What are the Stages of Dandruff?

A common condition known as dandruff causes the scalp’s skin to flake. It is neither serious nor contagious. However, it can be uncomfortable and challenging to treat. A gentle everyday shampoo can be used to treat mild dandruff. A medicated shampoo might be useful if that doesn’t help. Later, symptoms might come back. A mild form of seborrheic dermatitis is dandruff. But the question about the stages of dandruff. How can one classify dandruff into different stages? So, in this blog, we will discuss the different stages of dandruff. Let us begin

Dandruff’s Etiological Spectrum

All of the known or reported causes of dandruff should be highlighted while talking about dandruff and its aetiology. Both microbiological and non-microbial factors can act as triggers and help dandruff to grow. It is difficult to determine whether any one cause, a combination of many causes, contributes to the development of dandruff. 

According to reports, sun exposure causes dandruff. It’s interesting to note that Malassezia is said to be killed by sunlight. Is dandruff distinct from Malassezia when we see such conflicting reports? Scaling and a lot of Malassezia cells have always been present when there is dandruff. It is difficult to say whether abundant scaling promotes yeast cells or whether more yeast cells cause abundant scaling.

A dry scalp is another factor that has been linked to dandruff development. Again, it is interesting to note that because Malassezia is a true lipophilic fungus, seborrheic skin is known to promote dandruff and pityriasis Versicolor. It results in scaly patches, irritated skin, and persistent dandruff. It is not entirely clear how Malassezia predisposes dry scalp skin to dandruff. Seborrheic dermatitis is a secondary prevalent skin disorder that primarily affects the scalp. Rosacea and Dandruff Flaky skin is a common facial issue. Rosacea and facial dandruff both produce dermatitis, which causes red flaking skin on the face. According to studies by Harding et al., dandruff is made easier by a decrease in ceramide 1 in the stratum corneum and an increase in ceramide 6i and 6ii. There have been reports of increased dandruff incidence, a compromised barrier effect, and intracellular lipid levels in the stratum corneum of the scalp.

The other general causes of dandruff are excessive shampooing and frequent combing. There is some validity to this explanation because both excessive shampooing and frequent combing are known to impair the stratum corneum barrier on the scalp. No organism can establish its adhesion to intact skin. This does not, however, explain why a commensal flora, despite being well-established anthropomorphized, has not evolved to adhere to the scalp.

The question is, to what extent has the Malassezia species become anthropomorphized? Malassezia is the only fungus that, from the perspective of mycology, can exist in a variety of morphological forms even when it is a parasite. 

It appears in mycelial, yeast, or both forms. The mycelial form predominates when it infects the skin, particularly in chronic tinea versicolor, whereas the yeast form is more prevalent in dandruff. The organism’s diverse morphological forms suggest that anthropization may have undergone an incomplete evolution. Or, to put it in an alternative manner, several triggering factors may be aiding the organism’s transition from a commensal to a saprophytic state.

We firmly believe that Malassezia changes from a commensal to a saprophytic state when there is an abundance of scale available and that this organism has no parasitic stage.

Stages of Dandruff

Considering what is known currently about dandruff, we recommend dividing dandruff into two distinct stages. They are as follows:

Primary Stage

We can also state the primary state as an initial stage of dandruff forming where it gets formed for the following reasons. 

• Numerous host-specific risk factors
• Multiple unspecific and/or non-microbial triggering factors

Secondary Stage

If dandruff has surpassed the primary stage and you experience heavy flakes and irritation then you might be experiencing the secondary stage of dandruff. The causes of dandruff in the second stage are due to. 

• Various microbial etiologies
• Different, person-specific response patterns

Final Words

The approach and understanding used to treat dandruff should be logical and specific to each patient. The etiology of the fungal infection must be established before beginning any antifungal therapy. To choose the right course of treatment, it is necessary to determine whether the disease is primary or secondary. 

To prevent an unknown “tertiary” stage of disease from developing in the future and posing a greater challenge to the medical community, dermatologists must treat dandruff as a top priority. In the upcoming blogs, the knowledge sharing will be continued with several topics such as the age group which is mainly affected by dandruff, dandruff-causing season, and much more. So, keep reading the further blogs and stay connected.