Anti-dandruff shampoo, how does it work?

Anti-dandruff

Dandruff

What is dandruff? Also called "roos" in dutch, are dead skin cells of the scalp, which are formed by a pathological process, caused by an acceleration of keratinization (also known as hyperkeratosis).

These dead cells will stick to eachother, together with tallow these compounds of cells will form to the dandruff as we know it. In some cases, due to the tallow, these 'flakes' can look yellowy, vivacious.

Most common cause is just a dry skin type, and by a yeast, living on the human skin, named Pityrosporum ovale (now known as Malassezia globosa). The exact mechanism how the yeast produces more dandruff is not fully known, but probably it's caused by a metabolisation of triglycerides into oleic acid. Fact is, reduce the yeast in population and dandruff will reduce significantly. N.B.: it has been proven that the colonization of the yeast is almost the double of normal population on people with more dandruff than other people.

Get rid of the yeast, get rid of the dandruff

The handle dandruff, the most commonly first-used solution is an anti-dandruff shampoo.

The shampoo is often a mild shampoo with antibacterial, antimycotical and keratolytic agents.

Most used agents: Zn/Na-pyrithione, Se-Sulfide (however contested due to toxicity, only used if really needed), coal tar, salicylic acid, nystatin, ...

Most preferred: Zn/Na-pyrithione, or Pyrithione Zinc, Pyrithione Sodium.

These molecules get rid of the yeast and thus the dandruff.

Structure of Pyrithione Zinc (source: Wiki)

For example: Procter & Gamble's "Head and Shoulders" shampoos contain about 1% of Pyrithione Zinc as an anti-dandruff shampoo.

One last thing that is very important to note, that not many people consider: allow these shampoos to rest on the scalp for a relatively long time! (1-2 minutes atleast), since these molecules need time to penetrate into the skin to get to the yeast! Thus, do not immediately rinse of the shampoo after application.

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