Does dandruff cause hair loss?

Dandruff is a scalp condition that affects half of the world's population. Both men and women develop it in the same way and, although it is not usually a serious health problem, it is true that it causes discomfort that can become excessively uncomfortable. In addition, in some cases dandruff can be the origin of other types of hair problems. In this sense, does dandruff cause hair loss? Can dandruff be the origin of alopecia?

From Hospital Capilar, an expert clinic in hair surgery in Spain, we tell you to what extent dandruff causes hair loss, what it is and why dandruff actually originates.

What is dandruff?

La dandruff It is an alteration where the desquamation of the scalp occurs, which in turn generates the accumulation of whitish scales throughout the hair. This generates inflammation and redness in the area, as well as symptoms such as itching, stinging, and burning.

This condition can also occur in other areas of the body such as eyebrows, beard, trunk and retro-articular area. For different reasons, the skin generates an increase in sebum secretion, which alters the skin microbiota. This causes a fungus called malassezia, which is responsible for the appearance of dandruff on the scalp. The skin naturally renews cells and discards the old ones, however, when Malassezia proliferates very quickly, the dead cells on the scalp accumulate and form whitish scales.

Normally dandruff develops due to hormonal changes, stress or poor hygiene. The genetic predisposition of the person to suffer from it also plays an important role, in addition to some immunological alterations that favor the appearance of dandruff on the scalp.

Does dandruff cause hair loss?

Dandruff accumulates on the scalp in the form of whitish flakes. This makes it common to think that dandruff causes hair loss, although it is not entirely true.

It cannot be said that dandruff causes hair loss as such, since, according to the doctors from Hospital Capilar, is not identified as the origin of a alopecia. It is true that there is a certain relationship between seborrhea and alopecia, since excess fat on the scalp prevents hair follicles from working properly. In addition, the symptoms that accompany dandruff, such as itching or stinging, lead the person to excessive and intense scratching, thus damaging the hair follicles, which can cause subsequent hair loss.

In any case, It is not true that dandruff causes hair loss nor is it the origin of alopecia. In episodes of dandruff or seborrheic dermatitis more serious can cause the weakening of the hair and its subsequent loss, but normally the hair will grow back since follicular damage occurs, as it does with the androgenetic alopecia, the most common of all.

It is important to take care of your hair and go to a specialist if you have an acute episode of dandruff or suffer from it repeatedly, mainly to keep your scalp and hair healthy.

Factors that cause hair loss

Unlike dandruff, there are factors that cause unusual hair loss. It must be taken into account that hair falls daily, around 100 hairs a day, and this is normal. The hair has its own Lifecycle where it is born, grows and ends up detaching itself in its telogen phase. Under normal conditions, the hair that falls out again and begins another life cycle again. When hair loss is more intense, we appreciate more hair on brushes or pillows and, in addition, it is accompanied by loss of density, it is possible that it occurs for one of these reasons.

Hormonal alterations

A hormonal imbalance is usually the most common cause when the hair that falls does not come out again and, consequently, accompanies hairless areas such as receding or crown, or the wider stripe in the case of women. In these cases we are before a androgenic alopecia, which affects both men and women and it is important to treat it in the hands of medical professionals in specialized hair clinics, since it It is non-reversible hair loss. 

Stress

When we experience strong episodes of Stress, the increase in cortisol levels in the body causes what is known as telogen effluvium. Normally it is a reversible hair loss, in which the hair that falls will grow back. However, if the fall is prolonged excessively or accompanied by a loss of density, we can resort to hair treatments to solve it as soon as possible.

Bad nutrition

Nutritional deficiencies are also another factor that promotes hair loss. Hair follicles need a series of nutrients to function properly and, when there is a lack of any of them, they can weaken and generate telogen effluvium. The crash in these cases is solved once the base power problem has been solved.

Autoimmune diseases

There are some types of alopecia that occur due to autoimmune diseases, such as the example of alopecia areata. In these cases, it is the person's own immune system that attacks the hair follicles by mistake, causing their destruction. In these cases, the loss is not reversible and the hair that falls out will not normally grow back.

Treatments to stop hair loss

Although it can cause other types of hair health problems, it is not true that dandruff causes hair loss as such, it is not identified as a specific cause. It is true that it can aggravate the hair loss process in processes such as those mentioned above: androgenic alopecia or telogen effluvium. Therefore, a correct medical diagnosis is essential to know which is the most recommended treatment in our particular case to stop hair loss.

Currently there are medical hair treatments Effective in stopping hair loss. Among the most demanded is the hair mesotherapy or Platelet Rich Plasma, which are aimed at improving hair quality, promoting its growth and treating alopecia. In cases where the hair that falls out no longer grows back, the only way to recover that hair is with the FUE hair transplant. Dandruff is not an impediment to perform a hair graft, it is only necessary to treat it with products and drugs before the intervention.

In our hair clinic in Madrid, in addition to the one that you can also find in Murcia or Pontevedra, you can put an end to alopecia with this type of treatment, after medical evaluation.