We often hear that dandruff affects men more, and in fact there is some basis in truth. But why? Dandruff, whether dry or oily, is a scalp disorder that has a origin multifactorial: depends on the action of the mushroom Malassezia furfurbut also by the production of sebum, regulated by the androgen hormones (the main one of which is testosterone – and for this reason it seems to affect men more), from some pathologies such as seborrheic dermatitis, from nutrition, from stress and from the use of some drugs. In general, dandruff results from irritation of the scalp. Let’s see in detail what causes it and what role androgens play.
What is dandruff and what is it caused by
Dandruff is a scalp disorder whose main symptom is flaking of the scalpwhose keratinocytes (the outermost cells of the scalp) detach excessively, to the point of being visible both in the hair or on clothes, what is called “snow effect”.
It is usually distinguished in greasy dandruffcharacterized by the classic yellow scales and typically associated with seborrheic dermatitis (a pathology that causes excess sebum and also affects other areas of the body) and dry dandruffderiving from a dehydrated scalp (for example due to the use of shampoo or other aggressive products), with typical white flakes.
One of the major symptoms in addition to the snow effect and excessive flaking is the itching and the need to scratch, which in turn contributes to increased inflammation of the scalp.
Dandruff has a multifactorial origin, but one of the main factors is the presence of Malassezia furfur, a fungus that feeds on the triglycerides produced by the sebum secreted by the sebaceous glands, hydrolyzes them and releases unsaturated fatty acids that damage the structure of the scalp. In particular, unsaturated fatty acids interfere with the physiological process of differentiation of keratinocytes, causing their premature detachment from the stratum corneum and causing inflammation. Inflammation also in turn damages the scalp and a self-reinforcing vicious circle begins.
The presence of Malassezia Not it is though unique condition And sufficient to develop dandruff. It is in fact a mushroom diner normally present on the skin and which is part of the complex skin microbiota. When an imbalance is created and the Malassezia it proliferates excessively, causes irritation and dandruff. In reality, it is not the only factor to take into consideration.
Androgen hormones regulate sebum production
Sebum is a substance produced by special glands, called sebaceous, which contributes to keeping the body in good health. movie hydrolipidic from the skin and to prevent infections e dehydration, also a possible cause of flaking of the scalp.
Hormones regulate the production of sebum in our skin androgens and in general we can say that a excess sebum predisposes to the development of dandruff: this is why, compared to women, men seem to be affected more often.
More androgens in fact means greater sebum production, but since sebum is mainly composed of triglycerides, it also means more “food” for the fungus Malasseziawhich finds a perfect habitat to proliferate in the humid and warm environment of the scalp.
An unbalanced microbiota contributes to the development of dandruff
There are numerous other factors that can influence dandruff. Returning to the microbiota, a 2016 research published in Scientific reportshas reduced the role of the poor mushroom Malassezia and gender difference, bringing attention to bacterial population of the scalp.
In particular, two families of bacteria would be involved: Propionibacterium And Staphylococcus. These two families would inhibit each other, preventing there being an excess of one or the other. It seems that it has a greater impact on the development of dandruff imbalance Of these two bacteria than the excess of the fungus Malasseziabecause in the study participants, the greater the difference between the bacteria, the greater the severity of the dandruff, regardless of the concentration of the fungus. However, the researchers point out that an imbalance of Propionibacterium And Staphylococcus also affects the population of Malassezia furfurconfirming that the development of dandruff depends on a combination of factors.
What causes dandruff: the important thing is to have an intact skin barrier
Summing up, what is clear is that a irritated and inflamed scalpwhich presents dysfunctions of the stratum corneum and therefore also of the skin barrier, is certainly the main factor that can lead to the development of dandruff.
Other factors that can cause this particular nuisance include the state of the immune system, thedietstress and hair washing habits: washing it too much or too little, or with more or less aggressive products. Finally, it also depends on a personal predisposition and on how the various factors interact with each other.
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