Oily dandruff on the scalp: treatment of the disease

Dandruff is often one of the signs of seborrhea - a disorder of the sebaceous glands. Oily dandruff on the scalp is a worrying symptom because if left untreated, a person may experience hair loss. In addition, oily seborrhea often indicates problems in various body systems: digestive, nervous, endocrine. The article will discuss these and other causes of seborrheic dermatitis (this is the name doctors use for the disease, one of the symptoms of which is oily dandruff), and will also tell you how to get rid of oily dandruff on the head.

What does oily dandruff look like?

Oily seborrhea can manifest itself in two main forms: liquid and thick, and the only common symptoms include yellow dandruff and an itchy sensation.

Thick seborrheic dermatitis looks like the scalp is covered with a yellow crust. This occurs because the ducts of the sebaceous glands become clogged with a mixture of sebum and dead cells of the epidermis, the top layer of the skin. Then this mixture thickens, turning into a keratinized yellowish crust that begins to itch very much. Unlike dry dandruff, thick yellow scales are difficult to come off and often get tangled in the hair, and the hair itself becomes rough and tough. In some cases, due to the formation of horny plugs, pustules may develop.
The liquid form of seborrheic dermatitis develops differently. The dilated ducts of the sebaceous glands begin to secrete excessive amounts of sebum, which leads to an unnatural shine of the hair, which, under the influence of the secretion, begins to stick together and looks as if it has been generously poured with oil. Further, due to excessive secretion and under the influence of an actively multiplying fungus, yellowish particles similar to crumbs begin to appear on the scalp and hair. This yellow dandruff causes severe itching, and the skin with liquid seborrheic dermatitis looks like an orange peel. However, the appearance of hair and the sensation of itching are not the only and not the main problems of the liquid form of seborrheic dermatitis. If you do not start treating this disease, after a while acne and boils will begin to appear in places where yellow dandruff accumulates, and then hair will fall out. (1)

Complications

If the disease occurs in any form, pustules and boils may appear on the skin. During surgery, scars often remain after surgery. Sometimes oily seborrhea provokes the appearance of age spots.

Large particles of keratinized skin on the hair become noticeable to others because they abundantly cover the hair and fall off onto the back and shoulders. Moreover, they often appear within a few hours after the next shampooing. Ignoring the problem can lead to severe hair loss and even baldness.

Important! Advanced oily seborrheic dermatitis of the scalp becomes the cause of constant inflammation in the deep layers of the skin, an abscess. The disease becomes chronic and activates under unfavorable conditions.

Like any other disease, oily seborrhea of the head is easier to prevent than to cure. Reviews from some people contain unflattering photos and reviews that they have to deal with the problem for years. In some cases, even despite all efforts, the skin and hair look untidy, sometimes even repulsive. Therefore, at the first sign of oily dandruff, go for an examination.

Having a confirmed diagnosis in hand, begin treatment immediately. Better yet, prevent the development of seborrhea by following preventive measures. Then your skin will delight you with purity and radiance, and your hair will have a healthy, non-greasy shine.

Causes of seborrheic dermatitis

Oily yellow dandruff is dead particles from the scalp mixed with sebum and fungal waste products, which cause itching. The Malassezia fungus also reproduces in healthy skin, but its content in sebum does not exceed 50%. (2). If too much secretion is produced, this creates favorable conditions for the growth of fungus, and when its amount reaches 74%, dandruff appears and the skin begins to itch. And when the level of Malassezia in sebum is 83%, seborrheic dermatitis begins and oily yellow dandruff appears. However, an excessive amount of Malassezia in sebum, as well as increased secretion of the sebaceous glands, are only consequences caused by deeper causes. The mechanisms leading to the occurrence of seborrheic dermatitis are not yet fully understood, but it is known that this pathology can be caused by the following reasons.

