Today I am going to tell you about the 3 main causes of dandruff. Dandruff affects half of the population of the world and it is believed that everyone will have dandruff at some point in their life. Click Here to read about the #1 misunderstanding about dandruff.

2 Main Types of Dandruff

There are 2 main types of dandruff that are currently recognized. This is seborrhoeic dandruff and Microorganism caused dandruff. You can read about them by clicking here.

Today we are going to look at 3 common causes and knowing about them will help you get rid of your dandruff.

1. Excess sebum or sebaceous oils

Our hair uses an oil and wax mixture made by our sebaceous gland to naturally protect hair and keep it moisturized. This also has a waterproofing effect. For some people, their bodies produce too much sebum. This causes them to have dandruff. If the condition is bad enough and extends beyond the scalp to the folds of your skin you may want to ask your dermatologist about seborrhoeic dermatitis.

2. Malassezia Yeasts

The role of yeasts and dandruff connection was made all the way back in 1846 by Eichstedt. Although this connection exists it leaves some unanswered questions. It is believed for instance the reason antifungal treatments do not fully get rid of dandruff is that they can not reach deep enough into the hair follicles to kill them out. It is also interesting to note that getting rid of the yeast can lead to an increased growth of bacteria which can worsen or change dandruff. This is one reason people use Listerine.

3. Allergies

This one was a surprise to me although I suffer from allergies I had never made the connection. But yes dandruff can be an allergic response. Some people are more susceptible than others like most allergies.