 ©2007 Publications International, Ltd. Scientists have discovered that dandruff occurs when a yeast-like fungus called malassezia multiplies on your scalp. |
Dandruff results from the same shedding of skin cells. But if the shedding process is normal, what happens to make dandruff so embarrassingly noticeable?
Scientists have discovered that dandruff occurs when a yeast-like fungus called malassezia goes wild on your scalp. The microscopic malassezia fungus, a normal inhabitant on a healthy human head, feeds on the fatty oils secreted by hair follicles in the scalp. But sometimes, for reasons that are as yet unclear, the fungus grows out of control, causing irritation that actually speeds up cell turnover on the scalp. As a result, the normal process of cell turnover, which usually takes a month, may take less than two weeks when out-of-control malassezia has irritated the scalp. So many dead cells are shed at the same time that, when they mix with the oil from the hair follicles, they tend to form greasy clumps big enough to be clearly visible to the naked eye. The oil also makes the clumps more likely to get stuck in your hair (and on your shoulders), rather than floating quickly away.
By reading our home remedies, you'll find a helpful strategy to get rid of those unsightly flakes once and for all.
For more information about dandruff and how to combat it, try the following links:
- To see all of our home remedies and the conditions they treat, go to our main Home Remedies page.
- You may also want to check out our Home Remedies for Dry Hair.
- If your hair feels too slick, read our Home Remedies for Oily Hair.
- And if your skin feels itchy or scratchy, check out our Home Remedies for Dry Skin.
Learn more about what ails you. Here are some common symptoms.
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