In this article, we consider the causes and treatment of dandruff in children. How is this ailment manifested? How to prevent it?
If the parents saw dandruff in their child, one should understand the cause of this pathology, because often the factor that provoked it in childhood is a fungal disease. In adolescents, this problem is mainly not associated with pathological abnormalities in the body. In any case, if a similar problem occurs, you will need to consult a dermatologist. What are the main causes of dandruff in a child? How should this trouble be treated? We will talk about all this below.
What is dandruff?
These are dead epidermal cells that accumulate on the surface of the skin. The main reason for their appearance is a violation of the balance of the production of sebaceous secretions. In this case, accelerated division of the epidermal cells occurs, as a result of which they quickly accumulate and begin to cause the child a lot of inconvenience. Specialists distinguish the following two types of dandruff:
- Dry dandruff. In this case, the scales having a white color and a small size scatter in all directions at the slightest contact. This type of dandruff appears as a result of the slow operation of the sebaceous glands.
- Fat dandruff in a child. In this situation, dandruff scales have a yellowish tint, while they themselves are sticky and can stick together in large flakes. Greasy dandruff literally sticks to the baby’s hair, and getting rid of it can be much more difficult than dry. This problem occurs due to the increased work of the secretion of the sebaceous glands.
In a separate group, experts isolate yellow tubular dandruff in infants. As a rule, there will not be any particular difficulties in treating this problem, all that is required is attention to the child along with strict adherence to the recommendations of the attending doctor.
Symptoms of the disease
The first symptoms of dandruff in a child are as follows:
- Hair becomes brittle and brittle.
- The ends of the hair are split.
- Itching occurs along with uncomfortable sensations.
- White specks of dust become visible among the hair.
- Redness of the skin is observed.
- Hair can become greasy quickly and begin to look dirty and unkempt.
- Probably the formation of wounds and suppuration.
Now we find out what usually serves as prerequisites for the appearance of dandruff in a child.
Why does dandruff appear in childhood
The causes of dandruff in a child are very diverse. Therefore, in the event that for a long time it is not possible to cope with it, parents should think and go to the doctor, who will evaluate the condition of the body and send for additional studies. Among the factors that provoke this disease, the most common are the following causes of dandruff in children:
- Improper care of the scalp. The process of secretion of the sebaceous glands is not established in infants, and when parents purchase unsuitable detergents against this background, the likelihood of dandruff increases.
- The manifestation of an allergic reaction. In the event that the baby has peeling on the head, accompanied by redness and itching of the skin, then it is likely that the body reacts to an irritating allergen. When the baby is breastfeeding, the mother will need to review her diet and remove suspicious allergenic foods.
- Parasite damage is another reason why dandruff can occur in a child. This can happen due to helminthic invasion, and also due to infection with pediculosis. Such a nuisance can be found in children at any age.
- Dandruff in a child at 11 years old can form under the influence of stress. In the event that the child is nervous, unbalanced and is in constant tension, the disease can manifest itself in two years. Often, the trigger is considered stress as a result of a change in the situation when a child, for example, first comes to kindergarten or a school.
- The appearance of endocrine disorders. Such deviations quite often occur in adolescence, when the hormone changes in the guys, in connection with this, the activity of the sebaceous glands is disrupted. The presence of dandruff in a teenager at this time is very common.
Other reasons
How to treat dandruff in a child is of interest to many.
The disease, in fact, is peeling that occurs on the scalp. In addition to the above reasons, there are other factors that affect the appearance of dandruff in children:
- Regular malnutrition. In the event that the child’s diet is unbalanced, many health problems appear. Severe dandruff in this situation is one of the first problems. In this regard, it is very important to enrich the child’s menu with products that will contain vitamins C, D and B.
- A child may develop dandruff due to bad habits. Often, a fifteen-year-old teenager is interested in trying alcohol or there is an interest in other harmful things. Such actions can also provoke a disruption in the functioning and secretion of the glands, causing the formation of dandruff, which will subsequently be quite difficult to get rid of.
- Skin pathologies in the form of eczema, seborrhea and psoriasis can often occur in children in adulthood.
- Digestive problems. Fighting dandruff makes no sense if digestion problems are not eliminated. Similar pathologies in the digestive system often affect older children - from ten years.
Features of the appearance of dandruff in infants
Dandruff in newborns can occur quite often, mostly it is safe. For example, in a one-year-old child, such a pathology disappears, as a rule, on its own. Often this problem occurs due to the unformed activity of the sebaceous and sweat glands. True, as the baby grows up, the functioning process is getting better, and the deviation itself disappears.
