For anyone who suffers from it it can be the bane of their life. Especially in this day when every shampoo is supposed to cure it it can feel as though you are a real freak if you still have dandruff. In actual fact, dandruff is a common, non-contagious skin condition that affects the scalp (the skin that covers the top and back of the head) and causes flakes of skin to appear. Non-contagious means that you cannot catch dandruff from someone who has the condition.

Dandruff can vary in severity- it can be mild, moderate or sever and it occurs as skin cells are constantly renewing themselves. When skin cells on the scalp are renewed, the old ones are pushed to the surface and come away from the scalp. In people with dandruff, skin renewal is faster, which means that more dead skin is shed and your dandruff is more noticeable.

I did have this problemembarrassingbehaviouralproblem when I was a teenager for a while and it was terribly embarrassing and, as I remember, caused me to cut my lovely long hair! I remember learning that mild dandruff can affect anyone, although it tends to affect men more than women. Dandruff often occurs after puberty and is most common in people in their early twenties. Puberty is the period of life when the body reaches sexual maturity and causes physical, psychological and behavioural changes.
Dandruff is uncommon in children between two and ten years of age.

Another thing to consider is seborrhoeic dermatitis is a common, non-infectious skin condition that affects about 3 in 100 people. It is the commonest cause of dandruff and makes the skin become inflamed or flaky.

Yes that is right, Amanda, seborrhoeic dermatitis is a condition that can affect a number of areas of the body, including the scalp,the face, in and around the ears, · the front of the chest and between the shoulder blades and in the body folds.

Seborrhoeic dermatitis of the scalp can be mild, moderate or severe and causes red areas that can sometimes weep and are covered with oily white and yellow scales.

See Dandruff- prevention for more information and advice about how seborrhoeic dermatitis and dandruff can be prevented.

Before using any treatments for dandruff or seborrhoeic dermatitis, get advice from your GP or pharmacist.

Dandruff treatments aim to slow down the reproduction of skin cells and counteract the yeast production that may be causing the condition.

If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, check with your GP or pharmacist before you use any treatments for dandruff or seborrhoeic dermatitis. A number of different products are available that are effective in treating both dandruff and seborrhoeic dermatitis.

Medicated shampoos for either dandruff or seborrhoeic dermatitis
Shampoos and scalp preparations to help treat dandruff and seborrhoeic dermatitis are available over the counter from your local pharmacy and most supermarkets.

Medicated shampoos are effective in treating both skin conditions.

I know that having dandruff can be really embarrassing and make you very self conscious but there really is a lot of help for the condition out there. If you have tried everything and still seem to be getting no-where with it, then the best place to start is your GO who can then refer you to a skin specialist if he needs to to get this under control.

Whatever you do, don't suffer in silence!