Dandruff can appear at any time, although it often first emerges during adolescence.
It all depends on your body’s production of sebum, a natural process that starts at puberty.
Sebum is essential for keeping your scalp and hair moisturized. But it’s also one of the main factors causing dandruff to appear.
Malassezia Globosa, a microorganism constantly present on the scalp, breaks down sebum to produce irritating substances, such as oleic acid. This is a very common process, found on all scalps.
However, about half of the world’s population is sensitive to these irritants: the scalp reacts by accelerating cell renewal. These excess cells clump together and form the flakes associated with dandruff.
Your hormones change during puberty and your sebaceous glands thus increase the amount of sebum you produce. An increase in sebum also increases the production of oleic acid; if you are among the 50% of the population who are sensitive to it, you may experience dandruff for the first time.
If you are going through puberty or if your sebum production increases for any reason, opt for Head & Shoulders anti-dandruff shampoos and conditioners to ward off dandruff.
Their effectiveness against dandruff, as well as associated symptoms such as itching and dry scalp, has been demonstrated by clinical tests.
