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Dandruff

Dandruff is perhaps the most common skin disease one can see around. It is basically dry white flakes of skin on your scalp. Although it is not at all a health risk, it can be a source of embarrassment in public as well as private settings. Some people erroneously think that dandruff is caused by bad hygiene, while some others, (wrongly, yet again) believe that it results from washing one’s hair often. It is usually just that people having dandruff shed more skin than other people who do not have dandruff. However, some dermatologists also suggest that it is caused by a yeast fungus that is believed to breed in a combination of sebaceous oil and dead skin cells. Some possible trigger factors for dandruff include a family history of dandruff, excessive sweating of the scalp, excessive mental and physical stress, the use of alkaline soaps, cold and dry winter seasons, psoriasis of the scalp, and seborrheic dermatitis.

Symptoms

Dandruff causes flakes of skin, which may be small and white or large, greasy and yellow, to emerge from the scalp. It also causes itching on scalp, eyebrows, nose or ears.

Do’s and Don’ts

When you use shampoo or oil, make sure that you softly massage your scalp. This will help blood circulation and prevent skin from drying and cracking and falling down as dandruff. Use a mild shampoo only once or twice a week, and as for conditioners, natural live yogurt is recommended as among the best and most natural. It would serve you well if you avoid using harsh hair dyes and hair creams.

As everywhere else, what goes into your tummy can make a difference here also. You should avoid taking too much of dairy products like cheese, and paneer; seafood, fatty food, excessive sugar, chocolates, and nuts. Supplementing your diet with Vitamin A and E helps in eliminating dandruff. It is also important to stay free from stress as stress triggers dandruff in some people. Yoga and regular exercise are always good to relieve stress. Even though dandruff is dry flaking skin, you should not regularly apply excessive oil on your scalp, as it may provide an environment for the yeast to breed and multiply.



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