My dandruff’s so bad I can’t wear black clothes and hide away at home for weeks, I hate judgy people who think I’m dirty

A FED up woman has revealed her dandruff can get so bad that she refuses to leave the house - even for weeks at a time.

Michaela Trusdale's "out of control" flare ups started around three years ago after she struggled with her mental and physical health.

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The 48-year-old said her scalp condition puts immense pressure on her friendships and makes her fear that strangers are judging her.

“Whenever I am going through a flare up, I become so withdrawn, self-conscious, and I shut myself off from the world", she admitted.

"I will cancel plans with friends and family, as I can’t face the judgement from others.

"This has unfortunately put a huge strain on my relationships with close friends for example, as they’ll get frustrated with me cancelling plans last minute.

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

“Whenever I’m going through a flare up, it’s easier for me to stay at home, as I worry people will stare at my scalp - when you have dandruff, people assume it’s because you have poor personal hygiene, however this is just not the case.

"My condition has meant I’ve not left the house for days, or even weeks at a time – staying housebound feels like the only option for
me.”

Dandruff also limits Michaela's wardrobe 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 need to wear lighter colours.

"After suffering with the condition for years, it’s frustrating that I can’t wear my favourite clothes and always must take into consideration my dandruff when I’m getting dressed.

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

"It’s rare that I will wear my hair down but sadly, I do actually feel more confident when it is down, so having to wear it up all the time has had a huge impact on my self-esteem.

“Haircare 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 need to be extremely cautious of the products I’m using; I find that even natural products such as Argan or Coconut oils don’t help.”

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

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

Stephanie Sey, trichologist for anti-dandruff shampoo brand Nizoral, comments: “When we are under a lot of pressure or have heightened anxiety, our bodies release high levels of a hormone called cortisol which can cause an increase in the production of sebum and change the scalp environment.

“Stress can even lead to hair loss and harmful habits such as scalp scratching or tugging of hair - and of course, dandruff.

"In addition, stress can weaken your body’s natural defences
against naturally existing microbes in the scalp which can lead to dryness and flakiness.”