Dandruff can happen to anyone, but there are certain habits, environments and situations that can trigger this condition further. If you’re suffering from those dreaded flakes, your next step would be to identify what is causing dandruff and/or what factors in your life are triggering it further. Once you successfully identify the cause, you can treat it in the most suitable way.
Hair washing
When you don’t wash your hair on a regular basis, the sebum (the oil your scalp naturally produces) can rapidly increase on the scalp causing dandruff. That is why it is essential to schedule your hair wash days on a regular basis. It is important to note the word ‘regular’ here, because if you overwash your hair, it could dry out your scalp further, and that’s not a good thing either. It’s all about finding that sweet spot just enough to keep your scalp nourished.
Diet
We’re not saying that your diet is causing dandruff, but rather that the foods you are consuming may not be helping your body fight or heal it to a certain degree. For example, dandruff is often connected to the Candida yeast. Foods high in sugar encourage the overgrowth of this yeast while also depleting the body of vitamin B, a vitamin which helps fight dandruff. Full-fat dairy products like cheese can also increase the growth of this yeast on your scalp resulting in dandruff. Because there is an indirect correlation between your diet and dandruff, switching up your diet to foods high in zinc and iron will help your body fight off and neutralize the growth of the white stuff.
Stress
Constant stress can not only have adverse effects on your mental and emotional health, but physical as well. We’re all aware of some of the common effects that stress can have on your body like poor sleep patterns, headaches, and chest pain—dandruff, believe it or not,is one of them. When your body is under stress your immune system is impaired, which leads to the development of dandruff. When your mind is in overdrive, it weakens the body’s natural defenses, making it difficult for your body to naturally fight back any effect dandruff has on you. You may even find yourself feeling continuously irritated because of the inflammation on your scalp, sometimes triggering an itch-cycle that leaves your scalp sore. While using the right shampoos and conditioners will help solve this problem, de-stressing is just as important. Put your phone on DND, run a bath, light a few lavender-scented candles, indulge in a good book or simply sleep in a little extra. A little de-stressing goes a long way for the health of your body and mind.
Hormones
Hormones are a key part of producing the natural oils you need to keep your scalp nourished. They keep your hair and scalp moisturized which helps keep dandruff at bay. We understand that hormones are something that one cannot control, but it is good to understand how changes in hormone levels during puberty, pregnancy, or menstruation can sometimes aggravate your dandruff. A hormone imbalance can cause your body to produce excess oil that can accelerate the production of dandruff on your scalp. While we cannot control our hormones, but you can control the excess production of the oil by controlling your diet. (See: Change Your Diet)
Genetics
Dandruff does tend to run in families—what this essentially means is that dandruff isn’t hereditary but rather makes one more susceptible to dandruff than others. When you are genetically susceptible to dandruff you may not be able to prevent it from happening but if you practice good skin and hair hygiene, you could successfully prevent it from rearing its ugly head too often.
Reaction to products
It is important to be aware of the kind of products and ingredients that we use on our bodies. Dandruff can get triggered due to the presence of some sulfates in shampoos and even due to the product build up from leave-in conditioners, hairspray, or hair serums, causing irritation to the scalp. So, while shampooing all the products away is important, it is equally important to use products that don’t cause harm in the first place.
The environment
If none of the causes that we mentioned above fit the ‘why’ you are suffering from dandruff, you might want to consider the environment that you live in as another factor. The appearance of dandruff is known to be more prevalent in the winter months when the air is dry and the humidity is low. Over and above that, if you are wearing hats (that are essential when it’s -21 degrees outside) it does block out air from reaching the roots of our hair which leads to the accumulation of natural oils leading to dandruff.
