Persistant Dandruff

by Ashi
(Rotterdam)

Hi there, I was wondering if you can help me with the following.

My hair seems to be quite frail from the roots, caused by dandruff or flakes that don't won't go away. This caused my hair to fall out and it generally grow slow. When I was younger my hair was quite thick, but because my scalp just can't seem to release the accumulation of thick dandruff or whatever it is, my hair has become unhealthy.

I've tried medicines on my scalp, but they just won't help and my dermatologist isn't much help either.

This situation just makes me very insecure and constantly makes me focus on and smell my hair (or rather scalp).

Hope you can help.

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It sounds to me like you have seborrhea. Seborrheic dermatitis is a common, inflammatory skin condition that causes flaky, white to yellowish scales to form on oily areas such as the scalp or inside the ears.

It is caused by an overproduction of sebum oil, or by a yeast called malessizia that gets on your skin and won't go away until you treat it. Some of the best shampoos on the market to treat Seborrhea are Neutrogena T Gel and Nizoral AD but there are other medicated shampoos on the market that will work too. Just be sure they contain one of the following ingredients: salicylic acid, coal tar, zinc, resorcin, ketoconazole, or selenium.

Some sources suggest that you carefully loosen flakes with your fingers, scrub the area for at least 5 minutes, and then rinse. I do not suggest doing this because it can also cause bleeding and then scabbing, which won't help you!

Another great way to treat Seborrhea is to take Super Biotin daily. Some studies have shown that it works although some studies have shown that it doesn't work. However, Super Biotin will certainly improve hair loss! Your scalp should also improve in the summer months, with more exposure to the outdoors.

Aloe vera gel is also a good way to treat seborrhea topically.

Another reason men lose hair in particular, is lack of omega 3 fatty acids. If you aren't eating fish a couple days a week, you might think about taking a fish oil supplement to help you!

* Women suffer from hair loss because of a low thyroid function, which can be caused by a lack of Iodine.