Revisiting Dandruff: Role of Malassezia Yeasts and Treatment Implications

The 2006 document provides a review of dandruff, emphasizing its prevalence and the significant role of Malassezia spp. yeasts in its etiology. It explains that dandruff is a result of a reactive response of the scalp's epidermis to stimuli, with sebum being necessary but not solely responsible for the condition. The review also discusses the assessment of dandruff severity through clinical examination and squamometry, and its potential impact on hair loss, noting that dandruff can exacerbate hair shedding and may influence the progression of androgenic alopecia. Furthermore, it suggests that antifungal treatments, such as ketoconazole, could limit hair loss associated with dandruff and even stimulate hair growth, as observed in mice. The document underscores the importance of environmental factors and the microbial contribution to dandruff, as well as the implications for scalp health and hair cycle disturbances.