There is no official record of the enormous dandruff flake ever, but some videos on YouTube claim to show dandruff flakes larger than a quarter.
These videos are often accompanied by claims that the person in the video has a rare condition that causes their dandruff flakes to be abnormally large.
However, it is more likely that these videos are simply showing people with severe dandruff who have not been treating their condition correctly.
Dandruff is a common condition that affects about 50% of people, and it can cause the skin on the scalp to flake off in small, white pieces.
If dandruff is not treated, it can become more severe, and the flakes can become more prominent.
Table of Contents
What Exactly is Dandruff?
Dandruff is a common disorder that causes excess shedding of small pieces of dry skin flake from the top layer of the skin on the eyebrows, scalp, or along the sides of the nose.
These kinds of chips can be visible and may cause a person to feel uncomfortable if they fall onto the person’s shoulders.
The top coating of the skin consists of deceased cells, which protect the more fragile cells below.
It is usual for these to be rubbed or shed off because the physique is constantly creating new cells that move up to replace older ones.
However, the condition is not harmful or contagious to a once-healthy life. Nothing is therapeutically grave about it, as it will not lead to baldness or infectiousness.
Itching may go together with dandruff. Usually, hair shafts (hair follicles) roots do not become disease-ridden.
Now and then, what seems to be dandruff might point to another underlying skin condition, such as eczema, seborrheic dermatitis, fungal infection, or psoriasis.
An individual should seek medical treatment for dandruff if indications are severe or do not resolve with over-the-counter (OTC) shampoos and ointments. Dandruff is also known as seborrheic dermatitis.
Dandruff most commonly occurs frequently in women and men. It tends to surge in adolescence and young adulthood and decreases after that.
Those with oily or acne skin also have more dandruff complications. Recent studies show that it affects 1-3% of adults worldwide and up to 42% of infants.
Dandruff usually improves during summer unless the weather is scorching and humid.
Exposure to natural sunlight and stress reduction may help to control it.
In some scenarios, dandruff can be caused by seborrheic dermatitis, a chronic skin disorder that causes the crust to produce too much oil.
This excess oil can lead to the formation of dandruff flakes, as well as other symptoms such as redness, itching, and scaling.
Few tips for Dealing With Dandruff:
- Wash your hair with a dandruff shampoo regularly.
- Use a conditioner that is designed for people with dandruff.
- Avoid scratching your scalp, as this irritates the skin and worsens the dandruff.
- If you have seborrheic dermatitis, your clinician specialist may prescribe a topical medication to help control oil production on your scalp.
Dandruff can be controlled with proper treatment, and you can avoid having large, unsightly flakes.
Steps to Address the Dandruff Issue
Use an Anti-Dandruff Shampoo
Look for shampoos containing active ingredients like pyrithione zinc, selenium sulfide, or ketoconazole. These ingredients can help reduce the symptoms of dandruff.
Maintain Good Scalp Hygiene
Wash your hair regularly to remove extra deceased skin cells and extra oil from the scalp.
However, avoid washing your hair too frequently, as it will lead to shredding the scalp of its natural lubricants and can lead to dryness.
Moisturize Your Scalp
If you have a dry scalp, consider using a gentle conditioner or moisturizing oil, such as tea or coconut tree oil, to help keep the scalp hydrated.
Avoid Harsh Hair Products
Certain hair products, such as gels, sprays, or styling, can irritate the scalp and worsen dandruff. Opt for milder, scalp-friendly effects.
Manage Stress
Stress can exacerbate dandruff symptoms by discovering healthy habits to accomplish stress, such as hobbies, meditation, or exercise, which can be very beneficial.
If your dandruff persists despite these measures or if you have any concerns about your scalp health, it’s advisable to consult a dermatologist or a healthcare professional for further calculation and guidance.
They can provide personalized references based on your specific situation.
How is Dandruff Caused?
Maximum humans experience dandruff at some point, but it is more mutual from the teenage years up to midlife.
Possible causes include allergic reactions, seborrheic dermatitis, eczema, and psoriasis. In some cases, overreaction to Malassezia, a yeast that occurs on the scalp, causes seborrheic DERMATITIS(Dandruff).
Various reasons increase the risk of evolving dandruff, including a person’s stress levels, age, the weather, choice of hair products, and medical condition.
Underprivileged hygiene is not a factor, but the flakes may be more visible if they do not brush or wash their hair frequently. People often feel uncomfortable about these flakes(dandruff).
For people of Color and black people, seborrheic dermatitis(dandruff) can give the impression:
- Lightening of the skin or hypopigmentation
- Petal-like or curved lesions end to end of the hair-line
- Hypopigmentation or flaking on the infant’s scalp
What Are the Symptoms of Dandruff Flakes?
- White flakes on your shoulders of the dead skin in your hair
- Crusty, raw, or red areas on your scalp
- The scalp with being very Itchy
Does the Biggest Dandruff Flakes Exist?
