Written by Heather McGinley
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When winter storms are not the cause of white flakes on your shoulders, find solutions to melt those flakes away.
Dandruff, also known as seborrheic dermatitis, is very common. However, the causes are not well understood. The fine, dry, itchy, white and sometimes yellow scales characteristic of dandruff can appear on many parts of the body, including the scalp, eyebrows, base of the eyelashes, behind the ears, on the chest and even in the ear canal.
Dandruff can affect anyone at any age
and can range in both severity and frequency, says Rathi Blankenship, physician assistant at the Dermatology Center of Williamsburg. Some infants develop a form of seborrheic dermatitis called cradle cap. Others may experience dandruff in childhood and never experience it again, while others may develop a form of seborrheic dermatitis in adolescence that becomes a recurring problem in adulthood, Blankenship explains.
Dandruff is thought to be caused by an overproduction of skin oils and irritation from a type of yeast spore called malassezia. The condition is not linked to poor hygiene, nor or is it easily contagious, Blankenship says; only exposure to a lot of scales from someone else’s head could put another person at risk.
“Dandruff is a very common, run-of-the-mill type thing,” Blankenship says. “It’s not well understood why some people get it worse than others.”
Environmental or genetic factors may increase the likelihood of getting dandruff, Blankenship says. Stress, changes in weather, oily skin, obesity, skin disorders and the use of lotions containing alcohol also may the risk, according to the National Library of Medicine.
Over-the-counter shampoos such as Head and Shoulders, T/Gel and Selsun Blue for mild cases often work as well as prescription shampoos, Blankenship says.
Because each shampoo uses a different combination of active ingredients, patients may need to do some experimenting to find the right one. Often, a person can use the same shampoo on the scalp and body.
See a dermatologist for more severe cases of dandruff and when over-the-counter products don’t work, Blankenship advises. Dermatologists can rule out other skin conditions that may look like dandruff and prescribe medicated shampoos and steroidal creams for sensitive areas such as the face or ear canal.
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