A few flakes of dandruff are enough to destroy your self-confidence, not to mention the unexpected glimpse of "white snow" on your shoulders -
Are you worried about this, have you ever been busy patting off these keratinocytes and thinking quickly? "Which anti-dandruff shampoo should I change?"
Why do people have dandruff?
Dandruff is the sloughed, incompletely dead keratinocytes of the scalp. After completing the entire life cycle, keratinocytes die and fall off. This is a normal renewal process of the human body. Usually, dandruff is very small and difficult to notice by yourself and those around you.
However, when oil secretion is strong, a fungus that originally coexisted peacefully with us, " Malassezia furfur", may reproduce in large numbers, stimulating scalp cells to secrete more oil; and a large amount of oil, in turn, This oil-loving fungus provides ample food, and a bad cycle is formed.
Eventually, immature keratinocytes are produced in large numbers, clumps fall off, and bright dandruff appears, trying to attract the attention of every passerby.
How does anti-dandruff shampoo remove dandruff?
You may want to ask, can anti-dandruff shampoo really remove dandruff? Let me tell you the answer first, has a certain improvement effect.
The most common active ingredients in ordinary anti-dandruff shampoos are:
- zinc pyrithione (ZPT);
- pyridone ethanolamine salt (OCT, alias "Piroctone ethanolamine salt").
They are all skin antiseptics and can also be used as anti-dandruff agents.
Zinc pyrithione (ZPT)
Piroctone ethanolamine salt (OCT)
ZPT is the most widely used anti-dandruff agent in shampoo products. has a strong killing effect and inhibits the reproduction of bacteria, fungi, and viruses. It can inhibit sebaceous overflow and remove dandruff. can also be used as a preservative.
However, this ingredient has certain toxicity, including teratogenicity and reproductive toxicity. my country's "Hygienic Standards for Cosmetics 2015 Edition" stipulates that the amount of ZPT anti-dandruff agent added shall not exceed 1.5%.
In recent years, due to doubts about safety, more and more daily chemical companies use OCT as an anti-dandruff agent, which is another efficient skin bactericide and is less irritating to the skin.
In short, common anti-dandruff shampoos on the market generally contain ZPT or OCT, and both anti-dandruff agents can be found in the ingredient list.
But the shampoo "has a certain improvement effect" obviously cannot help every friend. In outpatient clinics, we may use drugs to treat patients with severe dandruff.
What are the drugs against dandruff?
Common drugs mainly include " ketoconazole " and " selenium disulfide ". Many friends are probably familiar with them.
. Ketoconazole
is a well-known antifungal drug that has a significant inhibitory effect on Malassezia furfur. Topical ketoconazole, namely ketoconazole lotion , is also what everyone calls "medicated shampoo" (commonly known as) . It is different from ordinary shampoo and needs to be purchased in pharmacies. The most representative one is "Kangwang Lotion" and "Caile Lotion" .
. In addition to being antifungal, selenium disulfide
can also reduce the fatty acid content in sebum and inhibit the excessive growth of keratinocytes, so it has a good anti-dandruff effect. The more representative one is "Hillson Lotion" . The main ingredient is selenium disulfide. Its applicable diseases include removing dandruff, preventing and treating seborrhea, scalp seborrheic dermatitis and tinea versicolor.
Kangwang lotion, Caile lotion, Hillson lotion
⚠️It should be emphasized here: These are drugs and need to be used under the guidance of a doctor.
In addition, in recent years, many friends like to buy overseas shampoo. Please note the yellow one in the picture below. Its selenium dioxide content is the same concentration as my country's medicinal selenium disulfide. It is also recommended to use it under the guidance of a doctor.
Reducing oil secretion is the best way to reduce oil secretion.
Reducing oil secretion is like removing fuel from the bottom of the cauldron. Malassezia furfur has no food and cannot reproduce, so dandruff will naturally be reduced.
However, it is not easy to reduce oil secretion. The factors that affect the function of sebaceous glands are more complicated:
It is generally believed that the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis plays an important role in its regulation. Corticotropin releasing hormone (CRH) is the main regulator of the HPA axis. A variety of HPA axis hormones and their receptors downstream of CRH are involved in the regulation of sebaceous gland function. In addition, androgens, growth factor , and somatostatin also extensively affect sebaceous gland function.
Although the theory is complicated, when implemented in life, it is actually the following:
. Low-fat low-sugar diet: Yes, it is just like a fitness meal, and you can lose weight by the way!
. Regular schedule: Even if you are used to going to bed late and getting up late, it doesn’t matter much, as long as it’s not and in three shifts.
. Relax: The impact of mental emotions on endocrine is far beyond your imagination. Anxiety and tension will put our body in a state of stress and aggravate oil secretion.
. Drug treatment: There are some anti-androgen drugs such as "spironolactone", "short-acting contraceptive pills" and "retinoic acid drugs" that can reduce oil secretion, but due to their potential adverse reactions, they must be used under the guidance of a doctor.
Finally, I would like to emphasize one more point: , For persistent and severe dandruff, it is recommended to see a dermatologist to rule out skin diseases such as "psoriasis".
Fluoride toothpaste, helps prevent moth
Shampoo containing ZPT/OCT, helps For anti-dandruff
If you don’t learn, you will lose, lose, lose.
The author of this article: Zhong Hua, a dermatologist from Zhuozheng.
