Dandruff particles are visible flakes of skin that have been continuously shed from the scalp. It is normal to shed some dead skin flakes as the skin is constantly renewing itself. The new cells form in the lower layers. They are gradually pushed to the surface as more new cells form beneath them. By the time they reach the surface, the cells have become flat and overlap each other like roof tiles. By then, these cells are dead and are shed from the surface all the time. They are so small that we do not notice this is happening.

If you are suffering with dandruff, then you have a fungus. Naturally, this is not a pleasant thought. But when it comes to fungi, scalp involvement is certainly not as serious as fungus in other areas like on the feet or under the nails. And, scalp fungus is not the same beast as fungi usually attacking other body areas. It’s much easier to keep scalp fungus in check and under wraps than to try to wear sandals when sporting yellow misshapen toe nails.

Causes of Dandruff:

The basic causes of dandruff are faulty diet, emotional tension and stress, hormonal distrubances, infection due to disease, injury to the scalp and unwise or excessive use of hair cosmetics and dry weather.
The reason why so many adolescents have dandruff is that this is the time when they secrete an excess of androgen hormones which cause sebum, the skin oil.

Home Remedies to Treat Dandruff:

Avoid the use of soaps, chemical shampoos, greasy creams, other hair products containing chemicals. Avoid hair treatments like bleaching, perming, and excessive use of hair dryers.

Wash your hair every time you wash it with baking soda only. At first your hair will look much worse, and the flakes will too. Your hair will be dry and probably stringy - do this for about 3 weeks. That gives your scalp a chance to build up it's natural oils and by then the flakes should be gone.

Do not scratch your scalp. dandruff sufferers who scratch, using an electron microscope that magnifies 400 times.

Positive changes in eating habits and lifestyle amount to hitting the problem at the grassroot level. Avoid heavy fatty foods like cheese, redmeats, dairy products, sugars, chocolates, nuts and seafood. It can sometimes be aggravated by allergies or particular foods that stress the liver. Diet should consist of 50-70 per cent raw foods and lots of water to detoxify the system.

If possible, try to shampoo on a daily basis to prevent bacterial propagation. One effective means of dealing with dandruff is to disinfect the scalp area with commercially available medicated shampoos specifically designed for dandruff removal. However, daily shampooing can lead to eczema for persons who suffer from dry scalps. Shampooing once every three days may be ideal for such persons. Persons who suffer from persistent, hard-to-cure dandruff are urged to consult a skin specialist

Make a paste with a teaspoon of dried amla powder, 1 teaspoon of dried neem leaves powder one egg and a teaspoon of lemon juice. Apply one hour hefore bath wash with cold water can be done twice a week.