Doctors' Answers to "Frequently Asked Questions" - Dandruff


These comments are made for the purpose of discussion and should NOT be used as recommendations for or against therapies or other treatments. An individual patient is always advised to consult their own physician.

Cure
Question:What is dandruff? I never used to have a problem with it, but now I'm afraid to even scratch my head! I've tried the usual over the counter shampoos but they don't seem to help. Do you have any suggestions?

Answer:Dandruff is usually caused by seborrheic dermatatis. The common distribution for this skin disorder is in the scalp, eyebrows, and perinasal areas. Treatment with full strength dandruff shampoo and leaving it on for 4-5 minutes will usually clear this up. Use of over the counter steroid cream will work if this does not. Avoid heavy use of steroid creams to the face since they can cause permanent atrophy of the subcutaneious fat causing permanent deformity.
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Last modified August 5, 1997