Various diseases. These include diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, genitourinary and endocrine systems. The fact is that diseases of this type can affect the functioning of various secretory organs, including the sebaceous glands of the head.
Genetic predisposition. The hereditary factor is the only reason that does not allow you to get rid of seborrheic dermatitis completely, therefore, in this case, subsequent prevention of the disease is also very important.
Hormonal changes. Increased production of sebaceous gland secretions can cause a hormonal imbalance in the body, or more precisely, an excess of male hormones. This happens when taking certain medications, and oily dandruff is also observed in adolescents during puberty. For most, it goes away before the age of 25, but 10% of young people will require treatment for seborrheic dermatitis (3), and it is advisable to start it immediately, otherwise there will be a risk of early hair loss.
Frequent stress. A person’s psycho-emotional state significantly affects his health, and people living in constant stress are vulnerable to many diseases, including seborrheic dermatitis.
Ecological problems. If a person lives in an industrial center, near busy highways, and acid rain periodically pours from the sky, this often leads to the appearance of not only seborrheic diseases, but also much more dangerous diseases, for example, cancer.
Poor nutrition. The disease can occur with excessive consumption of fatty foods, and it can also be triggered by frequent consumption of spicy foods. Such food provokes the sebaceous glands to produce excess amounts of secretion, creating favorable conditions for the proliferation of pathogenic fungus.
Dry seborrhea. In some cases, dry seborrhea can lead to seborrheic dermatitis, so in order to maintain healthy hair, it is important to start fighting dry dandruff.

Symptoms

Since the oily type of seborrhea, like any other form of this disease, affects the skin and hair, it is not difficult to notice changes in appearance and detect signs of the problem:

your scalp becomes oily, and even your favorite shampoo can’t help;
hair quickly becomes greasy after washing or wearing a hat;
white, yellow, pinkish areas appear on the skin;
large flakes of dandruff begin to bother you, which easily fall from your hair onto your clothes;
It can be difficult to maintain the volume of the hairstyle, despite the use of styling;
with oily seborrhea of the head, an overly greasy face seems constantly wet;
black spots and acne form on it, as well as on the body - signs of blockage of the sebaceous glands;
head itches;
hair is falling out rapidly.

Most often, seborrhea affects people aged 30 to 55 years.

What to do if you have oily dandruff on your head?

Any dandruff causes inconvenience to a person, especially oily dandruff, so it is advisable to start treatment immediately after detecting scales on the head. There are many remedies that fight seborrheic dermatitis with varying degrees of effectiveness, and recently oily dandruff has been treated with the antifungal drug ketoconazole. It suppresses the development of colonies of the Malassezia fungus, eliminating the dandruff it causes. (4)

In addition, oily dandruff can serve as an indicator of the presence of concomitant diseases of the digestive, genitourinary, endocrine systems, as well as skin diseases (for example, pityriasis versicolor and various types of dermatitis). Therefore, it is advisable to undergo an examination, which is the key to recovery from seborrheic diseases, since it can identify other diseases and thus eliminate the cause of oily dandruff.

Methods for treating seborrhea in adults

Alopecia is considered to be a severe and unpleasant complication of seborrheic dermatitis - irreversible complete or focal hair loss. Although modern aesthetic medicine can solve the problem of baldness, it is better to diagnose this disease in a timely manner and begin its treatment.

To determine how to treat seborrhea of the scalp in adults, an examination is carried out, which necessarily includes a biochemical and clinical blood test, a stool test for dysbacteriosis, a hormone test and scraping of the dermis to identify fungus. After determining the cause and characteristics of the development of the disease, a treatment regimen is drawn up, which may consist of various therapeutic methods.

Treatment of seborrheic dermatitis of any form is comprehensive and usually includes:

antifungal therapy aimed at destroying pathogenic microorganisms;
measures to eliminate other concomitant diseases;
taking special vitamin complexes;
taking medications with a keratolytic (exfoliating) effect;
a diet that involves reducing or eliminating the consumption of solid fats, carbohydrates and salt, as well as including foods rich in fiber in the diet;
hygiene procedures with cosmetics that help combat various manifestations of the disease.

Often, when treating seborrhea in adults, trichologists prescribe sessions of physiotherapeutic procedures. They not only enhance the effect of taking medications, but also improve blood microcirculation, normalize metabolic processes in tissues, normalize the volume of fat secretion and stimulate hair growth. Darsonvalization, plasma lifting, cryomassage, mesotherapy and ozone therapy are highly effective in the comprehensive fight against this disease.

