Dr. Mercola November 20 2007 71,224 views
Dandruff has been blamed on a multiplicity of causes, including dry skin, oily skin, too much or too little hair washing, diet, stress or hygiene. However, the real cause of dandruff is actually a yeast-like fungus, Malassezia globosa, which lives on your scalp, feeding on skin oils.
Dandruff is shedded skin; dandruff sufferers shed skin much more rapidly than other people. This happens because the fungus uses enzymes called lipases to metabolize the oils, which creates a by-product called oleic acid. The acid penetrates your skin and triggers skin cell shedding.
A team of researchers for Procter & Gamble (manufacturers of Head & Shoulders anti-dandruff shampoo) has sequenced the DNA of the fungus and analyzed the lipases it produces. They hope these investigations will eventually lead to new treatments for dandruff.
This is another classic example of blaming an infectious agent for the “cause” of a disease. While this information is useful and can be very helpful in treating the problem once you have it, this knowledge really doesn’t help you understand how to change the underlying reasons why you got the infection.
You can easily treat the dandruff infection by using Selsun Blue, which has selenium in it, and leaving it on your scalp overnight. Alternatively you could also use Head and Shoulder’s shampoo (zinc is the active ingredient). The key is leaving it on your scalp overnight as the selenium or zinc will actually kill this fungus.
However if you eliminate the fungus you still need to correct the reason why they chose your scalp to invade and multiply. Typically that is related to an imbalance in the fats you are eating.
Dandruff, as well as other dry-skin conditions, can often be a sign that you have a fatty acid imbalance. This is a very common problem, as your standard American diet (SAD) is far higher in omega-6 than omega-3.
Your ideal ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fats is 1:1. But the current ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 in the average American diet varies from 20:1 to 50:1!
Your primary sources of omega-6 are corn, soy, canola, safflower, and sunflower oil; these oils are overabundant in your typical diet, which explains your excess omega-6 levels. Omega-3, meanwhile, is typically found in flaxseed oil, walnut oil, and fish.
More than 2,000 scientific studies have demonstrated the vast array of health problems associated with omega-3 deficiencies. Usually I talk about omega-3 in the context of improving brain function, and preventing chronic diseases like diabetes, arthritis, heart disease and cancer.
However, omega-3 deficiencies can also have a negative impact on your skin, creating skin-related problems, such as:
Supplementing your diet with good quality omega-3 in the form of krill oil or fish oil could help alleviate these troublesome and uncomfortable symptoms.
In addition to that, keep in mind that everything you slather on your skin, and put on your scalp goes into your bloodstream, and can affect your overall health and internal balance. Virtually all of your regular shampoos and conditioners contain harmful chemicals that can create skin irritation, contributing to dry scalp and excessive dandruff.
I recommend buying organic personal-care products that do not contain parabens and sodium laureth, or lauryl sulfate. The latter two are known eye and skin irritants.
Instead, look for products that contain natural antimicrobial and antifungal ingredients, such as grapefruit seed extract, or antioxidant vitamins (A, C and E) that act as natural preservatives, without dangerous side effects.
Following a healthy diet, modified to fit your nutritional type can also help you balance out your internal system, and eliminate excessive fungi naturally.
Dandruff is simply flaking skin. It can flake from being too dry (over-shampooing with the detergents that shampoos are) or under-shampooing, in which case the sebum / oil left on the skin sticks together the usually invisible flakes that always come off the scalp every day. So you can have dry scale from lack of oil if you wash it all away (asteatosis = lack of fat) or you can have oily scale from too much sebum (seborrhea) causing seborrheic dermatitis. This oil is what the Malassezia feeds on, so if you shampoo correctly, the population of M drops because you remove the oily scale. If you over-shampoo, you get dry scalp scale.
I have started rinsing with Kombucha Tea...well old enough that it's now Kombucha vinegar. My hair is now unbelievably shiny and soft.
Health Man - you are definitely onto something. I've suffered from dandruff awfully since childhood. I tried Dr. Mercola's instruction "You can easily treat the dandruff infection by using Selsun Blue, which has selenium in it, and leaving it on your scalp overnight" to end up with 10x the flakes (quarter-sized after treatment - for 8 days straight since it wasn't working at all and I thought I'd perserver - as opposed to the tiny flakes before). I also ended up with a terrible scalp and hairline irritation. Also, a whole bunch of my hair fell out! I've used Neutrogena Coal Tar which makes also my hair fall out like crazy after the recommended application (3-5 min, not all night). Those commercial shampoos are not the answer.
I'm an avid fan of Dr. Mercola, but I think he's wrong on this one. I take multi-vitamins & Omega 3's regularly, try to eat mercury-free fish, and use organic extra-virgin coconut oil in my hair 3 nights a week for moisturization.
I searched the internet, and I found a cure that *finally* worked for me - pure essential oregano oil (make sure you buy the kind that you can apply topically, not the one for aromatherapy). You're supposed to mix it with olive oil because it's strong (I use organic cold pressed extra virgin) - folks, IT WORKS! Be patient, it took a full month for my dandruff to clear up, but not a flake since - well not at least for 3 solid months until three weeks ago. I had stopped using the oregano once my dandruff cleared up. I'm going back on the oregano for a period of time (it's expensive, be prepared) and I'm going to try out your suggestion. I'm throwing away my crappy commerical shampoos tonight & I'm buying some natural stuff tomorrow. Thanks for the tip - it totally makes sense! BTW I still use the coconut oil intermittently as well - works great as a facial moisturizer too!
Good observation.
Sugar and high glycemic load diet compounds drive up blood sugar, then insulin, then Insulin-like growth factor - 1, then testosterone, then that makes dihydrotestosterone (DHT), that turns on oil glands, so creating more of the oil the Malassezia lives on (and acne besides).
Don't fungi feed on sugars? This could be the reason your diet affected the dandruff if it is, in fact a fugus!
Keep it simple. APPLE CIDER VINEGAR. After shampoo simply rinse full strength or diluted. I am a liberal user and pour all over myself in shower. Keep your eyes CLOSED.
"The key is leaving it on your scalp overnight as the selenium or zinc will actually kill this fungus."
Please explain how to sleep with shampoo in your hair all night.
shower cap