Women’s Dandruff and Itchiness

Contents
What causes dandruff and itchiness?
The different types of dandruff
What favours their appearance
What we recommend
What you should avoid

What causes dandruff and itchiness?

Dandruff is caused by a microscopic organism called pityriasis. Such a fungus, present on all scalps, usually remains inactive. Why then does it start proliferating on some heads? Researchers do not yet have the definite answer. Some speak of a genetic and endocrinal predisposition, and others of the scalp’s pH, which would trigger its proliferation.

What normally happens
Normally, our skin renews itself monthly. That also applies to the scalp’s skin. The new cells form themselves in the dermis’ deep layers and then eliminate the dead ones, by pushing them outside the epidermis. This transition takes place without us noticing it because the changes are slow and non synchronous, unlike some animals’ slough.

What happens with pityrisasis
When the fungus in question starts colonising the scalp, the entire local ecosystem is offset. Under its impulse, the cells’ traffic accelerates, new cells form themselves too quickly (in two weeks, sometimes one), and no longer leave time for the dead cells to unnoticeably dissolve themselves, thus forcing them to agglutinate to each other, and stack up as squalmes at the scalp’s surface.

Pityriasis and sebum
Pityriasis feeds itself with fatty acids that it naturally finds in the sebum secreted by the sebaceous glands. Does that mean that it only proliferates on greasy scalps? It prefers to, but it can also proliferate on a dry scalp, thus absorbing the little grease it has, and making the zone (and therefore the hair) even dryer.

 In both cases, the pityriasis in turn generates derived acids, which irritate the scalp (thus causing the itchiness). The body reacts to those irritations by further accelerating the cellular process and the formation of cells: it is a vicious circle.

The different types of dandruff

Dry dandruff: the most common
They spontaneously detach themselves and fall, like snow, on the clothes. They more easily appear on dry or normal scalps. 

In this category, some of the dandruff is not due to pityriasis, but rather simply to an excessively dry scalp, the lack of sebum of which causes cracks in the skin, just like soil in need of water.

That is the case, for instance of frizzy hair scalps. Upon diagnosis, a specialist can differentiate it from dandruff due to pityriasis: the squames are smaller and do not have the same appearance. It is important because, on such dandruff, the classic anti-dandruff products do not have an effect. The condition is almost always accompanied by itchiness, and the treatment consists in hydrating the scalp.

It is also often the case of hair treated with minoxidil. Because it contains a high percentage of alcohol, this anti-hair loss treatment can cause an inflammation of the dermis cells with dry dandruff and/or itchiness (pruritus). It is then necessary to apply a healing and moisturizing milk in order to balance the scalp back (Clauderer #3R).

Greasy dandruff
More insidious, they appear on excessively greasy scalps and remain stuck on the head, in patches. Those patches, stuck in the seborrhoea, favour the formation of bacteria and often lead to irritations and severe itchiness.

Pityriasis often degenerates into seborrheic dermitis, with a rash and agglutinated greasy dandruff, overflowing to the forehead or the eyebrows, and more rarely to the nostrils and the chin. It should not be confused with scalp psoriasis, a much more handicapping condition. In case of a doubt, only a biopsy can tell the difference.  


BEWARE!

What favours their appearance

The factors are very variable and often accumulate.

What we recommend

An anti-dandruff treatment that contains at least one of the three following active ingredients:

Worth noting: All of those products do cure the symptom, but they cannot definitely eradicate the pityriasis. It can always potentially be reactivated, under the effect of an internal or external factor. In terms of dosage, best is to follow the laboratory’s instructions, in moments of crisis.

Before shampooing, a moisturising lotion, based on essential oils and hair-sterilising plants, in order to sooth the itchiness, cleanse the scalp and get rid of its germs, if needed.

Increased hygiene during periods of crisis. If the pityriasis is not contagious from one person to another, it is nonetheless preferable to often wash your brush or your comb, because you can get infected again by using them.

A sufficient lap of time (at least two weeks) between a perm and colouring.

Eating fresh fruit, before or during meals, in order to avoid gastric fermentation. Green vegetables (or steamed potatoes), at least once a day, in order to make your nutrition less acid.

Vitamin treatment: formula with provitamin A, vitamins E and C, and selenium.

And for those who like simple medecine ...

and who prefer treatments based on common consumer goods, here are some effective recipes:

1- Before shampooing, 100 mg of salicylic acid (aspirin), dissolved in a spoon of water, and applied on the scalp. Aspirin helps dandruff detach itself and also relieves the itchiness. A hot and humid towel, laid on the head before applying the shampoo, eases its penetration.

2- End rinsing the shampoo with a few drops of cider vinegar, in order to cleanse the hair and eliminate the water’s limestone.

3- In the case of strong itchiness between two shampoos, a soft scalp massage, with lemon juice on the tips of the finger, is better than scratching. For scalps with frizzy hair, mix the lemon and the olive oil (1/3, 2/3).

What you should avoid

Stripping shampooings, as an attempt to eliminate the dandruff, or energetic massages while shampooing, for the same purpose.

Hasty rinsing of the shampoo. By drying, the shampoo’s cleansing ingredients, dust and the sebum that the water has not eliminated, stay in contact with the skin and are a permanent aggression for its pH.

The regular use of anti-dandruff shampoos. Most of them are effective against the pityriasis, for as long as they are chosen according to the nature of the dandruff (dry or greasy). But they are to be used with moderation. Excessive use of those shampoos risks having the opposite effect to the one desired: they can irritate the skin and devitalise the hair. 

Gels, foams and sprays containing alcohol: they dry and irritate the skin. 

Ingredients that tend to acidify the skin’s pH: too much coffee, sugar, milk, red meat, cooked pork meat…List List of acid and alkaline nutrients

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:
Excessively Acid Diet: Beware for Your Hair!
Your Diet and Hair Loss
Vitamins by Oral Intake and Hair Loss
Greazy Hair
Dry Hair
Dull and Porous Hair
Your Shampoo: Get Rid of Common Misconceptions!
Hair Loss, How to Identify Your Type of Loss ?
Thinner and Fewer Regrowing Hair (with sketches). What to Do
Lifestyle: Six Anti-Hair Loss Tips
DAILY Hair Loss: What is the Norm for Women?

FOR TREATMENT:
Clauderer Anti-hair Loss Treatments
Clauderer in-Depth Hair Diagnosis

Diagnosis In-depth Clauderer Diagnosis: Have a complete hair checkup