What causes dandruff?

Malassezia has all it could possibly require in this bountiful woodland. It's in heaven, always feasting. But hold on, what is this? Actually, one kind of yeast that lives and feeds is called Malassezia on each and every one of us. Additionally, dandruff is a result of its activity in almost half of the human population.

What causes some people to have more diarrhea than others, then?

And what is the treatment for it?

Although we may think of ourselves as individuals, we are actually colonies. There are billions of microorganisms on our skin. From the moment of our birth, Malassezia yeasts settle on our skin. Particularly popular living spaces are follicles, which are microscopic chambers that produce hairs all over our bodies. Malassezia prefer these hiding places because they have glands that release sebum, an oil that is believed to thicken and lubricate human hair. Malassezia developed to eat the oils and proteins found in human skin. Additionally, our scalp is one of the oiliest—and hence, yeastiest—areas of our body because of the large number of sebum-secreting follicles on it.

Dandruff may develop as a result of these fungi feeding on the oils on our scalp. This is due to the fact that both saturated and unsaturated fatty acids make up sebum. Saturated fats are well organized. Conversely, the presence of double bonds in unsaturated fats causes an uneven kink in their structure. Malassezia consumes sebum by releasing an enzyme that breaks down all of the fatty acids in the oil. However, they solely eat saturated fats, ignoring unsaturated fats. These asymmetrically shaped remnants penetrate the skin and cause its barrier to rupture, letting water out. The inflammation that causes dandruff to itch is brought on by the body's protective reaction to these breaches. In order to restore the compromised barrier, it also causes the skin cells to multiply.

The epidermis, the outermost layer of our skin, typically regenerates entirely every two to three weeks. Epidermal cells divide, migrate outward, and eventually die. They create the protective outer layer of the skin, which progressively peels off in tiny, invisible cells. However, cells in dandruff rapidly churn out to repair the damaged barrier, which prevents them from properly maturing and differentiating. Rather, they surround the hair follicle in big, oily clusters that are lost as noticeable flakes. This is how dandruff is caused by Malassezia's ravenous hunger and our bodies' response to its byproducts.

Nowadays, antifungals found in shampoos and other products that are applied directly to the scalp to eradicate Malassezia are the most efficient method of eliminating dandruff. Because sebum discharges fluctuate throughout a person's lifespan owing to hormonal changes, dandruff often comes and goes for people who have it. However, not everyone develops dandruff, even if Malassezia colonizes everyone to a comparable degree. Some people are more vulnerable than others. It's unknown exactly why.

Is there a particular hereditary tendency for dandruff?

Do they have a more porous skin barrier?

Researchers are now examining if dandruff sufferers actually lose more water via their scalps and whether this is the cause of the proliferation of skin cells. Researchers are discovering that Malassezia uses tiny, greasy compounds called oxylipins, which control inflammation, to interact with the human immune system. They may be able to create novel therapies if they can figure out how to reduce inflammatory oxylipins and increase anti-inflammatory ones.

Researchers are also looking at whether our relationship with Malassezia has any advantages. They postulate that dandruff, which we may find painful and unsightly, provides the yeast with a consistent, greasy food source. However, dandruff is neither infectious nor a serious health risk. Additionally, Malassezia appear to be quite good at protecting their domain, our skin, from Staphylococcus aureus and other, more dangerous microorganisms. Therefore, even though scientists have solved a lot of the mysteries surrounding this ailment, dementia is still a mystery.