CAUSES OF DANDRUFF
While the cause of dandruff is not fully understood, it is currently assumed that one of the main causes is disruption of the scalp's natural lipid barrier and increased exposure to infection by microscopic yeast commonly found on the scalp. When yeast overgrows, it causes an inflammatory response that kills scalp cells at a high rate, which then sheds into sticky patches and flakes.
The situation is defined as:
– White or transparent scales on the scalp, hair and clothing.
– Itchy scalp, which may be red and inflamed.
Some young teens find they develop dandruff as they enter puberty because their hygiene habits haven't changed to meet the challenges of newly accelerated sebum production.
Stress, poor hygiene, and malnutrition can make the scalp more susceptible to dandruff. Especially high sugar foods are known to exacerbate yeast infections.
Hair should be brushed regularly to loosen dandruff and stimulate blood flow to the scalp, which will boost the natural immune response to infection.
DANGER TREATMENT
There are several habits you can develop and natural treatments you can use to treat dandruff.
Nutrition: Excess sugar in the diet can exacerbate any yeast infection. Try reducing your entire intake of sugar and refined starches during dandruff treatment.
Cleansing: Massage your scalp thoroughly with your fingertips while shampooing. This will help loosen and remove dead skin flakes and help prevent the infection from continuing. Wash your hair daily until the infection clears.
Care: Use protective conditioner only at the ends of the hair. Avoid applying conditioner to your scalp, as it can clog pores and prevent skin healing.
Other Treatments:
- Massage: Massaging your scalp with just your fingertips several times a day will increase blood flow to the hair follicles and help loosen dead skin flakes.
- Brushing: Thoroughly brushing your hair daily helps to loosen and remove dead skin flakes, increase the smooth flow of sebum along the hair shaft and increase blood flow to the hair follicles.
– Wash Your Hands After Brushing and Treating Hair: Fungal infections of the skin are highly contagious and easy to re-infect and spread to other parts of the body. That's why it's important to wash your hair every day and brush off dandruff - so that healthy areas of the scalp don't become infected. Washing your hands after brushing, massaging, and grooming your hair will also help prevent re-infection or cross-infection.
The following herbs and foods have been shown to reduce dandruff infections:
Natural Internal Treatments for Dandruff
Alpha-Lipoic Acid, Vanadyl Sulphate, Gynema Sylvestre and Chromium are natural regulators of blood sugar levels. It can help prevent the infection from feeding off by returning blood sugar levels to normal.
Olive Leaf and Thyme Leaf are both natural systemic antifungal agents.
Natural External Treatments for Dandruff
The following herbs can be used as a tonic to reduce fungal infections. Extracts of these herbs, or a few drops of essential oil dissolved in aloe vera gel or witch hazel, can greatly relieve the itching and flaking symptoms of dandruff. Tea tree oil is especially effective against fungal and bacterial infections.
Sage
Desert Sage
Eucalyptus
fumitory
Ginkgo Biloba
ginsen
Grapefruit Seed Extract
Grapefruit Essential Oil
Grape seed extract
Juniper Berry Essential Oil
Lavender Essential Oil
Lemon grass
Myrtle
Thyme
poike root
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