Dandruff is a pretty darn unpleasant condition. In addition to flaky white bits of skin, it’s itchy as all get-out. And if you search the Internet for remedies, you might get the idea that using baking soda, using lemon, changing your shampoo, etc. will take care of it no sweat. But that’s not quite the truth. Here’s the thing, we don’t know why dandruff occurs exactly, but we do know how to treat it, if not cure it.
What We Know about Dandruff
Dandruff is caused by an over-production of skin cells and irritation from a yeast-like fungus known as malassezia. You have this yeast on your skin normally, but something is out-of-whack for dandruff-sufferers and that fungus grows out of control (Journal of Medicinal Chemistry). It’s the irritation from the fungus that causes the redness, flakes, and itchy skin (A.D.A.M.). Dandruff appears to be a genetic thing, but it can be exacerbated by stress, weather changes, skin disorders, fatigue, oily skin, insufficient washing, and certain illnesses. While we understand what causes dandruff, we don’t actually know why some people suffer from dandruff and others don’t.
On small, single-center, double-blind, randomized, parallel group comparison study of 12 participants found that the ultrastructure of dandruff sufferer’s scalps was different from the ultrastructure of non-dandruff sufferers scalps (Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology). Dandruff sufferers had an increased number of the intercellular lipids, molecules between cells, that caused the separation of the corneocytes, the cells that makeup the outer most layer of skin. So, those with dandruff have both altered keratinization and altered sebum (oil) production.
But what causes these changes? Some researchers think that the malassezia fungus on people’s scalps causes an immune system reaction, causing an increase in cell production (PLoS Pathogens).
Why You Should Skip Home Remedies
So, many of the home remedies suggested don’t combat the actual problem. Switching shampoos, for example, doesn’t combat the excess skin cells or the fungus. Neither will shampoo every day if you’re not using a specialized dandruff shampoo. Lemon juice can help to control he growth of the fungus, but it becomes unstable quickly, works only in the short term, and is an irritant and sun-sensitizer (Advanced Bio Tech). Baking soda is super basic and leads to drying and irritation over time (Journal of Cutaneous Pathology).
Aspirin, which contains acetylsalicylic acid, actually might be of help (Seminars in Cutaneous Medicine and Surgery). Acetylsalicylic acid can be hydrolyzed into salicylic acid, which is often found in anti-dandruff treatments (Mayo Clinic). The down side is that you don’t really know how much you’re using when you’re doing your own bathroom chemisty.
And this brings up the real issue with using home remedies. Just because you eat or swallow something doesn’t mean that you should put it on your skin. And just because these are products that are near and dear to your heart doesn’t mean they aren’t chemicals. Sodium bicarbonate, aka baking soda, and acetylsalicylic acid-containing medicines, aka aspirin, are chemicals. They’re made to be most effective at the products intended usage, the same way that dandruff shampoos are made to be most effective for their intended usage.
How to Treat Dandruff
Zinc pyrithione is probably the most effective ingredient for treating dandruff. It’s an antibacterial, antifungal agent that also work as a cytotoxic agent to help prevent the excess skin cells that cause dandruff (Mayo Clinic). Here’s the thing, while zinc pyrithione has a lot of studies backing its effectiveness, it won’t work well unless you continue to use it two to three times a week. It’s not a cure for dandruff, it’s a treatment. One of the biggest reasons people think their dandruff shampoos stop being effective is that they stop using them.
If you want to treat dandruff, consider something like Head & Shoulders Classic Clean Dandruff Shampoo ($16.98, amazon.com) and Head & Shoulders Classic Clean Dandruff Conditioner ($12.98, amazon.com). And keep using them! Researchers are progressing toward understanding dandruff better and perhaps curing it, but int he meantime, this si the best way to treat it.
Bottom Line
It’s hard to ignore the many promises of home remedies out there for ever-persistent issues like dandruff, but it’s smart to forget them. Many end up being irritating or having other consequences, but none of them have been proven to be as effective as zinc pyrithione products. We don’t totally get why dandruff happens and we don’t yet have a cure, but we do have effective treatments that can really help.
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