What Causes Dandruff and How to Keep it at Bay

What Causes Dandruff and How to Keep it at Bay

Your hair can be your crowning glory — or a source of frustration and discomfort. Specifically, if you live with dandruff, the skin on the top of your head could be itchy, flaky, or have other obvious signs of irritation.

If that sounds familiar, you’re not alone. Somewhere around 50% of the adult population lives with this dandruff and related conditions. 

The good news: Effective care can help you keep your dandruff at bay. Here at our Rapaport Dermatology offices in Beverly Hills and Culver City, California, Vicki Rapaport, MD, Marvin Rapaport, MD, and our team have extensive experience treating seborrheic dermatitis, a leading cause of dandruff.  

In an effort to help you keep a comfortable, healthy scalp, we also want to help you understand what causes dandruff in the first place.

Why people get dandruff

While dandruff can be caused by an allergy to a hair care product (contact dermatitis) or a scalp fungus, most cases of dandruff come from seborrheic dermatitis. This skin condition develops in areas where your body makes a lot of oil, which means it often affects the scalp but can also occur on the eyebrows, eyelids, or chest. 

It causes red patches of skin that get scaly and flaky. If you have persistent dandruff that hasn’t responded to over-the-counter dandruff shampoos, it’s likely seborrheic dermatitis. 

Certain health conditions can also heighten your risk for dandruff caused by seborrheic dermatitis, including:

Ultimately, though, no matter what’s causing your dandruff, Drs. Rapaport and our team here at Rapaport Dermatology can help you keep it at bay.

Keeping dandruff under control

To treat this stubborn and common cause of dandruff, you need to take a multi-pronged approach. Effective treatment soothes the irritated and inflamed skin while controlling oil and yeast production on your scalp. 

For that, Drs. Rapaport customize a treatment plan based on your hair, your lifestyle choices (like how frequently you wash your hair), and other factors specific to you. Generally, to keep dandruff at bay, our treatment plans include some combination of:

Regularly washing your hair and avoiding potentially irritating hair care or styling products can go a long way here. 

All told, you have options for keeping your dandruff at bay. If you’re ready to say goodbye to flakiness, itchiness, and redness on your scalp or other areas of your body, don’t wait to talk to our team. We work with you to develop a dandruff care plan that works for your specific needs.

To get started, call either of our Rapaport Dermatology offices or book an appointment online today.

You Might Also Enjoy...

Get Fuller Lips With Juvéderm

Do you wish your lips were fuller or smoother? Juvéderm® lip fillers could be just what you need. This nonsurgical treatment brings quick results that can last for up to a year.

5 Common Skin Care Mistakes You May be Making

Whether you’re 20 or 60, taking good care of your skin is important for both cosmetic and health reasons. Unfortunately, many of us may be doing more harm than good when it comes to skin care.

3 Common Types of Acne and How to Treat Them

Today, there are lots of options when it comes to treating acne. Before treatment begins, we need to determine which type of acne you have. Here’s what you should know about three common types and their treatments.

Hydrafacial®: The Ideal Fall Skin Reboot

Summer heat and humidity can wreak havoc on your skin. So if you’re like most Southern Californians, it's time for a fall skin reboot. And there’s no better way than with a HydraFacial®.