Very Interesting Article on Dandruff/SD
I came across this article and it seems very interesting upon first read
concerning the "cause" of dandruff and possibly seb derm as well. The jist
of it is that there are different types of the Malassezia and this scientist
has discovered exactly which ones "cause" dandruff and that the M furfur
fungus is actually not the culprit as previoulsy thought. Not sure how to
take this as the study was done by Proctor and Gamle who I assume are
planning new products around these findings.
.
Scientists Pinpoint Cause of Dandruff
PARIS, July 1 — Data presented today by The Procter & Gamble Company
research scientists at the 20th World Congress of Dermatology (WCD) suggests
that dandruff does not result from an overabundance of Malassezia furfur (M.
furfur) fungus as previously thought. Rather, common dandruff, the scalp
condition affecting more than 50 percent of Caucasians and 80 percent of
people of African descent, is caused by the lipid waste of two other
Malassezia species, M. restricta and M. globosa.
In a research study conducted by Thomas Dawson, Jr., Ph.D., senior scientist
in beauty care technology for P&G, titled, "Fast, Non-invasive Method for
Molecular Detection and Speciation of Malassezia on Human Skin, and
Application to Dandruff Microbiology," scalp samples from 70 people with
dandruff showed the presence of Malassezia species. But in these cases, M.
restricta was present in 70 percent and M. globosa in 45 percent. M. furfur
was not detected in any of the samples.
Malassezia is a lipophilic fungal genus, members of which are part of the
normal human scalp flora. M. restricta and M. globosa feed on lipids
secreted from the hair follicles. The partially digested lipids that linger
on the skin cause the familiar irritation of the scalp that leads to
dandruff.
"We have been studying dandruff and other scalp conditions for many years,
concentrating on the specific organism that causes the disorder," said Dr.
Dawson. "We expect these data will provide insight into the development of
new approaches to dandruff treatment."
"These new data on the real cause of dandruff are a major step forward in
understanding dandruff that will be important to the dermatology community,"
said Boni E. Elewski, MD, Professor of Dermatology at the University of
Alabama, Birmingham, and internationally-recognized authority on cutaneous
fungal infections and dandruff. "This research will allow development of
more effective anti-dandruff treatments that will not only treat the
condition, but may also help prevent it from occurring."
Dr. Dawson’s findings also apply to seborrheic dermatitis, a severe form of
dandruff that affects up to 10 percent of Caucasians and leads to heavy
flaking, severe itchiness, redness and inflammation. Earlier work by this
team of P&G scientists has shown that excess lipids are correlated to
dandruff and seborrheic dermatitis, and this study showed that reducing the
amount of sebum by more frequent washing improved the clinical signs of
seborrheic dermatitis. This also lends support to the theory that sebum has
a positive effect on the growth of fungus.
Additional Research
Dr. Dawson noted that P&G will conduct detailed quantitative studies to
better define the role of other Malassezia fungi, as well as the role of
individual sensitivity to M. globosa and M. restricta.
"P&G is committed to researching and understanding the science behind skin
conditions like dandruff, so we can continue to provide medical
professionals and consumers with the most effective treatments," said Eric
Armstrong, Vice President of Research & Development for the company’s Global
Hair Care Division. "In particular, P&G will seek to understand, identify,
and characterize the role of individual lipids associated with dandruff and
seborrheic dermatitis, in order to continue to develop the highest efficacy
anti-dandruff products. In addition, P&G scientists will explore the reasons
why some patients react to the presence of Malassezia, while others do not."
Malassezia and Dandruff
In years past, the scientific community disagreed about the role of
Malassezia in dandruff. Some scientists argued that an increase in cell
turnover on the scalp was the main cause of dandruff, and microorganisms,
such as Malassezia, only reflected the underlying abnormality of the skin.
In the 1970s and 80s, with scientific studies demonstrating the
effectiveness of specific anti-fungal agents in improving chronic scalp
conditions, scientists proved a correlation between Malassezia in both
dandruff and seborrheic dermatitis. Scientists assumed that M. furfur was
the cause.
Only recently have scientific studies supported the relationship between
Malassezia and lipids in connection with dandruff. Past studies show
Malassezia’s involvement in a number of pathologies related to alterations
of the skin’s surface lipids. Results from this study suggest that only two
of nine Malassezia species are present on the scalp that could digest the
naturally occurring lipids. In addition to showing the connection between
dandruff and M. restricta and M. globosa, this research also shows that to
remain viable, Malassezia uses its enzymes to break down non-irritating
triglycerides (lipids) into irritating free fatty acids.