Do you ever feel an itchy scalp or flakiness or have noticed greasy patches on the scalp? If you ever develop the problems mentioned above, you may have dandruff.
Dandruff is a condition that affects the scalp. It causes the scalp to flake. This condition is neither a severe problem nor a contagious one, but may affect your self-esteem. It can also be embarrassing.
Dandruff is not really about your hair, or how often do you wash your hair. It is about your scalp. Skin cells that develop and vanish too quickly are the issue. Precisely why that happens isn’t clear.
A fungus named Malassezia may cause this condition. Stress, cold or dry winters may trigger it, or can even make it worse. Excessive build of mucus in the body is one of the main causes of this fungal condition.
What are the symptoms of dandruff?
White flakes
The first and most normal indication of dandruff is white chips, generally noticeable in the hair or on shoulders and clothes. These chips are dead skin cells mixed with a strain of fungus.
If the reason is a sleek or oily scalp, they will show up as yellow in shading. Dandruff can even show up in facial hair including the eyebrows and eyelashes, in these cases it might be all the more embarrassing for the individual and require prompt consideration.
Itchy scalp
Individuals with dandruff may feel they have an itchier scalp, particularly around the hairline and sideburns; this can be a direct result of dry skin and excessive fungal growth.
Typically tingling is the primary manifestation that shows up with dandruff and can be thought of as a notice sign before chips start to show up.
Dry scalp
Dandruff often makes your scalp dry and stretched. Dandruff can harm the common dampness of the skin and scalp making them dry.
What causes dandruff?
There is no specific cause of dandruff, but there are some common causes for dandruff like:
- Excessive mucus in the body
- aggravated, oily skin
- Not shampooing enough.
- A yeast-like parasite (Malassezia) that benefits from oils on the scalps of most grown-ups.
- Dry skin.
- Reaction to hair care items
- Other skin conditions, for example, psoriasis and dermatitis.
Several factors make you receptive to dandruff :
- Age – Dandruff begins in adulthood and continues throughout life, if not treated properly.
- Being male – most men have dandruff. According to some researchers, male hormones are responsible for dandruff.
- Certain illnesses – Parkinson’s disease and other diseases tend to affect the immune system, which may cause you dandruff. HIV or a weakened immune system can also trigger dandruff.
Mucus and Dandruff
Dandruff is a lifestyle disease. Perhaps a less known fact is that, the number of cause for dandruff is the excessive build up mucus in the body. Mucus is a necessary substance produced by the body to cleanse toxins from the body.
However, the problem starts to occur when excessive mucus build up in the body. The excessive build up of mucus in the body leads to an excessive build up of toxins as well.
And as you can connect the dots, excessive build up of toxins in the body leads to dandruff. Dandruff is a manifestation of excessive mucus and toxins in the body.
Why does mucus build up in the body?
Excessive mucus builds up in the body due to the foods we eat. If you eat too many of mucus forming foods, naturally there will be excessive mucus in the body.
Mucus forming foods include processed foods, dairy products, grains, meat and added sugar. Foods rich in carbs and proteins like rice and lentils are also mucus forming.
When you eat too many of these foods and your elimination process is weak, then toxins get accumulated in the body over time and cause dandruff.
Solution to dandruff
The solution is simple. Stop eating or cut down on all foods that are mucus forming. Fruits and vegetables are mucus free foods. Eat fruits and vegetables in whatever quantity you want.
To heal the issue of dandruff, it is essential to eat mucus free foods and detox your body of toxins and parasites. If you want to truly heal dandruff, change what you eat and watch the miracle unfold.
The mucus free healing diet by Prof Arnold Ehret is one of the best methods for healing dandruff.
Another solution for this condition is through sweating. Go for regular sauna or exercise regularly to sweat out the toxins from your body. You will start noticing a decrease in dandruff and eventually no dandruff at all.
Other ways to cure dandruff
Several home remedies that are proven to be soothing cures. Some of them are mentioned below:
- Tea tree oil
Tea tree has anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory properties which help cure dandruff. It can also irritate sensitive skin, so it is better to mix it with a carrier oil like coconut oil before applying it to your scalp.
- Coconut oil
Coconut oil has anti-microbial properties in it. Applying coconut oil may help you reduce the symptoms of this condition. It also improves skin hydration.
- Aloe-vera
Aloe-vera is anti-fungal and has anti-bacterial properties. It helps your scalp to fight bacteria and reduce inflammation caused by harmful bacteria.
- Reducing stress level
Stress or shock also triggers this condition. So its better to reduce stress and do things which make you happy. Stress also weakens your immune system, which reduces the body’s ability to fight this lifestyle condition.
- Try apple cider vinegar
Apple cider vinegar is known to remove dead skin cells and control the pH level of the scalp. It is the most used home remedy for this condition. Apply apple cider vinegar by mixing it with your shampoo or oil. Or else you can spray it directly into your hair.
- Aspirin
Aspirin is proven to be an effective cure as it consist of salicylic acid. This ingredient is used in many shampoos. You can use aspirin by crushing two aspirin and making a powder. Mix that powder in your shampoo and use it.
Shampoos and their ingredients
There is no particular treatment. But you need to look out for some specific ingredients in your shampoo that can help cure this condition:
- Ketoconazole: it is an effective anti-fungal. People of any age can use shampoos that have these ingredients.
- Selenium sulfide: This helps to reduce the excessive production of oils in your gland and hence treat this condition.
- Zinc pyrithione: This helps to slow down yeast growth
- Salicylic acids: These assist the scalp in disposing of dead skin cells. They don’t hinder the propagation of skin cells. Many “scalp cleansers” contain salicylic acids. Treatment can, at times, leave the scalp dry and aggravate skin chipping.
If you feel that these can’t cure your condition, you need to visit a doctor immediately. Some medications or doctor’s advice may help you heal your scalp condition.
