Trichology: diseases — симптомы, диагностика и лечение

Dandruff and seborrheic dermatitis of the scalp are not two different diseases, but different expressions of one process: dandruff is its mild form without obvious inflammation, and seborrheic dermatitis is the same story, but with redness, itching and spread beyond the scalp. The reason for this process is not dirt or dryness, as is commonly thought, but the skin’s reaction to the yeast-like fungus Malassezia, which lives in all people and feeds on the components of sebum. This leads to the main practical misconception that has been preventing people from coping with the problem for years: the belief that the scalp is “dry” and needs to be washed and lubricated with oils less often. In fact, oils feed the fungus, infrequent washing accumulates grease and scales, and the condition only worsens. Proper care is exactly the opposite.

Seborrheic dermatitis is a chronic inflammation of the skin in areas rich in sebaceous glands: scalp, eyebrows, wings of the nose, nasolabial folds, behind the ears, chest and back. Its most famous manifestation is dandruff. A key role is played by the yeast-like fungus Malassezia, which normally lives on the skin, but when there is excess sebum, it multiplies and causes an inflammatory reaction. The disease is chronic and prone to relapse, but is well controlled - provided that treatment is not stopped the day the peeling disappears.

Hair loss is a complaint that is associated with completely different conditions: from a temporary reaction to stress or illness to irreversible scarring baldness. This is why “anti-hair loss shampoo” helps so rarely: you need to treat the cause, not the symptom. The first thing you should know: losing 50–100 hairs per day is normal. A persistent increase in hair loss, thinning of the parting, and the appearance of bald patches or areas of complete baldness are considered alarming.