The changes occurring during dandruff formation in the body
Dandruff is a condition in which dead skin cells fall off the scalp and land on the shoulders. It is caused by a dry climate, dehydration of the body, oily skin, sensitivity of the skin to dandruff fungus, and many more.
The outer deterioration of skin cells is often visible, which makes an individual uncomfortable. But, do you know what happens inside the body? Why does it itch so much that flakes fall off even more? Why do you feel lumps of skin on your head? What makes dandruff so prevalent that it keeps coming back?
All the questions have one answer. Dandruff causes some permanent changes in the structure of the skin layer, due to which the chances of its recurrence increase. If you want to know about these minor changes, keep reading.
What causes dandruff and how does it progress?
As mentioned above, dandruff is caused for many reasons. Amongst them, the main culprit is the dandruff fungus known as – Malassezia. So if we are to understand how dandruff progresses, we have to understand how the colonization of the fungus increase on our scalp and what are the ways in which the colonization can be stopped.
Malassezia is present on every scalp, but the problem of dandruff occurs when the colonization of fungus increases. Hence, there are four phases via which we can understand its progression.
- Interaction of Malassezia with the skin layer (epidermis)
- Initiation and propagation of inflammation
- Disruption of homeostasis of the epidermis
- Physical and functional skin barrier disruption
Initially, the scalp shows some symptoms like flakes of skin, itchiness, tight sensation, hair loss, acne of the forehead, lumps of skin on the scalp, etc. All of these symptoms are caused by a breakdown in the stratum corneum barrier function and skin dryness.
The dandruff fungus Malassezia is the main culprit, as it produces fatty acids that induce inflammation and hyperproliferation. Furthermore, the presence of the fungus causes the hair to become thin and brittle, resulting in weak hair and hair loss symptoms.
This disease disrupts epidermal structural and functional integrity at the deep tissue level. Because the epidermal layer of the skin is extremely proliferative, there is a large increase in the amount of dandruff. This is because the cells are parakeratotic, which accelerates the turnover rate of their creation. This rise alters the irregular moisture-holding capacity and protein composition of the scalp.
Furthermore, ceramides’ major lamellar structure is replaced by a broader and unstructured lipid substance. This is the primary source of inflammation. In dandruff, the inflammatory activity includes leukocytic infiltration. As a result, SC obstacles appear. This suggests that a typical scalp’s ability to remove moisture and exogenous material is impaired.
The more moisture there is in the scalp, the more dandruff forms. The gradual and consistent growth of this disruption increases the amount of dandruff produced. As a result, dandruff treatment should be accompanied by the cleaning of these large ducts that hold moisture. This is accomplished by thoroughly washing the scalp.
If dandruff is to be treated, the colonization of dandruff fungus must be stopped. This can be done in different ways, as mentioned below.
Ingredients that help treat dandruff
Usually, we opt to use an anti-dandruff shampoo. Hence, we shall see what the important ingredients are that will help stop the colonization of the dandruff fungus.
1. Ketoconazole is an antifungal agent that is safe for people of all ages.
2. Selenium sulfide controls dandruff by decreasing the production of natural oils by the scalp glands. It has antifungal properties as well.
3. Yeast growth is slowed by zinc pyrithione.
4. Coal tar is an antifungal substance that can be used to reduce extra skin cell formation. Coal tar can stain colored or treated hair over time. It may increase the sensitivity of the scalp to sunlight, so users should wear a hat when going outside. In excessive doses, coal tar may also be carcinogenic.
5. Salicylic acid aids in the removal of dead skin cells.
6. Many shampoos contain tea tree oil. It is antifungal and antibacterial in nature.
There are many natural ingredients that help in reversing dandruff, like amla, neem leaves, lemon, reetha, shikakai, etc., that act as anti-dandruff herbs. These herbs specifically have anti-fungal properties that help to restrict the colonization of fungus on the scalp.
Dandruff’s Effects on the Body
Dandruff can also lead to one of the most serious skin problems such as acne. Dandruff causes flaky skin on your scalp, and these dry flakes are frequently responsible for clogging the pores on your face, first on your forehead and spreading to the neck, hairline, upper back, and chest. Additionally, crusty or redness on or behind your ears is a common sign of facial dandruff. SImilarly dandruff lowers your confidence among the crowd and in some people even goes towards depression. This will lead them towards the social anxiety disorders and this will make them feel cutoff from the crowd.
The Bottom Line
The way dandruff progresses and makes changes in the epidermis layer of the skin is to be highlighted to avoid risky conditions in the future, like, eczema, etc. The treatment of dandruff should be focused on how the scalp should be cleansed and how the growth of dandruff fungus is decreased. Now, this is completely dependent on the type of dandruff.
We hope that this blog was useful. To read more about dandruff, you can visit here.