What causes dandruff? The answer to this question is fairly complicated as there are a huge variety of causes and reasons for dandruff. For example, it may be a result of an ongoing condition such us eczema or a fungal infection, however, it is often a reaction to hair products. Here we will tackle the most likely culprits and look into products that help you treat and control the issue.

Dandruff is a common skin condition that causes white flakes of skin to appear on your scalp and in the hair. It’s not a harmful condition but certainly annoying and even embarrassing, especially when it appears on your shoulders. To help you overcome this problem, we’ve prepared this short guide on everything you need to know about the main causes of dandruff.

A look at the main causes of dandruff

As we explained here, there are many reasons why those annoying white flakes appear in your hair and they can range anywhere from bacterial or yeast infections to excess product build-up. However, in most cases, it’s due to sensitivities to certain ingredients in hair care products. Those with seborrhoeic dermatitis often find these sensitivities are one of the main reasons for their dandruff.

Dermatitis is causes inflammation of the skin as a result of the body reacting to something. This can be sensitivity to an ingredient that is present in shampoo, dye or styling products. There are also a number of other factors that play a crucial role in causing seborrheic dermatitis, including stress, weight (the heavier you are the more likely you are to have flare-ups), weather and auto-immune disorders. Age is also a factor, with seborrheic dermatitis being most often seen in adults between the ages of 30 and 60.

Fighting dandruff

If you are prone to dandruff, we highly recommend you take care when choosing products for your hair. There are also foods that can help you fight dandruff from the inside out, boosting your immune system and general skin health at the same time.

Anti-dandruff shampoos

In most cases, an anti dandruff or medicated shampoo containing ketoconazole, selenium sulfide and zinc pyrithione may be enough to control the symptoms. These ingredients work by slowing down the natural process of scalp skin cells dying, eliminating the amount of flakes. Moreover, zinc pyrithione is an antibacterial and anti-fungal agent that can reduce the fungus population on your scalp. You can read about choosing the right anti dandruff shampoo here.

Natural remedies

As a natural remedy, tea tree oil has natural anti-fungal, antiseptic and antibiotic properties that can reduce the amount of fungi causing seborrheic dermatitis. Tea tree oil works to rejuvenate and rehydrate your scalp and skin, while calming down any inflammation you may have. Simply add a bit of tea tree oil to your shampoo right before you scrub it into your scalp to help reduce dandruff. Make sure that it’s part of your daily routine, and you’ll be just fine!

Healthy diet

Loaded with vitamin B6 and zinc, chickpeas and sunflower seeds fight dandruff from the inside out as well as topically if they are applied to your scalp. Ginger, with its natural anti-inflammatory properties can help you fight the fungal and bacterial causes for dandruff. There are a number of things you can do to boost the health of your hair. So stock up on those goodies and kill two birds with one stone, improving your general health and wellbeing as well.

Final thoughts

If your hair is misbehaving and your shoulders are covered with ‘snow’, do not despair. Making changes to your diet combined with a good dandruff shampoo and scalp treatments can work wonders. Add your voice to the conversation and let us know what you think. By adding a comment below, you can help out people just like you find the perfect shampoo to fix their dandruff problem.