Dandruff

Dandruff is a mild form of seborrheic dermatitis limited to the scalp, producing white to yellowish flaking without significant inflammation. It involves Malassezia yeast, accelerated scalp skin turnover, and disrupted scalp microbiome balance.

Relevance to Peat Therapy

Peat scalp treatments address dandruff through antifungal activity (targeting Malassezia), keratolytic removal of flakes, pH normalization of the scalp (supporting the acid mantle disrupted by alkaline shampoos), and anti-pruritic relief of associated itching. The multi-mechanism approach mirrors the strategy of combining antifungal + keratolytic active ingredients in commercial anti-dandruff products.

Evidence Landscape

No direct RCTs of peat for dandruff. Mechanism-based reasoning supported by known antimicrobial and keratolytic properties. Tar-based anti-dandruff treatments share chemical ancestry with peat-derived compounds, providing indirect historical validation. Practical evidence from peat-based scalp product users is anecdotal.