Dandruff is nothing more than the accelerated and visible flaking of the scalp. This cosmetic problem is generally due to the overgrowth of the yeast Pityrosporium ovale , one of the resident microbes on the scalp.
In a normal situation, the upper layer of the epidermis – the horny layer – is constantly renewed. Cells are born at the base of the epidermis and gradually move towards the corneal layer. There they keratinize and adhere firmly to each other to form between 25 and 35 cell layers. The outermost ones, when drying, are almost imperceptibly removed.
In people with dandruff, the horny layer appears altered. The elimination of the mature cells happens in compact groups that form a kind of greasy pellets of whitish or yellowish color. They are called dandruff flakes.
