Give Your Head a Shake :: Beauty :: Hair Care

Give Your Head a Shake
by author Lisa Petty, RHN, RNCP

The sun is shining brightly, but when you look at your shoulders you swear you can see snow. Of course, those tiny white flakes have nothing to do with the weather, but they aren’t all in your head either.

Those embarrassing tiny specks result from an overgrowth of skin cells on the scalp. Although no one is immune, people with oily hair tend to be more prone to dandruff. Other factors include stress, as well as cold weather coupled with indoor heating.

Heed Those Hormones

Hormone imbalances can also manifest annoying flakes. If you are troubled by dandruff, limit your exposure to added hormones in foods by eating organic meats, fish, and dairy whenever possible. Organic produce is also free of the various pesticides and herbicides that can cause problems with our hormones.

Address Allergies

Food sensitivities can make themselves known through scalp flakes. When trying to isolate food triggers, avoid animal proteins and dairy products as these are commonly associated with food sensitivity. Avoid fast-foods, which often contain large quantities of dandruff-promoting hydrogenated and saturated fats, salt, and sugar.

Eat Your EFAs

Make sure that you’re getting a daily dose of essential fatty acids (EFAs) in the form of flaxseed oil, borage oil, or fish oil. A deficiency in EFAs is linked to dry skin, including the skin on your scalp. Focus the diet on fresh, raw fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and legumes for protein. Also linked to dandruff are deficiencies of B-complex vitamins and selenium, so be sure to include these in your diet.

Fix Fungus

Some research suggests that an overgrowth of the naturally occurring skin yeast Pityrosporum ovale may also be a cause of dandruff. Talk to your health care provider about eliminating any fungal problems in your body, and include a source of beneficial probiotics such as acidophilus in your daily regimen. Shampoos containing antifungal rosemary might provide some relief, while thyme can help to calm the itching caused by fungal infections. Garlic is a potent antifungal, and taking supplements might be useful in treating your dandruff.

Finally, try to determine whether sensitivity to styling products or blow dryers is causing your problem–and say goodbye to flakes.

Lisa Petty, RHN, RNCP, is author of Living Beauty (Fitzhenry & Whiteside, 2005).

Source: alive #276, October 2005

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