My dandruff is so bad I can’t wear black, I hate judgmental people who think I’m dirty

A woman who is fed up that her dandruff can get so bad that she refuses to leave the house, even for weeks.

Michaela Trusdale’s ‘out of control’ flare-ups started about three years ago after she struggled with her mental and physical health.

1

The 48-year-old said her scalp condition puts a huge strain on her friendships and makes her fearful of strangers judging her.

“Every time I have a flare-up, I get so withdrawn and self-conscious, and I shut myself off from the world,” she admitted.

“I cancel plans with friends and family because I can’t face the judgment of others.

“Unfortunately, this has put a huge strain on my relationships with close friends, for example, because they get frustrated when I cancel plans at the last minute.

“I can’t bring myself to share the severity of my condition with my friends, so it makes it difficult to stay connected even with my closest friends.”

“Every time I have a flare-up, it’s easier for me to stay home because I’m afraid people will stare at my scalp. When you have dandruff, people assume it’s because you have poor personal hygiene, but that’s simply not the case. the case.

“Due to my condition, I haven’t left the house for days, or even weeks. Staying homebound feels like the only option for
me.”

Rose also limits Michaela’s clothing choices and forces her to make “sad” choices about her hairstyle.

She said: “The darker clothes in my wardrobe will draw attention to flaking on my shoulders, and I now have to wear lighter colours.

“After suffering from the condition for years, it’s frustrating not being able to wear my favorite clothes and always having to take my dandruff into account when I get dressed.

“When it comes to my hair, I wear my hair up – it can never be down. I find that scraping it back makes me feel more comfortable as it means the flakes aren’t as visible on my scalp.

“It’s rare that I wear my hair down, but unfortunately I actually feel more confident when it’s down, so having my hair up all the time has a huge impact on my self-esteem.

“Hair care products can also cause my dandruff to flare up even more, it can even make my scalp bleed, due to the extreme itching and irritation the products cause.

“I have to be extremely careful with the products I use; I notice that even natural products such as argan or coconut oil do not help.”

Michaela is just one of 20 million adults in the UK who suffer from dandruff, with half of these people doing nothing to treat their condition.

Stress is often a trigger and the scalp condition can have a significant impact on self-esteem, self-esteem and social interaction.

Stephanie Sey, trichologist from anti-dandruff shampoo brand Nizoral, notes: “When we are under a lot of pressure or have increased anxiety, our body releases high levels of the hormone cortisol, which can cause an increase in sebum production and change cause. the scalp environment.

“Stress can even lead to hair loss and harmful habits like scratching the scalp or pulling hair – and of course dandruff.

“In addition, stress can weaken your body’s natural defenses
against naturally occurring microbes in the scalp, which can lead to dryness and flaking.”