Homeopathic interventions for dandruff

   Dandruff is a common scalp disorder with flaky scales and itching of scalp affecting both men and women. It is non-inflammatory in nature and can affect any age group. The exact mechanism leading to dandruff is still unclear although dandruff symptoms overlap with seborrhoeic dermatitis.

The probable causes include:

·         Seborrheic dermatitis

·         Over growth of a yeast-like fungus called Malassezia

·         Dry skin

·         Allergic reactions to some hair and skin products

·         Other skin conditions, such as eczema or psoriasis

·         Dietary errors

·         Stress

A few known facts about dandruff

·   Malassezia is a fungus infection which is often connected with dandruff although it is not regarded as the microbe causing dandruff.

·   It is often found that steroid medications clearing dandruff although dandruff is not an immune mediated disease.

·  Excessive exposure to sunlight is known to cause scaling of the scalp. Cold weather also aggravates it. Dandruff gets worse also in winter. Therefore dandruff is considered as a disease fluctuating seasonally.

·The severity of dandruff ranges from mild to severe among people and it is seen in association with hair loss.

Does oily scalp skin increase the risk for dandruff?

   Dandruff is a condition of scalp with increased proliferation of keratinocyte cells. Excess sebum or oil production on scalp may cause more dirt and impurities to get clogged in the scalp, facilitating the growth of microbes that cause dandruff.

 Oily scalp may increase the risk for occurrence of dandruff . However everyone with oily scalp is not affected with dandruff. Oily fat of sebum may help the formation of dandruff to some extent but it is not considered as the primary cause. Other susceptibility factors of the person may play a major role in the occurrence of dandruff.

Stress is pointed out as one of the reasons that may trigger dandruff. Dandruff and seborrheic dermatitis may occur from stress, seasonal changes, fluctuating hormones or excess fungus growth on the scalp etc.

 The severity of dandruff worsens in winter. In short, oily scalp is more prone to dandruff while other factors also have contributory role in causing dandruff.

What are the symptoms of dandruff?

  Dandruff appears as an itchy, scaly scalp and white oily flakes that may fall on the hair or shoulders. Dandruff may get worse during the autumn and winter months as the air is very dry in these seasons. People with seborrheic dermatitis may have irritated, oily scalp skin and are prone to get dandruff. The skin may appear red, greasy, and covered with flaky white or yellow scales in this condition. It is common among people who are obese and depressed. Emotional stress worsens it. Dandruff is associated with hair loss.

What are the medical solutions for dandruff?

·  Medicated shampoos

   The American academy of dermatology recommends antidandruff Shampoos and scalp treatment as the solutions for dandruff. Most antidandruff shampoos may have ingredients such as ketoconazole, selenium sulphide, tea tree oil, salicylic acid etc. There are different types of shampoos.

To get the best results, always follow the instructions on the shampoo bottle. Be cautious if you are using a dandruff shampoo that contains coal tar. Tar shampoo may discolor blonde, grey or white hair, so if you have light-colored hair, you may have to choose a different type of anti -dandruff shampoo. Tar shampoo also may make your scalp more sensitive to sunlight. Use a conditioner after shampooing your hair to maintain its moisture content and shine.

General instructions

   Follow a well-balanced dietary pattern to improve scalp health as well as for preventing hair loss from dandruff.

·   Zinc in adequate amounts is important for hair growth and health as it regulates the levels of androgens or male hormones in the body.

Any reduction in androgens has been linked to dandruff and also slow hair growth. Consume zinc rich natural foods such as sea foods, some green leafy vegetables, oysters, lobster, baked beans, pumpkin seeds, chickpeas, almonds   etc. Do not take supplements without directions from a healthcare provider.

· Exfoliating the scalp regularly with hair and scalp masks can avoid dead skin cells clogging the pores on scalp.

· Stress reduction is important as anxiety worsens seborrheic dermatitis.

Homeopathic intervention

Dandruff from homeopathic miasmatic point of view

It is an evidence based fact that keratinocytes play a key role in the expression and generation of immunological reactions during dandruff formation. The severity of dandruff also varies with season and it often worsens during winter.

Dandruff appears on scalp due to hyper proliferation of keratinocytes, resulting in deregulation of keratinization. The corneocytes clump together, manifesting as large flakes of skin.

Generally dandruff with bran like scales and dry hair comes under psoric miasm as per homeopathic miasmatic concepts. However, dandruff with moist gluey hair which falls out in bunches is categorized as sycotic miasmatic trait.

Dandruff forming thick yellow crusting is considered under the syphilotubercular miasm.

Itching of scalp  from dandruff which is aggravated during  winter is yet another psoric symptom.

Physicians may choose remedies based on individualization and considering the miasmatic weightage of the case.

Dandruff in each case has different miasmatic expressions and therefore it is not purely psoric always. Particularly dandruff associated with seborrheic dermatitis may be psoro-sycotic or Syco-syphilitic depending on the manifested symptoms and signs.

Homeopathic therapeutics

·       Hair loss from dandruff:

  Ammonium muriaticum, kali carbonicum, thuja

AMMONIUM MURIATICUM:

Adapted to fat, sluggish people with thin legs. Melancholic constitution. Grief with desire to weep but unable to express grief.

Hair falls out, with itching and dandruff.

 People having offensive foot sweat. Hamstring pains. Neuralgic foot pains.

Chronic constipation with crumbling stools.

Women with menstrual colic and diarrhoea like symptom during menstruation

General modalities :

 Better, open air. Worse, head and chest symptoms in the morning; abdominal symptoms in the afternoon

KALI CARBONICUM

A constitution with irritability  fear, anxiety and despondency. Fleshy women with dropsy. Sweating , backache and weakness accompany always. Obstinate  and oversensitive .

Great dryness of hair; falls out

Flatulent women with desire for sweet.

Generally worse during cold weather, 3am.

THUJA

The chief action of thuja is on skin and genitourinary organs producing wart like growths .The dominant miasm expressed by this drug is sycotic.

Fixity of mind. Emotionally very sensitive.

White, scaly dandruff; hair dry and falling out. Greasy skin of face.

General Modalities: Worse, at night, from heat of bed; at 3 am and 3 pm; from cold, damp air; after breakfast; fat, coffee; vaccination.

Better, lying on left side; while drawing up a limb.

·       Dandruff with greasy hair:

   Lycopodium is a prominent remedy. Other remedies include Bryonia,calcarea carb,causticum,medorrhinum,natrum muriaticum, acid phosphoricum.

·       Dry scurfy scalp with dandruff- arsenic album

·       Moist scalp with dandruff- sepia

·       Dandruff as thick flakes- Sulphur

 References

1.    https://www.aad.org/public/everyday-care/hair-scalp-care/scalp/treat-dandruff   

2.    Squamometry in acute photodamageG E Piérard 1, C Piérard-Franchimont  PMID: 27328441 DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-0846.1995.tb00033  https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27328441/

3.    https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S002231662214321X

4.    Seasonal modulation of sebum excretion C Piérard-Franchimont 1, G E Piérard, A Kligman https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2394299/

5.    Piérard-Franchimont C, Xhauflaire-Uhoda E, Piérard GE. Revisiting dandruff. Int J Cosmet Sci. 2006;28:311–8 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18489295/

6.    Materia Medica by John Henry Clarke

7.      Pocket Manual Of Homoeopathic Materia Medica & Repertory

8.      A Concise Repertory Of Homeopathic Medicines

9.      Homoeopathic Medical Repertory

10.                       The presctiber –john H Clark-dandruff