What is dandruff?
What is dandruff? Dandruff is the shedding of dead skin cells from the scalp. As skin cells die, a small amount of flaking is normal. For most teens and adults, dandruff symptoms are easy to spot: white, oily-looking flakes of dead skin that dot your hair and shoulders, and a possibly itchy, scaly scalp. Dandruff can have several causes, including: Irritated, oily skin (seborrheic dermatitis).This condition, one of the most frequent causes of dandruff, is marked by red, greasy skin covered with flaky white or yellow scales. Seborrheic dermatitis may affect your scalp and other areas rich in oil glands, such as your eyebrows, the sides of your nose and the backs of your ears, your breastbone (sternum), your groin area, and sometimes your armpits. Not shampooing often enough. If you don't regularly wash your hair, oils and skin cells from your scalp can build up, causing dandruff. A yeastlike fungus (malassezia).Malassezia lives on the scalps of most adults. But, for som