Although no records of an enormous dandruff flake ever removed or found, persistent plaques on the scalp, gaging one to two centimeters across, have been testified.
When large clusters of cells are shed, visible flakes may be seen on the shoulders, wearing dark clothes, or on the scalp as the hair ruses the scaling skin.
Dandruff consequences from the abnormal proliferation of a micro-organism from the Malassezia family(yeast).
This singularity causes skin cells in the epidermis to reintroduce much too rapidly.
Malassezia flourishes more on oily skin leading to more clusters on your scalp, forming significant dandruff or coverings that fall off or become tacky. Dry skin can always lead to small flakes on the outer layer scalp.
Getting Rid Of Big Dandruff Flakes
Bestowing to the American Academy of Dermatology, dandruff shampoo and scalp treatments are the most effective way to treat and control dandruff.
Follow the directions on the dandruff shampoo bottle. There are many different dandruff shampoos, each containing other vigorous ingredients for controlling indications. For best results, always follow the instructions on the bottle.
For example, some dandruff shampoos require lathering the shampoo into the scalp and hair and leaving the shampoo for about 5 mins before rinsing your hair.
If you are Caucasian or Asian, use shampoo twice weekly daily. If using a dandruff shampoo does not bring respite, try different shampoos with different lively elements.
However, if you are African-American, shampoo only once a week using a dandruff shampoo.
Be cautious when using a dandruff shampoo that holds coal tar. Tar shampoo can fade grey, white, or blonde hair, so if you have light-colored hair, you may want to select a different dandruff shampoo.
Tar shampoo is also probable to make your scalp more delicate to sunlight. If you use this type of dandruff shampoo, it’s vital to protect your scalp from the sun by wearing a hat in the open and looking for shade whensoever possible when outside.
For most people, dandruff does not require medical care. However, sometimes the flaking and itching that resembles dandruff is a medical condition, such as seborrheic dermatitis, Psoriasis, eczema, or fungal scalp infections.
Psoriasis & Dandruff
As we advance, you should also know that both Psoriasis& dandruff can cause flakes on the scalp.
Though fragments caused by Psoriasis may also cause dead skin to shape up on your skin’s external.
Flaky, dry skin on your scalp can be scratchy. These flakes can be caused by dandruff or Psoriasis, which are two very different conditions:
Dandruff (seborrhea) is usually treated relatively quickly and is seldom a severe medical problem.
On the other hand, Psoriasis is a chronic ailment without a current cure. It can cause a great deal of uneasiness.
Details of Psoriasis
According to the National Psoriasis Foundation(NPF), it’s less common in kids and often appears between fifteen and thirty-five but can develop at any age.
The organization notes that Psoriasis affects 3% of adults — as many as 7.5 million people in the United States. Psoriasis on the scalp can mature in people of all skin colors and ages.
- White people – 3.6%
- Black/African American people – 1.9%
- Hispanic people – 1.6%
These numbers may not tell the complete story as the condition may be disproportionately misdiagnosed and undertreated in people of Color because it isn’t consistently recognized on darker skin tones.
Development of psoriasis
Contrasting dandruff, Psoriasis is engrained in your immune system. It’s measured as an autoimmune disease: proteins called autoantibodies falsely attack hale and hearty tissues.
This attack origins skin cell production to speed up, creating an abnormal and unhealthy evolution of new skin that collects in flaky and dry patches on your physique and the scalp.
Naturally, dead skin is shed in thin/tiny rashes from the outermost layer of skin. Nobody can usually tell when you drop dead skin.
Healthy and new cells form underneath the surface of your skin, which surfaces to replace the dead cells in a few weeks.
If you have Psoriasis, that process hustles up in countless spots on your physique, and there is no time for the dead skin to go through its usual cycle of coming off.
That roots dead skin cells to shape up on the external. This usually occurs on the:
- Elbows
- Back
- Scalp
- Knees
Psoriasis takes multiple forms. Your skin may look dry and cracked. At additional times it may be dotted and discolored with minor patches.
Psoriasis can look salmon-colored with silvery-white scales on medium skin tones, and darker skin tones might look violet with gray scales.
Psoriasis Vs. Dandruff
- People see white flakes on their shoulders and scalp with mild itching in most cases, while in Psoriasis, there are no thickened plaques.
- In some cases, dandruff can be tough to differentiate from Psoriasis. Both situations can cause pink, irregular plaques with scaling and flakes. A doctor can help diagnose which state is present and the best treatment options.
- Even with minor cases of Psoriasis, very itchy, thickened plaques on the scalp can develop. The plaques can turn out to be very irritated and bleed with scratching.
- Psoriasis on the scalp may seem darker than the neighboring skin. In people with light skin tones, Psoriasis can look red with silvery scales, and people with dark skin tones can look purple.
- Severe cases of scalp psoriasis can develop to be very red and inflamed, with silvery flakes on a thickened plaque that extends outside the scalp area.
- Psoriasis can affect other areas of the head, including the ears and neck.
