Answer:
The exact cause of dandruff is unknown. However there are some possibile causative factors which may differ from person to person. These are:
- A common cause of dandruff is Malassezia, a fungus that lives on everybody's scalp. Generally, it does not cause any. However, it can grow out of control. It feeds on the oils our hair follicles secrete. When this happens the scalp can become irritated and produces extra skin cells. These extra skin cells die and fall off; they mix with the oil from the hair and scalp, and turn into what we see as dandruff.
- People with dry skin tend to get dandruff more often. Winter cold air, combined with overheated rooms is a common cause of itchy, flaking skin. People with dandruff caused by dry skin tend to have small flakes of dandruff; the flakes are not oily.
- People who do not comb/brush their hair regularly have a slightly higher risk of having dandruff - this is because they are not aiding the shedding of skin that combing/brushing provides.
- Some people are sensitive to yeast. They have a slightly higher risk of having dandruff.. Yeast-sensitive people who get dandruff find that it gets better during the warmer months and worse during the winter. UVA light from the sun counteracts the yeast.
- Some are affected with seborrheic dermatitis. This condition encourages dandruff. Seborrheic dermatitis affects many areas of the skin, including the backs of the ears, the breastbone, eyebrows, and the sides of the nose, not just the scalp. The patient will have red, greasy skin covered with flaky white or yellow scales.
- If you don't shampoo enough there can be a build-up of oil and dead skin cells, causing dandruff.
- Many who suffer from psoriasis, eczema and some other skin disorders tend to get dandruff much more frequently than other people.
- Adults with Parkinson's disease and some other neurological illnesses are more prone to having dandruff and seborrheic dermatitis. Patients recovering from heart attacks and strokes, and some people with weak immune systems may have dandruff more often than other people.
- Some people react to some hair care products with a red, itchy, scaling scalp. Many experts say that shampooing too often may cause dandruff as it can irritate the scalp.
- Some experts say that people who do not consume enough foods that contain zinc, B vitamins, and some types of fats are more prone to dandruff.
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