Last updated on August 21, 2024 by Dr. Subashri Thanigaivel
How do anti-dandruff products work?
Dandruff is the shedding of dead skin cells from the scalp. Dandruff is a common scalp disorder affecting almost half of the population and often causes itching. The severity of dandruff may fluctuate with a season, as it often worsens in winter. Dandruff is rare before puberty, peaks during the teenage and early twenties and declines with age thereafter.
In a normal scalp, the process of sloughing off old skin cells and making new cells is a very orderly process. In the dandruff scalp, dead skin cells shed at an excessive rate. These cells are shed in clumps, which are big enough to be seen with the naked eye and cause the embarrassing flakes. Dandruff is not only very bothersome, it is also considered as a sign of poor hygiene.
What Causes Dandruff:
1. Irritated, oily skin (seborrheic dermatitis).
2. Not shampooing often enough. If you don’t regularly wash your hair, oils and skin cells from your scalp can build up, causing dandruff.
3. A yeast like fungus and other microorganisms.
4. Dry skin. Flakes from dry skin are generally smaller and less oily than those from other causes of dandruff.
5. Sensitivity to hair care products (contact dermatitis). Sometimes sensitivities to certain ingredients in hair care products or hair dyes can cause a red, itchy, scaly scalp.
Treatment
The most popular anti-dandruff treatment is a shampoo containing anti-fungal ingredients such as ketoconazole, zinc pyrithione and selenium disulfide, But the chemical ingredients and detergents in shampoos can over-dry the scalp, leading to a vicious cycle of overly dry scalp leading to the overproduction of oil which in turn leads to more dandruff.
What natural and healthy option you have:
1. Neem: Neem reduces unnecessary oil from scalp and has antibacterial action.
2. Amla or Gooseberry—Amla acts as a natural hair conditioner, minimises hair loss and greying, and improves texture and thickness. It has antimicrobial, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory properties that help prevent inflammatory scalp condition and keep dandruff away.
3. Soap Nut- Soap nut produces soap-like foaming. It also kills head lice and prevents dandruff
4. Tankanam a special Ayurvedic medicine prepared from Borax
Easwas is a multi-ingredient natural hair cleanser which gently cleans your scalp and restores lustre to your hair.
How to use:
Easwas is a powder. Mix with water to form a paste, apply on the wet scalp, massaging in circular motions, leave it on for one minute and rinse off thoroughly.
Use 3 times a week for a better result.