Tips For Prevention
Dandruff can often be prohibited, while Psoriasis can’t, as there is no way of preventing Psoriasis.
Dandruff can usually be prohibited. Using a dandruff shampoo is often adequate to keep dandruff at bay. Washing your hair at least two to three times a week and keeping your hair clean is more than enough to prevent dandruff.
Dirt and oil can shape your scalp and cause it to dry. Brushing your hair from the scalp also helps keep oily from accumulating on your scalp.
Treatment
Treatment is possible for both Psoriasis and dandruff.
Dandruff Treatment
Dandruff can typically be treated with medicated shampoo. You must also follow the directions of any shampoo you use.
Some can be used several times weekly, while others can only be used once weekly. You may have to shift shampoos, too, as one may become less operative over time.
AAD – American Academy of Dermatology recommends that people of black should use dandruff shampoo 1 per week, and white and Asian descent should use dandruff shampoo two times in 7 days.
They also note that shampoo holding coal tar can discolor blonde, gray, white, or lighter hair.
Psoriasis Treatment
It can be treated with injectable, oral, and topical medication. Many of these are steroids.
They help to make the indications somewhat milder. But there’s no cure for Psoriasis.
Doctors may commend topical treatments for slight to moderate Psoriasis. They may prescribe other forms of treatment if it does not work.
This includes:
- Disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) are given to people with moderate to severe Psoriasis.
- Light therapy, which marks psoriasis worry spots with specially focused ultraviolet (UV) light, can also help treat the symptoms of Psoriasis.
- Biologics can treat various forms of moderate to severe Psoriasis—these drugs block inflammatory proteins and can be injected.
Diagnosing Psoriasis and Dandruff
Dandruff can be self-identified at home by witnessing flakes on your scalp and hair.
If you’re worried it could be something more, a doctor can help identify it as Psoriasis and dandruff.
If the specialist believes it may be Psoriasis, they’ll ask if you’re experiencing other symptoms like joint pain or itchy skin elsewhere.
Inflammation and joint pain might be an indication of Psoriasis. One in three people with Psoriasis might develop Psoriatic Arthritis(PA).
When To See Doctor
If your dandruff doesn’t go away or doesn’t get better using anti-dandruff shampoos, you may want to consult a dermatologist(medical specialist in hair).
Treatment for dandruff shampoos may have the asset you need to overcome the problem.
If, by any chance, all of the symptoms point to Psoriasis, you may want to be consulted by a dermatologist(medical specialist in hair).
If swollen or stiff joints go together with your Psoriasis, you may have psoriatic arthritis(PA). A rheumatologist(Medical specialist) can treat this illness.
A prominent care physician should be able to help manage your care and your several symptoms.
It should be the knowledge that coal tar might discolor the hair that is not already black and make the scalp more delicate to sun exposure.
If an individual’s signs of dandruff improve, they must be able to use the shampoo less often. However, if they stop using the shampoo, dandruff will likely return.
Advice for Dealing with psoriasis
There are many ways that individuals who have scalp dandruff or psoriasis can care for their scalp.
Specific steps can help manage each condition and provide some relief from symptoms.
- Avoid picking or scratching at the plaques.
- Mildlysmeargoods such as shampoo products.
- Avoid stressful conditions or look for ways to help manage stress — for example, through meditation or yoga, as this can also help individuals with this condition.
Taking Care of Dandruff on Your Scalp
While an individual may need different treatment depending on the harshness of their symptoms or the specific approvals from a medical specialist, some tips for dandruff are below.
- It is being attentive when using coal tar, as this can cause staining.
- Strictly Follow instructions on shampoo and conditioner containers.
- Individuals of African American descent should use dandruff shampoo only once per week.
- Individuals of Asians should use dandruff shampoo only twice weekly.
Best Time To Consult a Medical Specialist
An individual living with dandruff may not need to consult a doctor. OTC shampoos and conditioners may be enough.
However, If dandruff does not improve, an individual should speak with a healthcare professional about other possibilities.
A doctor should monitor individuals living with Psoriasis. If treatment is no longer effective or scalp immersion occurs, the medic can help determine the best course of treatment as we advance.
If people develop red, itchy patches on their scalp, they should seek medical attention immediately. This could be a sign that Psoriasis has developed.
Conclusion
Dandruff and scalp psoriasis are different conditions that affect the scalp. Two ways can cause flakes and dryness to appear.
Psoriasis often boons with more severe symptoms, such as bleeding, itchy or burning skin, and plaques.
An individual can often treat dandruff with medicinal OTC conditioner or shampoo. Psoriasis typically requires more wide-ranging treatments to prevent flares and reduce the severity of symptoms.
In any case, a person should seek supervision from a medic if their treatment no longer works. The doctor can help regulate the next best course of action.
If you are concerned about the size of your dandruff flakes, seeing a doctor or dermatologist is crucial.
They can help you determine your dandruff’s cause and recommend treatment options.
