Principles of Dandruff Treatment
Symptomatic Treatment
Reduction of itching (pruritus)
Reduction of scale formation (desquamation)
Symptomatic treatment is often achieved by
frequent hair washing with normal shampoo that
does not contain any active ingredients. The
effect is due to the surfactants in the shampoo
but is usually only transient.
Causal Treatment
Reduction of Malassezia yeast
Reduction of inflammation of the scalp
Reduction of proliferation of skin cells
Causal treatment includes the repeated use of
anti-squamolytic agents and anti-fungal agents.
Anti-squamolytic agents include salicylic acid and
coal tar which both reduce skin proliferation and
promote desquamation. The most frequent antifungal
agents are tea tree oil, piroctone olamine,
zinc pyrithione, selenium disulphide, terbafine, and
ketoconazole. All are active against yeast and
reduce inflammation of the scalp.
Prevention of Relapse
Prevention of regrowth of Malassezia yeast
Regrowth of yeast on the scalp can be
avoided by using of anti-fungal shampoos at
regular intervals (e.g. 1-2 times a month).