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Cited by 149Nail Diseases and TreatmentsDermatology and Skin DiseasesAdvancements in Transdermal Drug Delivery

Stratum corneum dysfunction in dandruff

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Turner, G. A., Hoptroff, M., Harding, C. R.·2012·International Journal of Cosmetic Science
DOI 10.1111/j.1468-2494.2012.00723.xPMC PMC3494381
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Abstract

Synopsis: Dandruff is characterized by a flaky, pruritic scalp and affects up to half the world’s population post‐puberty. The aetiology of dandruff is multifactorial, influenced by Malassezia , sebum production and individual susceptibility. The commensal yeast Malassezia is a strong contributory factor to dandruff formation, but the presence of Malassezia on healthy scalps indicates that Malassezia alone is not a sufficient cause. A healthy stratum corneum (SC) forms a protective barrier to prevent water loss and maintain hydration of the scalp. It also protects against external insults such as microorganisms, including Malassezia, and toxic materials. Severe or chronic barrier damage can impair proper hydration, leading to atypical epidermal proliferation, keratinocyte differentiation and SC maturation, which may underlie some dandruff symptoms. The depleted and disorganized structural lipids of the dandruff SC are consistent with the weakened barrier indicated by elevated transepidermal water loss. Further evidence of a weakened barrier in dandruff includes subclinical inflammation and higher susceptibility to topical irritants. We are proposing that disruption of the SC of the scalp may facilitate dandruff generation, in part by affecting susceptibility to metabolites from Malassezia . Treatment of dandruff with cosmetic products to directly improve SC integrity while providing effective antifungal activity may thus be beneficial.

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  • Barrier structural abnormalities have been detected in dandruff scalp by electron microscopy, including intercellular Malassezia yeasts, changes in corneocyte shape and corneodesmosomes, and disrupted lipid lamellar structure.

    “In support of this notion, barrier structural abnormalities have been detected in dandruff scalp by electron microscopy that included intercellular Malassezia yeasts, changes in corneocyte shape and corneodesmosomes, and disrupted lipid lamellar structure [23,53,66].”

    From Seborrheic Dermatitis and Dandruff: A Comprehensive Review (2015) · cites this paper as [66]

    The ‘Perturbation of scalp stratum corneum in dandruff’ section reports irregular corneocyte structure, reduced or absent corneodesmosomes, and loss of organized lamellar lipids; it also describes poorly organized lipids observed by electron microscopy. It does not report intercellular Malassezia yeasts as an electron-microscopy finding. Page numbers are unavailable in our copy. (LLM, conf=0.86)

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Authors
Turner, G. A., Hoptroff, M., & Harding, C. R.
Affiliations
Unilever (United Kingdom) (GB)
Corresponding author
Turner, G. A.
ORCID
Venue
International Journal of Cosmetic Science
Publisher
Wiley
Published
2012-05-17
Volume
34
Issue
4
Pages
298-306
ISSN
  • 0142-5463 (ISSN-L)
  • 1468-2494
DOI
10.1111/j.1468-2494.2012.00723.x
PMC
PMC3494381
OpenAlex
W2166641340
Cited by
149
References
2
Citations by year
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FWCI
0.64
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/termsAndConditions#vor (vor)
Locations
  • International Journal of Cosmetic Science (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
Unilever
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Epidemiology › Nail Diseases and Treatments
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Dermatology › Dermatology and Skin Diseases
  • Life Sciences › Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmaceutics › Pharmaceutical Science › Advancements in Transdermal Drug Delivery
Keywords
dandruff, stratum corneum, skin barrier dysfunction, Malassezia, sebum, transepidermal water loss, keratinocyte differentiation, epidermal proliferation, subclinical inflammation, topical irritants, commensal yeast
MeSH terms
Epidermis, Humans, Malassezia, Dermatitis, Seborrheic, Sebum, Water Loss, Insensible

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