Dandruff is one of the most common issues that people face all over the world. However, when it comes to talking about dandruff, nobody likes doing it. Dandruff affects more than half of the adult population, yet getting a few flakes on your shoulders is enough to embarrass anyone. While there are different remedies to treat dandruff, there are various myths that are floating around regarding dandruff.
In this article, let’s decode the 5 most common myths about dandruff:
1) Dandruff is caused by dry scalp
Most of us confuse dry skin with dandruff. However, this is not true at all. Where dandruff is often caused by excess oil production, a dry scalp is caused by a lack of moisture. Our scalp possesses skin cells just like the rest of the body, and it needs to shed regularly. The primary cause of dandruff is Malassezia – a yeast-like fungus. This fungus feeds off the oily scalp and thrives in the excess oil, further causing the skin cells to shed faster, resulting in dandruff.
2) Dandruff is contagious
One of the most common things we have heard our mothers say is not to use combs or clips of people who have dandruff, as you can catch dandruff from them. As mentioned above, the primary cause of dandruff is Malassezia, and hence, there is nothing as catching dandruff as it isn’t contagious at all.
3) Dandruff comes with seasons
Contrary to popular belief, there is no one season to dandruff. It is witnessed that dandruff tends to increase during the winter as the air is less humid, causing the scalp to dry. Consequently, this can lead to more flaking. However, for people with oilier skin have a hard time managing their dandruff during summers as their scalps get oilier with sweat. Not to forget, there are people who deal with this issue the entire year. Hence, weather can only be an aggravator but not the cause of dandruff.
4) Dandruff is hereditary
While genes cause many scalp and hair conditions such as balding and premature greying, dandruff isn’t one of them. Caused by the yeast-like fungus Malassezia, dandruff is often caused by excessive product buildup or poor hair hygiene.
5)Everyday shampoos can help you get rid off dandruff
When it comes to managing or treating dandruff, regular shampoos won’t be enough. Everyday anti-dandruff shampoo might help you reduce dandruff momentarily, but, it is not the treatment for dandruff. Medicated shampoos use ingredients like coal tar extract to effectively treat scalp conditions. Additionally, a medicated shampoo containing ketoconazole is specially designed to treat fungal infections affecting the scalp like dandruff.
While there is no cure for dandruff, there are measures that can be taken to control it. Investing in a good anti-dandruff shampoo with ketoconazole can help you keep your scalp clean. Additionally, people often consider all kinds of flakes to be dandruff. Before investing in any shampoo, it is essential to identify whether your flakes are because of a basic dandruff issue or are due to scalp psoriasis, contact dermatitis, or seborrheic dermatitis. If you have severe dandruff, it is highly recommended to consult your dermatologies before using any product on your scalp.
