Dandruff is a common problem, an embarrassment sometimes for young people, but it is essentially a medical problem that affects almost every second person and almost all age groups. Though not serious, it may cause awkwardness, dandruff is a condition characterized by the shedding of flakes (dead skin cells) from the skin of the scalp. However, it is not confined to the head alone and can affect the ears, eyebrows, sides of the nose, beard, moustache and the hairy part of the chest. It can manifest itself on any part of the body which has hair follicles. Dandruff is often mistaken for a dry scalp, but it is more than that. When skin cells die, a certain amount of flaking is considered normal. Sometimes, there is a great amount of flaking that becomes chronic and is coupled with redness and irritation on the scalp. Homoeopathic remedies for dandruff are very effective in treating it naturally and also ensure a permanent recovery from it.
Causes Of Dandruff
Some of the reasons and worsening factors behind dandruff include:
1. Oily skin: It is the major reason for dandruff in most cases. Skin oil is commonly known as sebum or sebaceous secretions.
2. Fungus named malassezia: It could be one of the many reasons. What happens is that in some people at times their immune system gives an exaggerated response to this fungus (that normally lives on the scalp without troubling the person) leading to scaliness.
3. Excessive exposure to sunlight and dust.
4. Excessive sweating on the scalp may also contribute to it.
5. Use of some hair care products (like shampoos, sprays, gels, oils) may also lead to it. This happens from an allergic reaction to chemicals in such products.
6. Persons who already have dandruff may see worsening of the problem, if they do not wash hair frequently because infrequent washing leads to accumulation of dead skin cells and formation of flakes.
7. Not brushing or combing the hair frequently causes dandruff to stay because brushing takes off dead skin cells.
8. Certain other skin conditions like eczema, psoriasis (an autoimmune skin disorder with inflamed patches on skin covered with silvery white scales)
9. Dandruff gets worse in cold, dry winters
10. Stress may also make dandruff worse.
Symptoms of Dandruff
- It may vary, common symptoms include,
- White, oily-looking flakes of dead skin in your hair and on your shoulders.
- An itchy, scaling scalp.
- Scalp can be either excessively dry or oily.
Homoeopathic Remedies for Dandruff
Some of the commonly used homoeopathic medicines for dandruff are.
Mezerium, Thuja Occidentalis, Kali sulphuricum, Phosphorus and more.
Mezerium: This medicine is prepared from the plant, which grows in Russia, Scandinavia and Asia, with bright red berries. Mezerium helps those cases of chronic dandruff who have thick scabs which are hard to remove, which may leave behind painful marks and possibly scars.
Thuja Occidentalis: This powerful medicine helps resistant cases of dandruff, where the patients have oily hair, itching on the scalp and may also have an oily face; with or without acne or pimples. These patients are usually sensitive to colds. One may need just a few doses selected in the correct potency by a professionally trained homoeopathic physician.
Kali sulphuricum – If you are suffering from yellow scaly dandruff then this is the best medicine.
Phosphorous – If you are suffering from persistent scalp itching followed by excessive hair fall then try this medicine.