Dandruff, sometimes called scurf or Pityriasis capititis, is an itchy skin disorder of the scalp that can develop during the normal growing process of the scalp’s skin cells. In a healthy scalp, the old skin cells die and are sloughed off approximately once a month and replacement cells are manufactured quickly.

In most people, these flakes of dead skin cells are too small to be seen. In a dandruff scalp, however, the skin cells are sloughed off every five to seven days in large, oily clumps before they are dead.

Causes of Dandruff

Dandruff affects the scalp and causes flakes of skin to appear – it is a common condition. Our skin cells are forever renewing themselves. When the skin cells on our scalp are renewed the old ones are pushed to the surface and out of the scalp.

For a person with dandruff the renewal is faster, meaning more dead skin is shed, making the dandruff more noticeable. Dandruff can also occur if the scalp is frequently exposed to extreme temperatures. Dandruff is also known as scurf – its medical term is Pityriasis capitis.

Symptoms of Dandruff

For most of teens and adults, dandruff symptoms are easy to spot: white, oily looking flakes of dead skin that dot your hair and shoulders and an itchy, scaling scalp.

Dandruff Diet

Avoid citrus fruits, bananas, tinned fruits
Citrus fruits, bananas, dried, stewed, or tinned fruits should not be taken.

All-fruit diet with three meala a day of juicy fruits
Diet plays an important role in the treatment of dandruff. To begin with, the patient should resort to an all-fruit diet for about five days and take three meals a day of juicy fruits.

Well-balanced diet

– After the all-fruit diet, the patient can gradually adopt a well-balanced diet, with emphasis on raw foods, especially fresh fruits and vegetables. Further short periods of an all-fruit diet for three days or so may be necessary at monthly intervals till the skin’s condition improves.

Avoid strong tea/coffee, pickles, refined and processed foods
Meats, sugar, white flour, strong tea or coffee, condiments, pickles, refined and processed foods should all be avoided.

Good to know

Keep hair and scalp clean to avoid accumulation of dead cells
The foremost consideration in the treatment of this disorder is to keep the hair and scalp clean so as to minimise the accumulation of dead cells.

Hair should be brushed daily to improve circulation
The hair should be brushed daily to improve the circulation and remove any flakiness. The most effective way to brush the hair is to bend forward from the waist with the head down towards the ground, and brush from the nape of the neck towards the top of the head. The scalp should also be thoroughly massaged everyday, using one’s finger tips and working systematically over the head.

This should be done just before or after brushing the hair. Like brushing, this stimulates the circulation, dislodges dirt and dandruff, and encourages hair growth. Exposure of the head to the rays of the sun is also a useful measure in the treatment of dandruff.

Warm-water enema - During the first five days of the treatment when the patient takes an all-fruit diet, a warm-water enema should be taken daily to cleanse the bowels. Simultaneously, an attempt should be made to keep the body in good health.

>>>See also: Dandruff Home Remedy<<<

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