, it’s just not fun to deal with. Ensure that you find healthy stress management methods in order to keep it at bay.
