Symptoms, Causes, and Treatment Options

Dandruff is a standard scalp situation the place flaky pores and skin sheds from the scalp. Moist dandruff—or dandruff related to an oily scalp—occurs when further sebum (oil) manufacturing on the scalp combines with an overgrowth of Malassezia, a yeast naturally discovered on the scalp.

Together with seen, oily flakes in your hair, moist dandruff could cause itching, redness, or irritation in your scalp. Almost half of adults worldwide expertise some type of dandruff, with moist dandruff affecting as much as 10% of individuals. 

Whereas it may be long-lasting, moist dandruff is manageable with correct scalp care, medicated shampoos, and, generally, prescription remedies. 

Signs of moist dandruff, or dandruff from an oily scalp, can fluctuate in severity. They might come and go, worsening with hormonal modifications, ongoing stress, or chilly, dry climate. Frequent moist dandruff signs embrace: 

• Greasy flakes: Yellowish pores and skin flakes persist with the scalp or hair as a result of extra oil. 
• Oily scalp: The scalp could really feel excessively greasy or oily and seem shiny or moist. 
• Redness: Patches of infected pores and skin on the scalp could seem mildly pink in folks with lighter pores and skin tones or darker in folks with deeper pores and skin tones.
• Itchiness: Itching could worsen with sweat, low humidity, or chilly temperatures. 

Relying on the underlying trigger, signs could lengthen past the scalp and have an effect on different areas wealthy in sebaceous (oil-producing) glands, together with the eyebrows, eyelids, behind the ears, center of the chest, and groin space.

Sebaceous glands are tiny constructions within the pores and skin that secrete sebum, an oily substance that helps moisturize and defend the scalp, hair, and pores and skin. Whereas sebum is necessary for wholesome pores and skin, overactive sebaceous glands can produce extra oil, creating the best situations for moist dandruff. 

The commonest causes of moist dandruff embrace Malassezia yeast overgrowth and seborrheic dermatitis.

Malassezia

Malassezia is a yeast that lives on most individuals’s pores and skin as a part of the physique’s regular assortment of microorganisms. When oil manufacturing will increase, this creates the best surroundings for the yeast to multiply excessively, inflicting scalp irritation and pores and skin flaking.

Seborrheic Dermatitis

Seborrheic dermatitis is a continual pores and skin situation related to Malassezia overgrowth. It causes oily, pink, and infected patches of pores and skin, usually with yellowish, greasy flakes. Seborrheic dermatitis is a number one reason for moist dandruff and should have an effect on the scalp and different physique areas.

Sure components can set off extra sebum manufacturing, creating situations that permit yeast to overgrow on the scalp and resulting in seborrheic dermatitis and moist dandruff. These embrace: 

• Hormonal fluctuations
• Climate modifications, notably chilly, dry climate 
• Extended stress or annoying life occasions 
• Heavy alcohol use 
• Hair care merchandise with chemical substances 

Threat Components 

Threat components which will make you extra liable to growing moist dandruff embrace: 

• Age: Moist dandruff is extra frequent in adolescents as a result of hormonal modifications, in addition to adults 50 or older.
• Intercourse: Individuals assigned male at start usually tend to develop moist dandruff than these assigned feminine at start. Males could have dandruff extra actually because elevated testosterone ranges could cause greater oil manufacturing within the scalp.
• Household historical past: Oily pores and skin or seborrheic dermatitis that is hereditary can improve your threat of moist dandruff. 
• Medical historical past: Sure well being situations, together with Parkinson’s disease, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), zits, weight problems, stroke, or traumatic mind harm (TBI), can set off extra oil manufacturing and result in moist dandruff. 

Healthcare suppliers can normally diagnose moist dandruff by going over your medical historical past and inspecting your scalp.

Your medical historical past could point out potential triggers, akin to stress or hormonal modifications, and pinpoint underlying causes, like seborrheic dermatitis. Through the bodily examination, your supplier will test your scalp for oiliness, redness, and flaking. They might additionally look at your eyebrows, eyelids, nostril, and chest. 

Diagnostic assessments aren’t normally essential to diagnose moist dandruff. Nevertheless, some healthcare suppliers could order a fungal tradition take a look at, which includes sending a small pores and skin pattern out of your scalp to a laboratory for testing.

This take a look at can determine whether or not Malassezia yeast overgrowth contributes to your moist dandruff. 

Moist dandruff therapy focuses on controlling scalp sebum manufacturing and managing underlying causes. These approaches can assist remove dandruff and its signs, akin to itching or irritation. Therapy will fluctuate relying on the trigger and severity of the signs. 

Life-style Adjustments 

When you’ve got an oily scalp, easy hair care habits, akin to regular washing and avoiding harsh hair merchandise, can assist scale back the oil and clear moist dandruff.

