“I’m suffering from excessive dandruff and as a result a very itchy scalp. I’m not wanting to try any sort of strong shampoos as I’ve had a very serious allergic reaction in the past. I’ve been using fenugreek seed mixture for a few weeks which seemed to help a bit at first but now the dandruff is coming back. Any sort of tips or advice you can offer will be much appreciated.” Atia
Our reply:
Research shows that some people benefit from using a combination of different shampoos – that way different ingredients are working on dandruff. If you then find one works better than another use that more often. Use Head and Shoulders (containing zinc pyrithione) one time, Coolherbals Anti-dandruff Shampoo ( containing tea tree oil, lavender, and fenugreek) on next occasion – perhaps next day and then another make such as Nizoral (containing ketoconazole) on the following occasion.
In dandruff, the migration of cells to the surface layer is faster than normal. There is sometimes an increase in yeast growth on the scalp. The increased cell division or mitosis results in more than the normal shedding of the skin on the scalp. In normal stratum corneum (outermost layer of the skin) there are about 30 layers of well-structured keratinized (containing keratin- the material hair is made of) cells. In people suffering from dandruff, there are only about 10 poorly formed irregular layers. The secret is to reduce the rate at which this migration occurs, reduce possible yeast growth and other possible causes of dandruff in the individual.
Sometimes the scalp is not being cleaned thoroughly enough. This results in scales building up into flakes – that then fall off. Dandruff gets worse due to harsh chemical shampoos. In this case, the scalp of the head tends to be more oily rather than dry.Cold dry air often makes dandruff worse.
To counteract this you may also benefit from using a hair spa mask to thoroughly clean the scalp on a weekly basis. This will help clean the scalp and nourish both the scalp and hair with vital minerals. I recommend a mask I formulated with Gopichand clay( rich Indian clay), Coolherbals Hair Masque, but there are other hair masques on the market.
Dandruff can sometimes be caused by overactive oil glands, food allergies, stress, excessive perspiration and harsh chemical shampoos. Keep a lookout to see you are not suffering from these.
Ravi Bhanot
If you have any problems related to hair or scalp please email ravi@coolherbals.com