Treatment for oily scalp and dandruff

You need to be able to distinguish between oily skin and oily seborrhea, since it happens that an excess amount of sebum is produced, but this does not lead to the occurrence of the disease. The signs of seborrhea are as follows:

the presence of dandruff, which comes in different colors, and in the case of seborrheic dermatitis - yellow and greasy;
frequent itching in places where large colonies of the Malassezia fungus are present (Malassezia waste products cause this itching);
hair loss, often in certain places - in this case they talk about alopecia areata;
The skin is not smooth to the touch; when palpated, you can feel that it is covered with a crust. (5)

If there are no these symptoms, but the hair quickly becomes dirty and looks as if it has been smeared with oil, then the person simply has oily skin: the sebaceous glands produce a lot of sebum, but this does not lead to the development of seborrhea. We will not consider the problems of oily skin, but will talk about how to treat oily dandruff. The following remedies help fight seborrheic dermatitis:

preparations based on sulfur and zinc, regulating the secretion of the sebaceous glands;
antifungal drugs that destroy Malassezia colonies and suppress further growth of the fungus (ketoconazole);
hormonal drugs (for example, isotretinoin) that reduce the production of androgenic hormones, which in turn affect the activity of the sebaceous glands. This treatment for severe forms of seborrheic dermatitis is recommended mainly for women, since a decrease in the production of androgens can have a negative effect on the male body;
folk remedies. To treat dandruff, decoctions of herbs such as celandine, nettle, calendula, plantain, sage, chamomile, coltsfoot, and yarrow are still used. They also use essential oils, various masks (from chicken eggs, lemon, onions), wash their hair with tar and laundry soap, rub with apple cider vinegar (table vinegar cannot be used!), rub in salt (not recommended, since salt is a strong irritant, and in the end it will only lead to worsening seborrhea).

Treatment

If you do not show vigilance in a timely manner and allow the development of oily dandruff, it will take a long time to get rid of it in the future. Treatment and hair restoration after seborrheic dermatitis is especially effective if you take an integrated approach.

Of course, the prescription of procedures and medications is a medical diocese; one’s own knowledge from the field of medicine, especially in advanced cases, is inappropriate. But you can always use suitable means for prevention, especially when it comes to folk methods of combating oily seborrhea.

Drug treatment

The composition of medicinal preparations includes components that regulate the functioning of the sebaceous glands and have an antifungal effect. They stop inflammation, relieve skin from itching, and eliminate oily dandruff on hair. Special medicated shampoos are suitable for therapeutic purposes:

Nizoral 2% - available in volumes of 60 milliliters (price - from 700 rubles) and 120 milliliters (costs approximately 850 rubles). A small bottle is enough for 1.5–2 months of treatment and prevention of oily seborrhea of the head. The hair product reduces inflammation, relieves itching and dandruff, and fights fungus;
Sebozol is a shampoo in bags of 5 milliliters (a set of 5 pieces costs about 150 rubles) and in bottles of 100, 200 milliliters (350–470 rubles). Recommended for hair restoration after seborrhea, treatment and prevention of dandruff. Has an antifungal effect;
Sulsena - there is shampoo paste (40 and 75 milliliters, cost 80-120 rubles), peeling shampoo (150 milliliters will cost 300 rubles) and regular shampoo for hair covered with dandruff (volume - 150 milliliters, price - about 250 rubles ). The drugs normalize the functioning of the sebaceous glands, reduce the tendency of cells to exfoliate, and suppress pathogenic microflora.

Attention! You can also find Sulsen shampoos with nettle or Sulsen Forte on sale. They have a different manufacturer, and the price starts from 200 rubles.

A line of drugs against seborrhea is offered by the Ducray brand. Products from the Squanorm series are intended specifically for the treatment of dandruff (separately for dry and oily). Ducray Squanorm improves the activity of the sebaceous glands and permanently eliminates white flakes.

