Dandruff is an itchy, annoying and persistent skin disorder of the scalp. A dark shirt and dandruff just simply don’t go together! There is nothing more embarrassing than to have someone brush white flakes off your new black sweater or denim jacket. In the past ten years dandruff problems in the United States have become more serious and more frequent.
Risk factors
Almost any adult is a candidate for dandruff, but certain factors can make you more susceptible:
• Age. Dandruff usually begins at puberty — about the same time as acne. It’s common throughout adolescence and young adulthood and peaks around age 40. But older adults aren’t immune, and for some people, the problem can be lifelong.
• Sex. Because far more men than women have dandruff, some researchers think male hormones may play a role in dandruff. Men also have larger sebaceous glands that produce oil called sebum.
• Oily hair and scalp. Malassezia feeds on oils in your scalp. For that reason, having excessively oily skin and hair makes you more prone to dandruff.
• Certain illnesses. For reasons that aren’t clear, adults with neurological diseases such as Parkinson’s disease are more likely to develop seborrheic dermatitis and dandruff. So are people recovering from stressful conditions, particularly heart attack and stroke, and those with immune systems compromised by HIV infection or AIDS.
Home remedies for Dandruff
Dandruff Shampoos: Choose an anti-dandruff shampoo that contains coal tar, salicylic acid, pyridine zinc, sulfur or selenium sulfide, says Dr. Patricia Farris Walters.
Ginger Combine olive oil and ginger root and apply to your scalp before shampooing. If your dandruff is really bad, put the mixture on 10-15 minutes before shampooing.
Warm 300 grams of coconut oil with 3 grams of black pepper. When it starts boiling stop heating, sieve with a fine cloth and keep in a bottle. Massage with fingertips in the night gently. This is another one of the useful home remedies for dandruff.
The juice of snake gourd is helpfulin the prevention and treatment of dandruff. The juice should be rubbed over the scalp for this purpose.
The use of fenugreek seeds is one of the most important remedies in the treatment of dandruff.
A valuable prescription for removal of dandruff is the use of green gram powder. The hair should be washed twice a week with two tablespoons of this powder mixed with half a cup of curd.
Apply warmed coconut oil with the juice of two lemons, and leave in hair for two hours before shampooing out.
Exposure of the head to the rays of the sun is also useful measure in the treatment of dandruff.
Massage the hair for half an hour with curd which has been left open for 3 days or with few drops of lime juice mixed with amla every night before going to bed. This dandruff remedy is very simple and is one of the most popular home remedies for dandruff.
