Causes of Dandruff And How To Choose The Best Dandruff Shampoo

Dandruff is one of the common skin conditions most people tend to face. In fact, those who experience dandruff can get quite embarrassed or uncomfortable. Thankfully, it’s a skin condition that can be prevented and cured! Ahead, we explain the main causes of dandruff, common symptoms of dandruff, how to avoid it as well as how to choose the best dandruff shampoo. 

Main Causes of Dandruff 

If you suspect that you’re experiencing dandruff, it’s best to identify what are the main causes of dandruff in order to cure it (or prevent it from happening). We list out the common main causes of dandruff to help you understand why it happens: 

1. Yeast overgrowth 

Yes, yeast can grow on your scalp too. The type of fungus that feeds on the oil secreted from your scalp is called Malassezia, which appears if your diet consists of excessive dairy products, bad fats or sugar. Though it’s not really a big deal, it does become a problem as certain scalps can get irritated and produce an excessive amount of skin cells. 

Once these excessive skin cells start dying or fall, it comes into contact with the oil from your scalp and forms dandruff. 

2. Hair products 

We know using various nice-smelling hair products can be rewarding, but not all of them are safe for your hair. This is mainly because some of the ingredients can cause allergic reactions or irritation, especially if you have a sensitive scalp. Hence, it’s quite important to choose the best dandruff shampoo to prevent this from happening. 

3. Oily scalp 

The common perception about dandruff that only appears if you have dry scalp is not true. Dandruff could form when you have an oily scalp too. The excess sebum production on your scalp leads to several dandruff conditions such as seborrheic dermatitis (also known as scalp eczema).  

4. Dry skin

Similar to how your skin gets dry, your scalp can become dry too. When your skin doesn’t retain enough moisture, it gets dry and flaky because of irritation. Besides that, it could possibly be dry due to the cold weather too. 

5. Medical condition 

Those who have particular medical conditions such as epilepsy, eczema or Parkinson’s disease would be more prone to experience dandruff. 

Symptoms of dandruff

Though there are many ways to find out you have dandruff, below, we list the common symptoms of dandruff: 

• Red patches on your scalp 
• Greasy or dry scales (common sign of seborrhoeic dermatitis) 
• Yellow or white oily and large flakes 
• Dry skin around the body such as eyebrows, nose and so on 

How to avoid getting dandruff  

There is no one-size-fits-it-all-solution when it comes to curing dandruff. Nevertheless, don’t lose hope! You could always go through trial and error and see which methods work best. Ahead, we list out the common methods to avoid dandruff: 

1. Improve your diet 

It’s time to cut down on the excess amount of sugar and high-carb food! Since those are the types of food that could increase the production of oil on your skin, it’s best to maintain a balanced diet and consume more protein, whole grains, vegetables and food that has high vitamin A,B. 

2. Exfoliate your scalp 

Similar to exfoliating your skin to remove all the dead skin cells, exfoliating your scalp could help remove any excess dry or dead skin as well. Be sure to use products that contain salicylic acid as it is known to help break down the dead skin cells. In a way, aside from preventing dandruff, this would be a form of self-care too! 

3. Stop scratching 

We know it’s easier said than done, but the more you scratch, the more it’ll lead to irritation or inflammation. Plus, it’ll be even worse when you have long nails so make sure to cut them as well! 

4. Moisturise your scalp 

When your scalp is dry, you should consider applying coconut oil or tea tree oil to moisturise it. Not only does it offer moisturising properties, it also contains several antibacterial properties to combat dryness with ease. 

5. Use the right shampoo for your hair 

Shampoo plays an important role because it directly affects your scalp. There are various types of medicated best dandruff shampoos which help to prevent dandruff. However, you have to choose the one that is suitable for you as certain shampoos don't work well for all situations such as coloured hair and so on. 

6. Visit a doctor 

If you are experiencing severe symptoms such as seborrheic dermatitis, it would be best to pay a visit to a professional so that you could receive medicated treatment instead of relying on home remedies. 

How to choose the best dandruff shampoo 

The key ingredients to look out for would be coal tar, salicylic acid or selenium sulfide. But some of these ingredients may be too harsh for your scalp, especially if you have sensitive scalp. 

 Hence, the best dandruff shampoo would be the ones that contain ingredients free of SLES/ SLS, parabens, alcohol and preservatives such as the Wellsen Marula Oil Anti-Dandruff Shampoo. The special ingredient which combats dandruff would be the Marula Oil that has been proven to contain scalp-friendly and anti-dandruff properties. Besides that, ultimately, it will restore the health of your scalp and make it look like you never even experienced dandruff before! 

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