For oily scalp seborrhea, the following are recommended:

shampoo marked Grasses (Sèches products are suitable for dry dandruff) - there are bottles of 125 milliliters (from 700 rubles) and 200 milliliters (from 840 rubles). Contains palm extract;
Ducray Squanorm Lotion is a universal lotion with zinc sulfate, citric acid and other ingredients that accelerates skin regeneration, disinfects and softens it, and eliminates itching. The product does not need to be washed off from the hair. Suitable for daily use. Price - about 900 rubles for 200 milliliters;
Ducray Squanorm set for oily scalp - the same products, but in combination: shampoo (200 milliliters) and a mini bottle of lotion (30 milliliters) will cost from 800 rubles.

There are other medicinal shampoos for seborrhea: Fitoval, Perhotal. Many of them contain ketoconazole, an effective antifungal component, and are used not constantly, but according to a certain scheme, in courses. According to the principle of action, special preparations differ from cosmetic products for hair (Head & Shoulders, Clear Vita), which are more suitable for preventing the problem and are suitable for long-term use.

In addition to shampoos, you can treat oily seborrhea of the head with ointments :

salicylic acid - to destroy the fungus that causes peeling of the skin. Costs from 20 rubles;
zinc - for healing, drying, achieving an antiseptic effect. Price - from 15 rubles. To avoid drying out your hair and skin, you need to combine this ointment with essential or vegetable oils;
sulfur - in advanced cases. The cost is approximately 35 rubles.

To eliminate the unpleasant symptoms of seborrhea, boric and salicylic acid and other drugs are used.

If the source of problems with hair and skin is problems with internal organs or nervous tension, the appropriate medications will help: Pancreatin (to improve digestion, costs from 20 rubles), Novopassit (to provide a sedative effect, the price depends on the form of release), Roaccutane (for severe forms acne, cost from 2 thousand rubles) and many others. But only a doctor should prescribe any medications!

Traditional methods

Home recipes are not a panacea when it comes to pathology that manifests itself in the form of oily seborrhea of the scalp. However, they are effective in eliminating dandruff and giving hair a well-groomed appearance. Such methods are best used as an addition to the main therapy, as well as for the prevention of the disease. Masks, rinses, lotions prepared according to folk recipes regulate the functioning of the sebaceous glands, relieve inflammation, and soothe sensitive skin.

Popular ingredients in the fight against white flakes and increased oiliness of hair are: lemon, calendula, onion peels, fresh berries and fruits.

Lemon

Prepare a citrus decoction from it:

cut the peel removed from 4 fruits into pieces;
fill it with a liter of water and place it on the stove;
Bringing to a boil, boil the zest for 25 minutes over low heat;
filter;
use as a mouthwash once a week. During the procedure, also massage your scalp.

You can prepare a simple mask for oily hair:

squeeze out fresh citrus juice;
dilute with water in a 1:1 ratio;
rub into scalp;
after 10–15 minutes, rinse it out of your hair using shampoo;
use 1-2 times a week for a month.

Another recipe for a mask for oily seborrhea of the head:

take natural lemon juice, mayonnaise, honey, aloe juice and castor oil in equal parts;
mix and add 1-2 cloves of garlic;
rub into the roots of your hair, warm your head;
after 30–45 minutes, rinse with shampoo.

Attention! In addition to getting rid of oily dandruff, such a mask can improve hair growth.

Calendula

Buy a pack of dried flowers at the pharmacy and prepare a decoction:

pour a tablespoon of the mixture into 2 cups of boiling water;
leave to infuse;
Rub the lukewarm liquid into the skin;
cover your hair with plastic, then with a towel;
After 40 minutes, remove the insulation, but do not rinse off the product. Use this recipe against oily seborrhea on the scalp to eliminate white flakes and strengthen your hair.

An effective remedy for oily dandruff is tincture of marigold (another name for calendula) in alcohol. You can also buy it at the pharmacy. A mask with this component improves the activity of the sebaceous glands and suppresses the proliferation of fungal infections. The drug is used in two ways:

rub in pure form into the skin half an hour before washing your hair, be sure to insulate your hair;
combine with burdock or castor oil, measuring 10 teaspoons of tincture and 1 teaspoon of oily base. Distribute over the head 2 hours before going to the shower.

