Stress can cause dandruff to flare-up when you least expect it – find out why and how you can stop it happening
Stress itself is not a direct cause of dandruff – it’s caused by an ever-present microbe, Malassezia globosa, on your scalp.
More about the cause of dandruff
However, the symptoms of stress have been shown to aggravate a dandruff problem.
There are a whole host of symptoms associated with stress and some can have a knock-on effect which can make dandruff appear worse including:
Overheating and sweating
These provide the ideal conditions for dandruff-causing Malassezia to thrive.
Hormonal changesMalassezia globosabreaks down oils (known as sebum) on your scalp, starting the cycle that leads to skin cells flaking off as dandruff.
Sebum production is controlled by hormones so as stress causes changes to your hormonal balance it may cause you to produce more sebum.
This gives the Malassezia globosa on your scalp more oil to break down, so you could see an increase in flaking.
Stay flake free no matter how stressful it gets
If you find yourself in stressful situations, worrying about a dandruff flare-up could add to your anxiety.
So make sure you rule it out of the equation – use an anti-dandruff shampoo regularly and you can get rid of flakesand stop them coming back.
Head & Shoulders shampoos have been proven not only to get rid of dandruff but also to keep you protected from flare-ups in thefuture. It works by keeping Malassezia globosa at bay and when you use it regularly, you keep your protection topped up too.
Check out our full range of anti-dandruff shampoos
While Head & Shoulders will take care of the dandruff problem, if you think you’re suffering from chronic stress, please seek advice from a doctor.