For straight hair and an oily scalp, washing your hair day by day with a delicate shampoo can assist take away extra oil and dandruff flakes. Curly, coarse, or thick hair might have much less frequent washing.  Additionally, strive solely utilizing alcohol-free hair care merchandise to forestall harsh chemical substances from irritating your scalp.

Over-The-Counter (OTC) Remedies

Over-the-counter (OTC) merchandise could also be sufficient to handle delicate to average moist dandruff. These merchandise embrace:

• Medicated shampoos: Shampoos with energetic components like zinc pyrithione, ketoconazole, or salicylic acid can assist handle oiliness and scale back yeast overgrowth. Individuals with oily scalps could profit from shampoos containing sulfates, akin to sodium lauryl sulfate, which cleanse extra oil. Individuals with delicate pores and skin or seborrheic dermatitis might have gentler, sulfate-free choices.
• Coal tar shampoo: Coal tar shampoo helps gradual pores and skin cell turnover, decreasing dandruff flakes in folks with seborrheic dermatitis. Irritation can happen, so it is best to check coal tar shampoo on a small patch of pores and skin earlier than commonly utilizing it. You also needs to restrict daylight publicity and put on sunscreen whereas utilizing coal tar, as it may possibly trigger gentle sensitivity.
• Tea tree oil: This oil has antifungal properties which will assist management Malassezia yeast overgrowth. Undiluted tea tree oil could cause contact dermatitis (a pores and skin rash as a result of an irritant). Utilizing shampoos containing 5% tea tree oil for 3-10 minutes is usually secure for the pores and skin.

Prescription Remedies

Healthcare suppliers could prescribe drugs to handle recurrent or extreme instances of moist dandruff. These drugs could embrace: 

• Prescription-strength medicine shampoos: Shampoos containing stronger antifungal medicine, akin to Ketodan (ketoconazole) or Loprox (ciclopirox), assist management Malassezia yeast and scale back moist dandruff flakes. 
• Topical corticosteroids: Drugs like hydrocortisone cream assist shortly scale back scalp irritation and itchiness associated to seborrheic dermatitis. Corticosteroids are a short-term answer as a result of potential severe unintended effects, akin to a extreme rash or pores and skin an infection.
• Zoryve (roflumilast foam): This foam is utilized to the scalp as soon as day by day to scale back scaling, itchiness, and redness. 

For widespread or treatment-resistant seborrheic dermatitis, your healthcare supplier could prescribe oral (taken by mouth) antifungal drugs like Sporanox (itraconazole) or Lamisil (terbinafine). 

Healthcare suppliers can also strive gentle remedy, which makes use of ultraviolet B (UVB) gentle to assist clear intensive dandruff and scales. Most individuals want three weekly classes for as much as eight weeks to see enchancment. 

Whereas stopping moist dandruff could not all the time be potential, self-care methods can assist defend your scalp well being and decrease the danger of flare-ups. This may increasingly embrace: 

• Stress management: Incorporating stress-reduction strategies, akin to meditation, nature walks, or yoga, into your day by day routine could assist handle stress ranges and scale back moist dandruff flare-ups.
• A balanced weight-reduction plan: If seborrheic dermatitis is inflicting moist dandruff, consuming a balanced weight-reduction plan wealthy in fruits, greens, entire grains, and lean proteins could assist clear moist dandruff and related signs.
• Frequent hair washing: Relying in your hair kind, day by day washing could assist take away extra oil and useless pores and skin cells out of your scalp. 

Sure medical situations can improve the chance of growing moist dandruff, together with: 

• Psoriasis: This continual pores and skin situation causes thick, scaly patches on the pores and skin and scalp. Though completely different from dandruff, scalp psoriasis could cause related signs and should coexist with seborrheic dermatitis, resulting in what some name sebopsoriasis.
• HIV/AIDS: Analysis exhibits that seborrheic dermatitis, together with moist dandruff, is extra frequent in folks with HIV.
• Neurological issues: Individuals with neurological issues, together with Parkinson’s illness, TBI, and stroke, usually tend to develop seborrheic dermatitis-related moist dandruff. 

Moist dandruff is manageable however requires constant therapy and way of life changes to manage signs. Relying on the underlying trigger, moist dandruff can come and go, switching between durations of enchancment and flare-ups.

Holding a constant hair care routine, addressing triggers like stress or weight-reduction plan, and commonly utilizing medicated shampoos can assist hold moist dandruff beneath management. 

See a healthcare supplier if self-care methods and OTC dandruff shampoos are ineffective in controlling your moist dandruff. Your supplier can assist determine any underlying causes and suggest efficient remedies.