Scalp
disorders
The
skin of the scalp is somewhat different from the
skin elsewhere on the body. Not only does it have
a very rich supply of grease from the sebaceous
glands: it also carries follicles that produce long
terminal hairs. Also both scalp and hair are more
exposed to direct sunlight, cold and heat than most
of the rest of the skin. And, of course, the scalp
itself may be affected by many different cosmetic
procedures, from simple shampooing to perming.
Hair stylists may see scalps that look
scaly or inflamed. Problems concerning the skin
of the scalp of course include some that affect
skin elsewhere, and some that affect only the scalp
area. Usually only the scalp is affected, but some
of these conditions result in damage to the hair
too, or even in hair loss.
Understanding these conditions and advising
clients correctly is a vital part of client care.
Scaling conditions
Dandruff
The scientific name for dandruff is pityriasis
capitis. The condition is all too familiar:
about half of all Caucasians will have had dandruff
to some degree before they are 20. In most of them
it disappears after the age of 50 or so,
however.
The top layer of the skin of the scalp
(the epidermis), like that of skin everywhere else,
consists of dead cells. These gradually wear away
Dandruff can be an unpleasent and unsightly affliction |
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over
time, and are replaced by cells from below. People
with a greasy scalp seem more prone than others
to this scaling away of the scalp.
Dandruff is associated with a tiny yeast
called Pityrosporum ovale, which is normally
present on the
scalp all the time. In dandruff there is an increase
in the regular loss of cells from the skin surface
and they are lost more quickly: more cells are lost,
and the yeast grows more rapidly. The cells may
clump together to produce the
all-too-familiar flakes of dandruff .
Simple treatments
include the use of high-quality anti-dandruff shampoos,
which contain substances that are active against
the yeast. One of the best known is zinc pyrithione.
These shampoos give all the cleaning and conditioning
benefits that are associated with normal shampoos:
they are not, as is often thought, harsh on the
hair. Regular use of a shampoo of this type really
helps to reduce the scaling.
Anyone with severe dandruff
should be referred to a doctor.
Eczema and dermatitis
The most common problem of this kind is known as
seborrhoeic eczema. It is accompanied by
reddening of the skin, irritation and scaling. Sometimes
it is associated with an unusually greasy scalp.
Seborrhoeic eczema |
