Trial reportInternational journal of cosmetic science2025
Understanding the dandruff flare-up: A cascade of measurable and perceptible changes to scalp health.
Trial report in International journal of cosmetic science, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
4 citing papers in PubMed.
- Understanding the dandruff flare-up: A cascade of measurable and perceptible changes to scalp health.International journal of cosmetic science · 2025Trial
- Advances in Scalp Microbiome Research: Molecular Insights into the Metabolism-Inflammation-Barrier Axis and Dandruff Pathogenesis.Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Review
- High Curl Pattern Hair and Scalp Care Considerations to Mitigate Seborrheic Dermatitis.Journal of cosmetic dermatology · 2026Article
- In-vivo pilot study to assess a new plant-based cosmetic formulation containing Ziziphus joazeiro bark extract and Apium graveolens seed extract for the improvement of dandruff while enhancing scalp microbiome balance and barrier function in subjects with oily to dry sensitive scalps.International journal of cosmetic science · 2026Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
8 authors.
Funding
Abstract
objectiveClinical studies assessing the dandruff condition typically focus on the therapeutic resolution of the signs and symptoms of dandruff, starting with a symptomatic scalp as a baseline. The reverse, the progression of events leading to a scalp flare-up after stopping the use of an anti-dandruff (AD) shampoo, is poorly understood. This study explored onset time and progression of the signs and symptoms of dandruff in individuals who stop using an AD shampoo.
methodsThis randomized, double-blind, parallel design study recruited self-identified, scalp-concerned adults. After a 2-week run-in with an AD shampoo, participants were randomized into two groups: The first continued using the AD shampoo and the second switched to a cosmetic (non-AD) shampoo. At baseline and defined intervals over the 28-day study period, objective measures of scalp condition were investigated: expert-assessed flaking, scalp impedance, and biomarkers. These were combined with self-assessments of scalp condition. A Stochastic Mixed-Effect Random Forest (SMERF) machine-learning algorithm was explored to model time-varying technical measurements and daily self-assessment responses from participants.
resultsSwitching from an AD shampoo to a non-AD shampoo resulted in increased scalp Malassezia load, degree of flaking, barrier disruption, and inflammatory and oxidative stress biomarkers compared to those maintaining AD shampoo usage. Signs of declining scalp condition (histamine, complement component C3) were observed as early as 3 days after ceasing AD shampoo usage despite no statistical increase in flaking (ASFS) until around 3 weeks of using a non-AD shampoo. These changes were accompanied by self-perceived itching and flaking, reported to be significantly worse in those using the non-AD shampoo compared to the AD shampoo at the end of the study. No statistically significant increase from baseline was observed for any objective measure in the AD shampoo group. In the SMERF model, markers of inflammation, oxidative stress, and Malassezia load were predictive of self-perceived scalp attributes.
conclusionFor the first time, a comprehensive understanding of changes that occur as scalp condition goes from asymptomatic to dandruff-affected has been established. For scalp-concerned individuals, regular, sustained use of an AD treatment promotes optimal scalp health. When switching to a non-AD shampoo, scalp health deteriorates rapidly, even before visible flakes appear.
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