For scalp with dandruff

Dandruff, or pityriasis, is a disorder caused by an accelerated cell turnover which goes from taking 4 weeks to just a few days, as a result of which the scalp becomes covered with small whitish scales.

These tiny flakes, dry and pearl-coloured, are
nothing more than the remains of dead cells, the metabolism of which is faster than normal.

Although it is regarded as an anti-aesthetic condition, and not a pathological one, dandruff affects a third of the adult population. Despite various possible explanations regarding the origin of dandruff, it appears that it is caused by insufficient hygiene of the scalp, the use of unsuitable cleansers and also by over aggressive treatments and/or environmental factors such as pollution and dust.

In reality, although some of these elements can effectively contribute to accentuating dandruff, it is most unlikely that they constitute the main cause. In many cases, in fact, the real culprit is a fungus, the Malassezia furfur (also known as Pityrosporum), which lives on the scalp on the majority of people without causing any bother. Problems begin when the colonies become too numerous and, as they feed on the sebum which they break up into irritating fatty acids, they speed up the metabolism of the skin cells.

Dandruff can be divided into two categories: dry dandruff and oily dandruff.
Dry dandruff appears as dry fine grey scales, which are obviously anti-aesthetic (the classic white mantle on clothes), and is accompanied by itching without there being any particular signs of skin irritation.

Oily dandruff is characterized by scales impregnated with grease which adhere to the scalp. Very often this anti-aesthetic condition is accompanied by itching and redness and can degenerate into actual pathologies such as seborroic dermatitis.