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Is Fungus Causing Your Dandruff?

Dandruff is commonly associated with dry scalp because it appears on the head in small, white flakes.  Pityriasis capitis, the medical name for dandruff, is caused by dead skin cells on the head that shed in order for new skin cells to renew themselves. When dandruff appears, it is because a greater number of dead skin cells are being shed, usually in large clumps that can be seen by the eye.

Common stipulations about what causes dandruff arise from products that usually dry out the skin like shampoos and soaps. Because some people believe their shampoo is the source of the problem, many dandruff sufferers only wash their hair every other day, rather than every day. This is not the answer!

Many of my patients have dandruff and have difficulty clearing it up even if they shampoo with over the counter dandrff shampoo such as Head and Shoulders. Testing the patient usually indicates that the dandruff is commonly caused by a fungal infection on the scalp called Malassezia. Malassezia is a fungus that can be found on the scalps of many healthy adults, and normally does not pose a problem. However sometimes it can grow out of control and feed on the oils in hair, causing more skin cells to grow, and eventually more skin cells to shed. For example, when you do not shampoo every day the hair becomes oily giving the fungus something to feed on. As more and more skin cells grow and shed, they clump together with the oil, causing tiny flakes that appear on your shoulders and neck.

My remedy for dandruff is to wash your hair with tea tree oil shampoo every day, which is a very effective fungal antiseptic. At night, soak your scalp with coconut oil, sleep on it with a towel over your pillow, and wash it out in the morning with the tea tree oil shampoo. If you do this regularly, within a week your skin on your scalp will be cleaner and less flaky. Also be sure to get in plenty of omega-3’s, which can be found in fish and flax oil. Omega-3 oils are very effective in treating dry scalp and skin!

References:

http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/health_advice/facts/dandruff.htm

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/dandruff/DS00456/DSECTION=causes

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Replenish Winter Skin with Purglo Body Hydrating Butter

Now that fall is here, Los Angeles has been a bit on the windier side, leaving our skin feeling chapped and dry. Because dry skin is at its worst during the winter season, it’s important to hydrate it when environmental humidity is at its lowest, with a moisturizer that will leave your skin feeling healthy, supple and nourished.

Dry skin is usually caused when there is not enough water in the stratum corneum, the outermost layer of our skin. Natural skin oils in this layer can get depleted when harsh weather, cleaning chemicals, or hot soapy water allows the water in our skin to escape. With these protective oils decreased, the top layer of our skin shrinks, creating cracks that can itch and bleed, exposing deeper layers to germs and bacteria.

While it may seem sensible to apply warm water to ease the dry itch, it can actually worsen the irritation because it diminishes the hydrating oils from the skin. The best thing you can do for your skin during this chapped winter season is to apply a natural hydrating cream to the affected areas immediately after your bath or shower when the skin is still slightly damp. My yummy PURGLO Hydrating Body Butter is made with Hawaiian tropical elements and organic ingredients including aloe vera, green tea, sesame and evening primrose oil that are excellent for dry chapped winter skin yet light enough for sunny summer use. Tropically scented, PURGLO Hydrating Body Butter is an incredibly rich, creamy, soothing and ultra hydrating formula that melts luxuriously right into the skin. Your skin will thank you!

Sources:

http://www.uihealthcare.com/topics/skinhealth/winterskin.html

http://purglo.com/products/purglo-hydrating-body-butter.html

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