His Health, by Dr. Ken Goldberg Dealing with Dandruff New research has revealed where these embarrassing flakes come from and how to get rid of them. For many men, the snows of winter fall indoors as well as out. Only recently have dermatologists begun to understand why some people shed so much skin from their scalps. Contrary to popular wisdom, it's not caused by excessive washing and associated dryness. Skin cells in these areas normally replace themselves about once a month.
Old ones flake off unnoticed, because they are never great in number at any one time.
Skin cells that are infected with large numbers of the fungus, however, may cycle as often as every five days, resulting in a flurry of white flakes. Effective treatments for fungus-related dandruff work by controlling the pests' population. For many men, a daily hair washing and scalp massage with a mild shampoo will remove both fungus and flakes, keeping the problem at bay. And you certainly should avoid any hair-care products that irritate your scalp or it make it oilier. There are also a number of specialty shampoos containing substances that suppress the fungi's growth.