Take cold showers to heal dandruff and seborrheic dermatitis

Did you ever think that the solution to seborrheic dermatitis could be as simple as replacing your hot showers by cold ones? In this article we’ll discuss this surprising approach. We will bring up a few success stories from real people, discuss the possible underlying mechanisms, and as usual, we’ll have a look at the scientific support for the benefits of cold showers.

Success stories

Let us start with a few testimonials from across the internet:

My dandruff which used to be severe is nonexistent since switching to cold showers. It could be that cold water strips less oils away from the scalp, thus having the same effect on dandruff as just not washing your hair, which apparently is a thing. Still a bit skeptical of that practice.

Saul Solomon on coach.me

take ice cold showers. turn the knob to the maximum cold. ive been trying to get rid of dandruff for 8 years, since i was 12. with cold showers, it went away in 2 weeks and havent had it for 3 months. feelsverygoodman.

jono28613 on forum.bodybuilding.com

It has reduced my dandruff!

Adrian Milidoni on coach.me

Underlying mechanism

The natural question that arises is: why would cold showers have a different effect than warm or hot showers? Hot water strips the natural oils both from the shallow layer as well as from the deeper layers of the skin, thereby making the skin too dry. This puts the skin in ‘overdrive’ mode trying to compensate for it and produce even more oil. More oil means more food for the malassezia fungus known to cause seborrheic dermatitis and dandruff. Hot water also causes blood vessels to dilate more. This opens up the pores making your skin appear redder.

Cold water, on the other hand, only removes excess oils from the top layers. Since the deeper layers remain hydrated, there is no need for the skin to produce more oil. Cold water also closes the pores keeping all the moisture inside. Finally, cold water reduces the blood flow to the skin which results in a reduction of inflammatory processes.

Science

Let us now dig a little bit deeper and see what scientific evidence we have to support this very simple (albeit uncomfortable) approach to keeping the skin clean and healthy. Unfortunately, there are no scientific studies that looked at the direct effect of cold showers on seborrheic dermatitis or dandruff. However, considering the fast pace at which the popularity of this approach is growing, I expect such a study to appear in the coming years. As soon as it does, expect an update to this post. In the meantime, we will look at the benefits in a broad sense. After all, healthy skin is a result of a healthy body and mind.

A review of scientific literature on this matter reveals the following benefits of cold showers:

• Activation of the sympathetic nervous system: Cold showers act as a weak stressor for the body which triggers a low-level fight-or-flight response which is associated with various health benefits^​1,2​.
• Improvement of cardiovascular health: A cold shower initially increases the heart rate and blood pressure, which enhances circulation^​3​. The blood vessels close to the surface in contact with the cold constrict, and the blood is directed to the internal organs. The heart has to work harder^​4​. Thus, brief periods of cold exposure over time can make your heart more efficient and can improve blood flow. Improved circulation, in turn, can lead to many of its own health benefits, such as a decreased risk for cardiovascular disease, enhanced mental functioning, and improved metabolism.
• Strengthening of the immune system: Brief cold exposures increase the number of white blood cells and natural killer cells, and are an effective method to enhance the immune system^​5​. However, note that it is brief cold exposure that is beneficial. Thus, a quick cold shower will help the immune system, but really long cold showers or extended periods of time in the cold weather will likely not have the same effect, and may even be detrimental.  

A holistic approach to healthy skin

It is probably best to incorporate cold showers as one component of a holistic approach to healthy skin. Take cold showers, but don’t forget to eat healthy, keep your gut flora healthy, keep your skin flora happy, move daily, and spend time outdoors!

Additional reading

http://jackcincotta.com/2020/03/21/turn-the-knob-on-blue-the-benefits-of-cold-showers/