Burdock

For oily seborrhea of the head, prepare a decoction of the roots of a medicinal plant to rub into the skin and rinse the hair:

pour 2 tablespoons of crushed raw materials with a glass of boiling water;
simmer over low heat for 15 minutes;
cool and use as intended.

You can rub this decoction into the roots every other day.

Onion

A well-known remedy against hair loss, as well as oily dandruff. You can mix the plant juice and vodka in equal parts, and then rub the mixture into the skin half an hour before hygiene procedures. To prepare the rinse, steam 50 grams of husks with a liter of boiling water.

After cooling, filter. Apply after every hair wash. After regular use of the decoction, blondes will notice that their curls have acquired a golden hue.

Also, to get rid of oily seborrhea of the scalp, prepare a mask:

combine the juice of one onion with a couple of tablespoons of dry mustard;
diluted with hot water to obtain the consistency of thick sour cream;
add chicken yolk, 1 tablespoon each of honey and aloe extract, 1 ampoule of vitamins B1 and B6;
Apply to hair roots, warm and leave for an hour.

Fresh vegetables, fruits, berries

If you have dandruff and oily hair, apply the juice/gruel of cucumber, pumpkin or zucchini to your hair. Strawberries, currants, and apple peels are also suitable. Keep the mask on your head for 30 minutes, repeat twice a week.

Effective remedies for oily dandruff - nettle, chamomile, propolis extract, walnut leaves, soda, sea salt and other ingredients. Prepare herbal infusions, soda rinses, or rub salt grains into dry scalp to give your hair a well-groomed look.

Alternative Methods

Vitamin therapy . If the body lacks nutrients, the doctor may prescribe treatment with vitamins. For oily seborrhea of the head, components of group B are needed, as well as A, E, D. They are found in certain foods (carrots, citrus fruits, fish, vegetable oils, eggs and others). However, it is not always possible to obtain from food the necessary amount of vitamins that would satisfy the body’s daily needs. Therefore, in advanced cases, it is necessary to compensate for the deficiency with medicinal methods. But an excess of nutrients (hypervitaminosis) is also bad. To prevent this, consult your doctor before going to the pharmacy.
Mesotherapy . A method for those who are not afraid of injections. Thanks to them, hair and skin will become healthier and get rid of oiliness. The composition of the injections includes vitamins, microelements, amino acids, which directly affect the source of the problem. This is also the main drawback of the procedure: if the cause of oily seborrhea of the head lies in a hormonal disorder, nervous strain or pathology of internal organs, mesotherapy will not be effective.
MIL therapy . It involves exposing the affected areas to magnetic and laser beams. It has an anti-inflammatory effect, improves tissue microcirculation, which has a positive effect on the condition of the skin and hair.
Ozone therapy . Has bactericidal and drying properties. Normalizes metabolic processes, improves hair structure and root nutrition.
Physiotherapy . In addition to meso-, MIL- and ozone therapy, it includes other procedures that can cure oily seborrhea of the head. This is darsonvalization (improving blood flow using a special device), cryomassage (exposure to cold), ultraviolet irradiation and others.

Attention! Any alternative method used against oily dandruff requires courses of treatment.

Prevention of oily seborrhea

If it is impossible to eliminate the cause of oily dandruff (for example, with a genetic predisposition to the disease), regular prevention comes to the rescue. The most effective is comprehensive prevention, the mandatory components of which should be:

proper nutrition. Food rich in vitamin A will help you (carrots all year round, and blueberries in summer), but it is better to eat as little fatty and spicy foods as possible, and also eat less fried foods;
proper hygiene. It is usually not recommended to wash your hair either too often or too rarely, but if you have oily dandruff, washing your hair daily won’t hurt. It is only important to choose a suitable shampoo that will not irritate the skin and will not provoke the growth of fungus. You also need to air your head and walk without a hat whenever the weather permits;
medicated shampoo with antifungal components ketoconazole, which is used periodically in courses.