Who Gets Dandruff?

Dandruff. It's white, it's flaky, it's annoying. But who actually gets it?

CHYNNA STEELE-GRIFFIN: Many people get dandruff. In fact, most of us will get it to some degree at some point in our lives. However, some people are more prone to getting it than others.

Many infants get a type of dandruff that usually disappears between six months and one year of age.

I think many of us are familiar with the form of dandruff that even babies get. We commonly call it cradle cap. This is a form of dandruff that is really thick and yellow and scaly. It's a more major form of the type of condition that we get as adults, and often goes away with minimal treatment, or even no treatment, as babies get older.

Many of us think dandruff is a result of dry skin.

What really happens with dandruff is you have inflammation of the scalp, which causes an increased turnover of skin. As the skin is turning over very quickly, you get a sloughing off, or flaking off, of the skin cells, and that's what makes it appear dry. But in fact, that's just a consequence of the inflammation and the increased turnover of skin.

The dandruff happens more often in the oily areas of the body. Consequently, it also happens in people who have an increased oil production in their glands. It doesn't mean you have to have oily skin to get it, but it does mean that if you do, you may be more likely to get dandruff. Some people may be afraid to get close to or touch someone that has dandruff, for fear it may be contagious.

Dandruff is not contagious. It may be associated with a yeast, although that yeast is nontransferable from one person to another. Dandruff is simply an inflammatory condition of the scalp, and it can occur in anyone. You cannot give it from one person to another.

Stress surrounds us in our daily lives. And while it certainly affects us mentally, it can also affect us physically.

Stress absolutely can worsen skin conditions. Anyone who may be predisposed to having dandruff can get a flare.

While some hair issues, such as balding, may be genetically linked, dandruff isn't one of them.

We don't know of any specific ways that dandruff is hereditary. However, it's really, really common, so I see it in family members, but I see it as frequently in people who are not related, as well.

For many people, dandruff is easily treatable with over-the-counter shampoos. But if dealing with your condition on your own isn't working, don't give up.

Make an appointment with your dermatologist to get to the bottom of it.