Dandruff

Dandruff

Just the thought of a snowfall on a black jacket brings to the mind an image of the dreaded dandruff menace. It is a skin disorder that results in overproduction of shiny, silvery scales that separate from the scalp and collect amidst the hair. When the infection spreads to the skin, the condition can become even more troublesome.
Causes and Symptoms of Dandruff

An itchy scalp with scales from it falling onto the forehead, shoulders when you shake your head or comb/brush your hair or when the scalp is scratched indicate dandruff. Severe cases may complain of dandruff scales appearing like lumps or crusts on the scalp. Dandruff is linked to impaired general well being and health, improper diet, constipation and low immune system functioning due to development of toxic conditions or infectious diseases.

Other probable causes of dandruff include emotional tension, harsh shampoos, general exhaustion and over-exposure to cold and heat conditions.
Dandruff Prevention:

Health care experts advice persons suffering from frequent episodes of dandruff and related skin problems to restrict intake of strong tea/coffee, pickles, refined and processed foods and meats, white flour-products and sugar as well. Instead, persons with dandruff problems should raise intake of plain water, green leafy vegetables and fruit to keep the body hydrated and dry, scaly scalp and ‘out of season snowfall’ at bay.

* Keeping hair and scalp clean is one way to avoid accumulation of dead cells and is considered the best dandruff prevention tip.
* Brush hair daily to improve circulation and remove any surface flakiness. The right way to do this would be to bend forward from the waist with the head down towards the ground and brush in upward strokes, from the nape of the neck towards the top of the head.
* Massaging of scalp regularly before brushing the hair helps the hair follicles breathe as it stimulates the circulation, dislodges dirt and dandruff and encourages hair growth.
* Avoid unnecessary exposure of the head to the rays of the sun as the heat can play havoc with the scalp and result in overproduction of oil that can block pores, cause dead cells to accumulate and result in dandruff.

Home Remedies for Dandruff

* Scalp-Friendly Fenugreek Seeds- is the way to go if you want to rid yourself of dandruff. Two tablespoons of fenugreek seeds soaked overnight in water and ground into a fine paste in the morning can be applied all over the scalp and left for half an hour. This should be followed by a thorough head wash with soap-nut (ritha) solution or shikakai to wash that dandruff straight out of your hair.
* Lime and lemony treat for dandruff menace- the juice of one fresh lime in the final rinse when washing your hair leaves the hair glossy and free of oiliness while reducing the dandruff flakes.
* Cider vinegar diluted with an equal amount of water and dabbed onto the scalp and hair with cotton wool does the trick to beat dandruff blues too!