Can stress cause dandruff?

When it comes to your precious mane, buying numerous haircare products is always justified. Serums, shampoos, hair masks, conditioners, deep conditioners, DIY hair masks, etc. are simply some of the highly coveted products that are found in people’s haircare holy grail. However, all these hair products can prove futile if they cannot treat the pesky flakes that keep making a comeback on your scalp. Do you experience dandruff flare-ups occasionally? And do these flare-ups coincide with stressful situations that you experience? This leads us to the most important question—does stress cause hair dandruff? Let’s find out.

Causes of dandruff

One of the major reasons for dandruff wreaking havoc on your scalp is the presence of the microbe, Malassezia Globosa, on your scalp. This fungus is present on everyone’s scalp and feeds on the sebum your scalp produces. Then it releases a by-product called oleic acid, which causes severe allergic reaction in about 50 per cent of the entire population. As a response to this allergic reaction, your scalp starts shedding skin cells to shed the irritant. The flakes that you see are labelled as dandruff.

Now that you know what really causes dandruff, how does stress come into the picture?

Dandruff and stress—what’s the link?

While stress doesn’t directly cause dandruff, it does trigger dandruff flare-ups. As you are aware, the microbe feeds on sebum, and releases oleic acid which causes dandruff. When you are stressed, it can cause hormonal levels to go awry and affect the sebum production, thereby giving the microbe more sebum to feed on. This creates a conducive environment for the fungus to grow, thereby triggering dandruff flare-ups. Moreover, stress can weaken the immune system you tend to experience dandruff during stressful situations, you need to look for dandruff home remedies, and allow the fungus to thrive.

How to treat dandruff caused by stress?

Since that can treat dandruff and break the vicious stress and dandruff cycle.

• Use and anti-dandruff shampoo and conditioner
  The best way to deal with dandruff is to use hair products that are specially formulated to get rid of them. Try Head & Shoulders anti-dandruff shampoos and conditioners that contain zinc pyrithione, which is an active dandruff-fighting ingredient. It gets rid of dandruff flakes, soothes and heals your scalp, regulates oil production, and prevents itching.
• Apply aloe vera
  Aloe vera gel is soothing and possesses antibacterial and antifungal properties that can help control dandruff. Moreover, the itching sensation that accompanies dandruff can prompt you to scratch your scalp and cause scalp damage, can be taken care of with aloe vera’s gentle healing properties.
• Learn to manage stress
  Since stress tends to cause dandruff flare-ups, you need to practice activities that can help you manage stress. You can take up yoga or go for a walk in the park as it will help you relax and keep stress under control. Also, you need to identify triggers that cause stress and avoid them in future.
• Use tea tree oil
  Tea tree oil has anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory properties that keeps the fungus under control. It can soothe your irritated scalp and reduces the urge to itch. However, ensure that you dilute tea tree oil with a carrier oil so that it won’t irritate your sensitive skin.

Now that you know that stress can trigger dandruff, practice stress management activities and adhere to these home remedies to keep it under control.