I have a couple of questions with regards to hair loss. 1) How does dandruff contribute to hair loss? 2) How does scratching contribute to hair loss?
1) Dandruff is the name given to a group of conditions resulting in flakiness of scalp. A small amount of flakiness is normal as the superficial skin sheds. In a person suffering from dandruff, the cell turnover is increased 3-4 fold resulting in visible flakiness.
A few conditions lead to dandruff . The common ones being excess humidity and perspiration, lack of exposure to sunlight and also the presence in higher numbers than usual of a yeast called malassezia furfur.
Though there is no clear evidence of excessive hair loss in dandruff, the most likely explanation for hair loss in dandruff could be linked to the fact that excess scaling causes blockage of the hair shafts as they emerge from the skin, leading to lack of vital nutrients being delivered to the hair bulb which eventually leads to shedding of the hair. Another explanation might be the scratching associated with itching in dandruff.
2) The most likely explanation for hairloss associated with excess scratching is the fact that during scratching the superficial protective layer of skin is damaged. The superficial layer of skin(epidermis) acts as a protective barrier, blocking the action of bacteria and fungus which normally live on the skin. With the destruction of the skin epidermis barrier, your harmless bacteria and fungus now turn into pathogens ( disease producing organisms) and hence cause a mild infective process , leading to hair loss.
Hope this helps.
Regards
1) Dandruff is the name given to a group of conditions resulting in flakiness of scalp. A small amount of flakiness is normal as the superficial skin sheds. In a person suffering from dandruff, the cell turnover is increased 3-4 fold resulting in visible flakiness.
A few conditions lead to dandruff . The common ones being excess humidity and perspiration, lack of exposure to sunlight and also the presence in higher numbers than usual of a yeast called malassezia furfur.
Though there is no clear evidence of excessive hair loss in dandruff, the most likely explanation for hair loss in dandruff could be linked to the fact that excess scaling causes blockage of the hair shafts as they emerge from the skin, leading to lack of vital nutrients being delivered to the hair bulb which eventually leads to shedding of the hair. Another explanation might be the scratching associated with itching in dandruff.
2) The most likely explanation for hairloss associated with excess scratching is the fact that during scratching the superficial protective layer of skin is damaged. The superficial layer of skin(epidermis) acts as a protective barrier, blocking the action of bacteria and fungus which normally live on the skin. With the destruction of the skin epidermis barrier, your harmless bacteria and fungus now turn into pathogens ( disease producing organisms) and hence cause a mild infective process , leading to hair loss.
Hope this helps.
Regards
Dr Raghu Reddy
Selston Cosmetic Clinic
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