But it is worth noting that this factor is not always the cause of dandruff in a child. It happens that the crusts on the head appear as a result of overheating, and in addition, allergic reactions or the use of inappropriate hygiene products. In the event that dandruff in a baby does not go away for a long time, it would be better to visit a pediatrician in order to find out the cause of this condition.
How is the diagnosis carried out?
So, in the event that the child has dandruff, it would be better to consult a dermatologist. The main diagnostic measures are to conduct a general blood test. In addition, scraping is taken from the skin of the head. Once the root cause of the problem has been established, the doctor will select the remedy that needs to be treated for the small patient. How should dandruff be treated in a child? This should be discussed separately.
Dandruff in children: treatment of pathology
Treatment of this unpleasant pathology in people can be carried out in three directions:
- Systemic treatment of dandruff.
- Conducting local therapy.
- The use of folk remedies.
When the problem concerns children, the doctor and parents need to focus on the characteristics and vulnerability of a fragile organism.
Systemic treatment
Conducting systemic treatment aimed at eliminating the root cause of the pathology will help to rid the baby of such a problem as dandruff, which will consist in observing the following recommendations:
- First of all, a proper and balanced diet is required, in which all the useful products of plant and animal origin must be present in the quantity required for a certain childhood.
- It is important to observe the regime of wakefulness and rest, which will make it possible to calm the nervous system and recover from pathology faster.
- The use of auxiliary homeopathic medicines, which will make it possible to get rid of problems associated with digestion, and in addition, will help increase the overall resistance of the body to external stimuli.
Local therapy
In the event that children develop severe dandruff, parents should take a responsible approach to choosing hygiene products. It is very important to use hypoallergenic soap and shampoo. If the doctor prescribed a special drug, then you should use it in accordance with the proposed scheme. You can wash your hair with the following dandruff shampoos for children sold in pharmacies: Friederm, Bubchen, Mustela, Sulsena and Nizoral.
How long is the treatment?
As a rule, as a result of using shampoo, the ailment disappears after a month of regular washing. Within seven days, the hair should be washed two or three times, but if the head is very itchy, then medical shampoo, in consultation with the doctor, is recommended to be used more often. Despite the proven effectiveness and safety of dandruff detergents, you should not buy and use them yourself, especially when it comes to treating a baby’s scalp pathology.
Alternative medicine also recommends more than one effective anti-dandruff remedy for children.
The use of folk and natural remedies
Today, there are many folk remedies for dandruff, which are used together with the medicine. So, to cure the scalp and eliminate unpleasant flakes of dandruff, natural remedies will help in combination with pharmacy special preparations. For example, various vegetable oils, which are hypoallergenic and are excellent for treating scalp problems even in the smallest children, have proven themselves to be excellent. Thus, it is advisable to use almond, linseed, sesame, cedar, burdock or castor oil. In addition, the use of walnut oil and grape seed oil is excellent.
Using a herbal remedy for the treatment of dandruff in children is quite simple: a couple of hours before the hygiene procedure, the hairs of the skin are lubricated with a certain oil, then they wash their hair with a pharmacy drug. As practice shows, within one month the condition of the child’s scalp noticeably improves, peeling with irritation disappears completely, and with oily seborrhea, abscess rashes disappear.
In addition, you can rinse the affected hair with infusion of chamomile. Also for these purposes, a string or nettle is perfect. To prepare the rinse, take in equal proportions the proposed product, which is poured with boiling water and allowed to infuse for twenty-five minutes. After each wash, infusion should be used as a rinse aid. It is important to note that every time, before washing your hair, you need to prepare a fresh infusion.
Prevention of dandruff in children
In addition to observing the above schemes of local and systemic treatment of dandruff in a child of 10 years, it is recommended to adhere to special preventive measures that will help prevent such a relapse and save the child from unpleasant symptoms of such a disease. So, preventive recommendations suggest the following measures:
- Each child should have personal items for hair care - we are talking about combs, elastic bands, headgear and so on.
- It is very important to use baby shampoos that do not contain harmful substances and dyes.
- Children should wear hats according to the weather.
- A child should wash his hair with water of a comfortable temperature.
- It is extremely important to timely treat diseases of the digestive system, and in addition, monitor the normalization of the hormonal background.
Conclusion
All parents should know how to get rid of dandruff in a child. In the event that timely treatment is started, you will certainly be able to painlessly get rid of the problem. The main thing in this situation is not to ignore the symptoms, and at the first appearance of dandruff, go to the dermatologist, and then carry out treatment according to the recommended scheme. Then the child will not have problems with the scalp, he will be healthy and happy.
We examined the causes and treatment of dandruff in children.