What is the medical term for dandruff?

Answer 1

psoriasis or dry scalp

Answer 2

Medical Term For Dandruff

Answer 3

Dandruff or sometimes Scalp Dandruff - Psoriasis is a related condtion, but not exactly the same thing as Dandruff.

http://www.wrongdiagnosis.com/d/dandruff/intro.htm is a great website with more information than you'll beleive on Dandruff and related or similar skin conditions.

Answer 4

This Site Might Help You.

RE:
What is the medical term for dandruff?

Answer 5

Dandruff is usually due to the overworking of the sebaceous glands. These glands produce oil and help shed dead skin. In the case of a dandruff sufferer, the sebaceous glands are overactive, shedding more skin than usual.

Sometimes dandruff is caused by a naturally occurring yeast fungus called Pityrosporum ovale. Some people have more of this fungus than others, causing flaky scalp.

To have more glance about it
check out this site


http://www.medic8.com/healthguide/articles/dandruff.html

Answer 6

Pityriasis capitis or Seborrheic dermatitis. Seborrheic dermatitis (SD) is inflammation of skin with a high density of sebaceous glands (face, scalp, upper trunk). The cause is unknown, but Pityrosporum ovale, a normal skin organism, plays some role. SD occurs with increased frequency in patients with HIV and in those with certain neurologic diseases. Seborrheic dermatitis causes occasional pruritus, dandruff, and yellow, greasy scaling along the hairline and on the face. Diagnosis is clinical. Treatment is tar or other medicated shampoo and topical corticosteroids and antifungals.
Please see the web pages for more details on Dandruff and Seborrheic dermatitis.

Answer 7

c the medicinal name of dandruff is

scurf and historicaly termed Pityriasis capitis

Dandruff (also called scurf and historicaly termed Pityriasis capitis) is due to the excessive shedding of dead skin cells from the scalp. As it is normal for skin cells to die and flake off, a small amount of flaking is normal and in fact quite common. Some people, however, either chronically or as a result of certain triggers, experience an unusually large amount of flaking, which can also be accompanied by redness and irritation. Most cases of dandruff can be easily treated with specialized shampoos.

Excessive flaking can also be a symptom of seborrhoeic dermatitis, psoriasis, fungal infection or excoriation associated with infestation of head lice. Dandruff is a global phenomenon and many people find that dandruff can cause social or self-esteem problems. Treatment can be important for purely social reasons.


Causes
As the epidermal layer continually replaces itself, cells are pushed outward where they eventually die and flake off. In most people, these flakes of skin are too small to be visible. However, certain conditions cause cell turnover to be unusually rapid, especially common in the scalp. In people with dandruff, skin cells may be sequestered in 2 - 7 days, as opposed to around a month in people without dandruff. The result is that dead skin cells are shed in large clumps, which appear as small, white or grayish patches on the scalp.

The literature cites the fungus Malassezia furfur (previously known as Pityrosporum ovale) as the cause of dandruff. Whilst this fungus is found naturally on the skin surface of both healthy people and those with dandruff it has recently been shown that a scalp specific fungus Malassezi Globosa is the responsible agent. This fungus metabolizes triglycerides present in sebum by the expression of lipase, resulting in a lipid byproduct oleic acid (OA). Penetration by OA of the top layer of the epidermis, the stratum corneum, results in an inflammatory response which disturbs homeostasis and results in erratic cleavage of straum corneum cells. There is no convincing evidence that food, excessive perspiration or climate have any role in the pathogenesis of dandruff.

There have been many strategies for the control of dandruff. Simply increasing shampooing will remove flakes. However, elimination of the fungus results in dramatic improvement. Regular shampooing with an anti-fungal product will not only treat but prevent recurrence.

Flaking is a symptom of seborrheic dermatitis. Joseph Bark notes that "Redness and itching is actually seborrheic dermatitis, and it frequently occurs around the folds of the nose and the eyebrow areas, not just the scalp." Dry, thick, well-defined lesions consisting of large, silvery scales may be traced to the less common psoriasis of the scalp.

Seasonal changes, stress, and immuno-suppression seem to affect seborrheic dermatitis. Simple dandruff does not cause hair loss.

Severe forms of flaking if accompanied by flaking or scaling on other parts of the body, might best be treated by a dermatologist.

The antifungal properties of Tea Tree Oil (Melaleuca Oil) have been reported as useful in the treatment of dandruff.


Misconceptions
Dandruff is sometimes confused with dried shampoo. This usually occurs when hair isn't rinsed properly.
Dandruff is not an organism like lice; it is just dead skin that accumulates in the scalp.

Answer 8

dandruff is The presence, in varying amounts, of white or gray scales in the hair of the scalp, due to excessive or normal branny exfoliation of the epidermis.

in adults seborrheic dermatitis of the scalp is called dandruff, in infants it is called cradle cap. it s other synonyms are:-pityriasis capitis, scurf, seborrhea sicca2

Answer 9

I'm not sure what it's medical name is but I do know that dandruff is a form of fungus

Answer 10

Seborrheic Dermatitis of the scalp

Answer 11

Tinea Versicolor I believe is a fungal thing. In europe they developed a lotion for it that works real well I don't know if it is in the USA yet but there are things that can help.