Dandruff in Women: Causes and Care
A hair-health issue that can cause a lot of embarrassment is dandruff. The white, flaky substance that falls from our scalp onto our clothes or sticks to our hair is called dandruff, and it is very common across the world. There are some differences in factors that cause dandruff, like age and gender. Let us look into why women get dandruff and how they can tackle this issue.
Causes of Dandruff in Women
- Fungus – Dandruff is actually a fungal infection caused by the yeast Malassezia Globosa. It affects the scalp and can even affect eyebrows if it spreads.
- Allergy – An allergic reaction to hair care products like shampoos or hair colour can also trigger dandruff. Though both men and women use hair care products, women tend to opt for more styling due to social factors.
- Seasons – Every season impacts the incidence of dandruff differently. In Winter, dandruff can be especially severe.
- Hormones – Hormone fluctuations also affect the severity of dandruff problem among women. When their oestrogen levels fall and progesterone levels increase, they produce more oil in their scalps. The fungus Malassezia feeds on this oil secretion and multiplies rapidly, worsening the condition.
- Diet – A diet containing more oily, salty, or excessively sweet foods, especially junk foods, could also increase dandruff.
- Stress – Although stress is not a direct cause of dandruff, it increases the fungal infection by Malassezia. Recent studies show that stress levels in women are increasing rapidly, which could be an active trigger behind dandruff among women.
- Medication – Certain medicines can affect the condition of the skin and scalp, making them unusually dry and causing dandruff to flare.
How Women Can Tackle Dandruff
According to Ayurveda, an imbalance in all three Doshas of Vata, Pitta, and Kapha is responsible for causing dandruff. It recommends a holistic approach for the treatment of this condition.
- Good Nutrition – One of the most critical factors in fighting dandruff is a nutritious diet. It can help to improve immunity and offset the impact of environmental factors. Taking beneficial herbs as supplements can help women with hormonal fluctuations and also with reducing dandruff. For example, you can take Neem Ayu Anti Dandruff Capsules to supplement a healthy and balanced diet.
- Hair Care – Hair care products with harsh chemicals, over styling, and the use of hot hair appliances can cause severe damage to hair and scalp, so it is important to avoid them in order to reduce dandruff. Instead, you can use an Ayurvedic shampoo like Neem Ayu Anti Dandruff Shampoo, which has zero-paraben and sulphates, to cleanse your hair with lukewarm water. You should also let your hair dry naturally.
- Oiling Hair – Ayurveda recommends medicated oil massages like Shiroabhyanga and Shirodhara as excellent ways to improve hair-health and reduce dandruff. Herb-rich Ayurvedic oils can be directly absorbed by the scalp to fight dandruff better. For example, you can use Neem Ayu Anti Dandruff Oil.
- Stress Management – Because women tend to suffer more stress these days, it is important to proactively manage it. Self-care, spending time in relaxing activities, avoiding over-exertion, and connecting with others are all healthy ways in which women can cope with stress. Yoga and meditation can also be helpful, as can Ayurvedic herbal supplements.
- Lifestyle Modification – Several lifestyle modifications can help to improve women’s overall health as well as hair-health. Having a more balanced routine, avoiding unhealthy food and habits, and getting enough sleep at night are some lifestyle changes that can directly and indirectly help to fight dandruff.
Although dandruff affects half the world’s population, some of its causes are unique to women. Its treatment, therefore, needs to be tailored to them too. Ayurveda takes this into account, which is why adopting Ayurveda to tackle dandruff can give women the best outcome.
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