Dandruff. What is It?
First, let's define dandruff simply: "Flaky dead skin that appears on the scalp, eyebrows or around the hairline, ears or nose; range from small and white to large, greasy and yellow.
Now let’s get more specific: “Dandruff is the shedding of dead skin cells from the scalp. Dandruff should not be confused with a simple dry scalp. As skin cells die a small amount of flaking is normal; about 487,000 cells/cm2 get released normally after detergent treatment. Some people, however, experience an unusually large amount of flaking either chronically or as a result of certain triggers, up to 800,000 cells/cm2, which can also be accompanied by redness and irritation.
As the epidermal layer continually replaces itself, cells are pushed outward where they eventually die and flake off. For most individuals, these flakes of skin are too small to be visible. However, certain conditions cause cell turnover to be unusually rapid, especially in the scalp. For people with dandruff, skin cells may mature and be shed in 2–7 days, as opposed to around a month in people without dandruff. The result is that dead skin cells are shed in large, oily clumps, which appear as white or grayish patches on the scalp, skin and clothes.”**
Home Remedies Using Natural Herbs for that Flaky Dead Skin
Home remedies* include: following a healthy diet that includes flax seed oil; daily scalp massage increases blood circulation; weekly oil treatment to scalp, washing off in shower after 10-15 minutes will help avoid excessive dry, dead skin; frequent mild shampoos that include any or all of the following Ayurvedic herbs:
Fenugreek: Seeds contain essential oil that contains 40 different valuable compounds. People used to soak fenugreek seeds overnight, and in the morning grind them into fine paste and apply them to the scalp for half hour for scalp treatment and removal of dandruff. The hair was then washed with Soapnut solution. The same paste was applied on the face at night before going to bed and then washed with warm water in the morning. This was known to prevent one from getting pimples, dryness and early appearance of wrinkles. It improved complexion and make one look younger.
Soapnut: Indian name Reetha fruit is also called Soapnut, as it contains natural soap. Beside excellent cleansing properties, it is known to keep hair and skin soft.
Amla: A wonderful cleansing agent for both the skin and hair. It imparts luster to hair and protects from dandruff and excessive dead skin, also helps prevent premature graying. Amla stimulates growth of hair on the scalp, and strengthens the hair roots.
Shikakai: A pod that’s considered a superior cleanser for "lustrous long hair" and has been reported as "promoting hair growth and preventing dandruff". Due to the benefits of these home remedies, this pod was named "Shikakai" which translated as, "fruit for hair".
Rely on Ancient Home Remedies Using Natural Herbs
100% natural herbs including Ayurvedic botanicals for hair, face and body
* If the scaling from dandruff is greasy and yellow and does not respond to shampooing, etc. then it may be time to call your doctor; you may have seborrhea dermatitis and need more aggressive treatment your flaky dead skin. The above home remedies can still be used in conjunction with your doctor's approval.
**Source: Wikipedia.
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Author: L.J. O'Neal, writer and researcher. (L.J. is also a Lustrous Henna® user.)