Dandruff is an excessive flaking of skin on the scalp. It can be caused by hormones, an excessively dry scalp or the yeast pityrosporum, which results in seborrhoeic dermatitis, a form of dandruff with oiliness, severe flaking, redness, itching and inflammation.

Other skin conditions may also affect the scalp. For further details, see psoriasis, seborrhoeic dermatitis and atopic dermatitis.

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Treatment involves removing the flakes from the scalp and hair. An anti-dandruff shampoo will assist in controlling the condition by decreasing the number of flakes.

Avoid scratching, since this can lead to inflammation and secondary infection, making the problem more difficult to treat.
As dandruff tends to recur, it is important to control it first and then use a mild, medicated shampoo regularly to help prevent recurrence.