ABSTRACT
Dandruff (and the more severe form, seborrheic dermatitis) is a common afiction of the scalp, affecting approximately 50% of adults, independent of gender or ethnicity [1,2]. The primary symptoms are large skin akes, itch, and dryness [3]. The condition is chronic and relapsing, leading to reduced quality of life if regular, effective treatment is not used [4]. The symptoms are indicative of an abnormal and unhealthy epidermal physiology, showing morphological and molecular evidence of inammation, hyperproliferation, and impaired barrier integrity [5,6]. Causality appears to be multifactorial, simultaneously requiring three conditions: sebaceous lipids, commensal scalp fungi of the Malassezia genus, and an innate susceptibility [7].
