Dandruff is nothing but dead skin cells.

The body regularly sheds dead skin cells every three weeks or so. When the scalp sheds its dead skin cells at an irregularly excessive rate, it's what we normally notice as dandruff.

Normal manifestations of the condition are scaling and itching with dead skin cells regularly lodging and dropping from the hair and scalp areas.

Dandruff is a normal byproduct of the scalp when growing new skin cells. Excessive dandruff, however, may be caused by seasonal changes or scalp irritation as a result of contact with harsh chemicals.

Cold weather normally aggravates the condition. Additionally, use of hair chemicals for grooming and coloring, as well as improper cleaning of the hair and scalp may aggavate it.

Severe dandruff, also referred to as seborrheic dermatitis, is a condition where the skin regularly scales and sheds. This occurs not only on the scalp, but also on the face, neck, ears and chest.

Seborrheic dermatitis is caused by a yeast that grows on the skin. There is no cure for it but measures may be taken to control the scaling and itching.