Chronic dandruff facts

Introduction

Dandruff is one of the most common medical conditions and it is actually one of numerous different forms of skin eczema. It occurs in all parts of the body which involve extensive production of sebum in the skin. Such areas of the human body commonly include underarms, skin which overhangs the abdominal folds, the skin below the breasts, chest, face, ears and scalp. The actual causes of seborrhea are still largely unknown, but scientists suspect that it may have something to do with a certain type of yeast which lives on the human skin and goes by the name of malassezia furfur. The main and the most common manifestation of seborrhea is dandruff. When it occurs on the scalp it is usually characterized by localized patches of thick, flaky skin. When it occurs on the facial skin it is commonly characterized by thick, dry reddish brown skin flakes located behind the ears, on the sides of the nose and on the eyebrows. A peculiar fact is that even though affected areas of the skin feel somewhat dry, the condition usually only gets worse once those areas get moisturized. Some people believe that scalp seborrhea and dandruff may cause permanent hair loss, but that could not be further from the truth. It may sometimes cause itchiness and it may affect persons from all different age groups, including infants in their first months of life. Severe cases of seborrhea are commonly associated with people who suffer from neurological disorders, HIV or are on chemotherapy. Seborrhea tends to affect men much more than it does affect women and it is usually not associated with any immune, internal or other medical problems.

Treatment Options

All working treatment methods for seborrhea and dandruff are usually focused on reducing the inflammatory infections of the skin. Various different types of cortisone based lotions and creams may come in real handy when it comes to reducing skin inflammations and they are also commonly very efficient in reducing the buildup of yeast on the affected areas of the skin. Contrary to the popular belief, switching antiperspirants, changing the entire hair care routine, switching brands of shampoo and moisturizing the skin does not help those who suffer from dandruff. The most common over the counter products used for the treatment of dandruff include various different types of shampoos and creams which contain ingredients such as ketoconazole, selenium sulfide, zinc pyrithione, salicylic acid and tar. Antifungal and cortisone creams are also highly efficient.