In a world filled with information, many people believe that if they leave their hair to its own devices, it will, in fact, begin to clean itself. The problem with this statement is that hair doesn’t produce magic cleaning agents to naturally get rid of the dirt in your hair. This is simply grease from pollution and sweat whose job it is to make your hair look less dirty and add life to it. Leaving this can increase your chances of dandruff, which affects around 50% of people in the world. Let’s discuss what this issue is and how we can deal with it.
What is Dandruff?
Dandruff is a microbe that occurs naturally on the scalp called Malassezia Globosa. Everyone in the world will find this on their scalp, but that doesn’t mean everybody has dandruff, it just means that without a good hair care routine you could be prone to an outbreak of the dreaded white flakes.
What Causes Dandruff?
So, the sciencey bit… Dandruff is caused by the microbe Malassezia Globosa which feeds on your natural scalp oils called sebum, this oil helps to keep your scalp nice, healthy and moisturised. What happens is that when the sebum is broken down by pollutants in the air, sweat and other things, it produces a by-product known as oleic acid.
Around 50% of people are sensitive to oleic acid and their scalp responds by becoming irritated. You usually then find that in response to the irritation, the scalp becomes red, itchy and inflamed. Finally, the body tells the brain to shed skin cells faster than usual and attempt to rid your scalp of the irritant. This is why you will then start to see white flakes along your scalp and in your hair, ultimately falling onto your shoulders.
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What Products Should You Use?
There are a few issues surrounding your scalp, not only can it be prone to producing dandruff, it is also a pinpoint for sweat and oil giving your hair a greasy appearance, making it look thinner. This is why washing regularly is good as it keeps your hair fresh, healthy and voluminous. Consider Cornerstone’s soon-to-be-released high-quality 2-in-1 Shampoo and Conditioner which is formulated, blended and bottled in the UK in conjunction with leading experts in the hair care industry.
It is designed to strengthen and reduce dandruff in your hair. We achieve this by including ingredients that are effective against microorganisms causing dandruff and the re-appearance of dandruff but gentle enough for everyday use. One of the main active ingredients (Dandrilys) also helps to reduce inflammation, skin irritation and itching along the scalp. The hair strengthening ingredients contain properties that will penetrate the hair cuticle to build strength from within, whilst reinforcing, lubricating and protecting the surface of the hair.
How and What Way?
There’s a normal comparison made in the male grooming world that is ‘you wouldn’t clean your face just once a week so what makes your hair any different?’. As we’ve said, your hair and scalp get dirty from the same daily pollutants and sweat as your face, therefore a solid and repetitive hair care routine is vital to keeping it fresh, healthy and dandruff-free. In most cases, washing your hair daily or every other day with warm water and a good quality shampoo is the best way to keep on top of and rid your hair of dirt, sweat and grease. However, if you suffer from regular dandruff, it may be worth visiting your trichologist and use a remedy that they recommend.