Healthy way of living helps control dandruff

By Maria Endah Hulupi

JAKARTA (JP): An active young woman scratches her itchy scalp and secretly looks at her shoulders and seems unhappy when she notices reddish damp dirt on her nails and white scurf scattered on her shoulders. The scurf remains visible even on her light blue blouse. If she could see it, anybody can.

She starts worrying that her problem with dandruff will, in the end, affect her relationship with her colleagues at the office. That's not all, now she has a stinging irritation on her scalp because of repeated scratching.

Survey firm AC Nielsen displays shocking data, one out of two Indonesians have dandruff. Most of them fear of being seen with this scurf which will ruin their appearance in the presence of their colleagues during a party or during a job interview when they have to look sharp for a good first impression.

Dermatologist Lily Soepardiman said that dandruff is the result of an increase population of yeast pityrosporum ovale (P. Ovale), a flora which is normally found on the scalp.

P. Ovale will speed up the formation of a new skin layer, forcing the immature dead skin to the outer epidermis layer. This damp dead skin accumulates and when this layer get thicker than 0.2 micron becomes visible and creates itchiness on the scalp. The scurf will then fall, especially when the affected area is scratched.

This skin renewal process normally occurs within 28 days and the matured dead skin will be easily cleansed by washing the hair periodically. In the case of dandruff, the process occurs within only seven days, giving no time for the dead skin to become mature enough to peel normally and will then accumulate.

Dandruff or Pityriasis Sika is very likely to occur on the epidermis layer with excessive sebum, such as on scalp, ears, chest, back and forehead.

"Dandruff is not contagious. It will not spread to other scalp areas by scratching or combing the hair using a comb belonging to a person with a dandruff problem. However, it can lead to possible hair loss, usually from the center to the forehead," she said during the launching of Head and Shoulder anti-dandruff shampoo.

The hair will grow but will become finer and thinner, thus will expose the scalp.

Lily said that enough rest to reduce stress, balanced low fat diet and periodically washing the hair and scalp to cleanse excessive sebum using anti-dandruff shampoo can control the P. Ovale population.

"Living a healthy life will help because dandruff can be triggered by other factors, such as androgen hormone irregularity, stress, high fat diet, poor hygiene or using cosmetics with active chemicals like hair coloring, shampoo, soaps and hairsprays," she said.

Androgen irregularity will activate the sebaceous glands on the scalp, providing an ideal location for P. Ovale to live. A similar condition will occur when a person is stressed.

"However, dandruff and stress may lead to a vicious circle. A person will become stressed if he has dandruff and the dandruff itself cause stress in the affected person," she added.

As for cosmetics, some soaps, which contain extract of acacia concina fruit and several traditional hair treatments, which are made of coconut oil, will encourage the growth of P. Ovale.

Consuming chocolate, butter, peanut and other fattening food will trigger sebaceous glands to produce excessive sebum on the skin, which is a good medium for P. Ovale.

People with dandruff will complain of having itchiness, especially during a hot day when they are sweating and the glands become very active, reddish scalp or irritation and hairloss.

When the condition continues, the affected part will expand to the rest of the scalp and sometimes to the forehead, ears, back and neck. The scurf may be oily or dry and has yellowish or reddish color.

Without proper treatment, this will lead to serious irritation, accompanied by a stinging sensation and skin swelling because of infections. This condition will dampen the scalp and the hair may become sticky, with an offensive odor.

P. Ovale population can be controlled by using specially formulated shampoo, containing anti-fungus active chemicals, zinc pyrithione (ZPT), selenium sulfide or ketoconazole; anti- proliferation chemicals, tar and octiprox and peeling properties, salicyluric acid and sulfur.

According to Procter & Gamble's technical external relations Erly Evita washing hair and scalp thoroughly with anti-dandruff shampoo, containing one percent of ZPT and enriched with hair treatment formula for a long term daily care is safe to treat mild dandruff and at the same time, maintain a healthy hair look.

"Using rinse-off products such as shampoo is more practical and safer to treat the dandruff and at the same time, to nourish the hair than stayed-on products like ointment because the active chemicals won't penetrate into the skin," the pharmacist said.

While in serious cases, a dermatologist will prescribe vitamin B, korticosteroid oral and topical, antibiotic to treat the infection, hormonal treatment and ketoconazole to control P. Ovale.

"But never wait until the irritation worsens, consult with a dermatologist immediately because he or she will decide the right treatment for the problem," Lily said.