The Relationship Between Dandruff and Hair Fall: What You Should Know

Sushanta Das
3 min readDec 23, 2022

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No dandruff does not affect hair fall directly, but dandruff on the scalp can affect the scalp, thereby contributing to hair fall.

Dandruff can result in itching, creating a bad habit of scratching the scalp vigorously. Continuous scratching can damage the hair follicles leading to hair fall.

There can be inflammation due to fungal elements in dandruff that can weaken the hair follicles, leading to hair loss. According to studies, dandruff accompanies telogen effluvium and can worsen androgenetic alopecia.

What are the causes of dandruff?

There are different categories of dandruff- Mild dandruff and severe dandruff.

Mild Dandruff

Mild dandruff is caused due to overgrowth of Malassezia fungus on the dry scalp or constant stress. An unhealthy diet could be another reason for dandruff.

Mild dandruff can be allergic to certain hair products or even to ultraviolet rays.

Severe dandruff

Severe dandruff can be caused due to seborrheic dermatitis. Seborrheic dermatitis leads to chronic inflammation of the skin due to fungal invasion and hormonal changes. The fungus Malassezia furfur is a parasite that lives on the scalp and fills on the sebum. Dandruff occurs when there is an overproduction of sebum facilitating fungus growth.

What is the relation between hair fall and dandruff?

Dandruff may not directly cause hair fall, but it can weaken your roots, leading to hair loss.

  • Dandruff causes irritation and inflammation on the scalp making it flaky and itchy. Itchiness leads to scratching the scalp damaging the follicles, and leading to hair loss.
  • When dandruff can destroy hair follicles, and severe dandruff leads to hair loss.
  • If Malassezia fungus is the cause of your dandruff, hair loss is very likely. Yeast infection weakens the hair roots due to inflammation and acts as a trigger for hair loss and hair separation.

How to reduce dandruff and hair fall?

Dandruff, when accompanying hair loss, can be very depressing. So if you can treat your hair fall by reducing dandruff, that will be a true blessing.

Here are some tips to reduce dandruff:

  • Anti-Dandruff Shampoo

Anti-dandruff shampoos are formulated with anti-fungal properties and keratolytic substances such as zinc pyrithione, ciclopirox, tar, salicylic acid, and ketoconazole. The anti-fungal property reduces the growth of fungus, itching, and inflammation accompanying dandruff.

  • Topical steroids — This is the most common medication prescribed by a dermatologist. But it is recommended for short-term use only, as it accompanies various side effects. These medications can be available in topical lotions, sprays, and oral medications. It is recommended to use these steroids only if prescribed by dermatologists.
  • Tar Shampoo — Coal tar shampoo is a commonly recommended shampoo to treat dandruff. With or without anti-fungal properties or salicylic acid, coal tar shampoo can treat severe dandruff problems.

Dandruff is a very common problem for men and women of all ages. But as it is often associated with several more issues, one must get rid of it as early as possible.

Consult your dermatologists and find the best solution. If dandruff treatment is not reducing your hair fall, you must visit a hair clinic in concord to diagnose the cause.

There are many hair clinics in California, but Just Hair is one of the best hair clinics in California, and they offer the best non-surgical hair replacement in California.

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Sushanta Das
Sushanta Das

Written by Sushanta Das

I am a blogger and like to write blogs.

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