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Dandruff affects the scalp and causes the scalp to flake - it is a common condition. Our skin cells are continually renewing themselves. When the skin cells on our scalp are renewed the old ones are pushed to the surface. If you are a person who suffers with dandruff the renewal process is faster, making the dandruff more of a noticeable problem.

The exact cause of dandruff is not known, although it is believed by some professionals to be associated with an over-growth of Malassezia, which is a fungus commonly found on the skin and scalp. Dandruff can be a long-term problem or it can be the result of certain lifestyle changes or stress. If you have dandruff you may also notice itching and redness on the scalp. Excessive flaking may be caused by an underlying illness or condition, such as psoriasis, a fungal infection, or even head lice.

Having dandruff can be a real blow to a persons self-esteem, knocking ones confidence. Therefore, finding an effective treatment for dandruff may be important for both physiological and psychological reasons.

How to help prevent Dandruff.

Before we start with the cures and for getting rid of dandruff let's have a quick look a some of the steps we can take to help prevent dandruff.

Okay, that's the preventative stuff out of the way... what about the cures?

How to get rid of Dandruff Naturally.

For those of you who prefer to do things the natural way there are plenty of options available to you. If you prefer to using commercially available medicated products instead of going the home remedy type route, then you can skip the next few paragraphs.

Over the Counter Remedies.

If the natural home-remedies aren't helping to get rid of dandruff, you might want to try some of the many medicated shampoos that are available over the counter, T-Gel and Head & Shoulders being two which spring to mind. Try to get a trial sized sample of any brand medicated shampoo before making a purchasing. Some brands my work better for you than some others, because they can be quite harsh some medicated shampoos may even worsen your dandruff problem by irritating your skin. So shop around until you find one that works.

What if treatments don't work?

If you have tried all the above methods and nothing has seemed to work for you it could mean there are underlying problems. You may need to speak to a doctor or dermatologist so that they can diagnose what the problem is exactly.

The Achilles' Heal of Swimming

Swimming is a low-impact, safe, fun, and challenging form of exercise. If you have a history of injuries in your legs, then it's a great alternative form of cardio. Studies show that swimmers live longer and are less prone to various diseases, even compared to people who engage in other forms of exercise, including running, rowing, and cycling. Swimming can counter some of the negative effects of sitting and driving all day. It's a sport that actually elongates the spine.

Swimming promotes flexibility in many ways, but improving your shoulder health is crucial for optimal performance. It takes some time to promote shoulder health, and many swimmers often ignore it because they feel they don't have enough time. The other problem is that a stretching routine will only prevent injuries, so the benefits are subtle. But the cost of not doing it is an injury. The benefits outweigh the investment of time. You'll perform better, reduce the chance of injury and recover better.

Mike Harris is an aspiring professional swimmer in Northern Virginia. Harris was swimming everyday as an undergraduate college student for his team. His typical distance per week usually hovered around 50-60,000 meters. He felt strong but was always feeling sore in his shoulder after workouts. He had no recovery plan and continued to push through the pain. "I live for pain in the water, that's what I'm good at, but not this kind of pain. Very little strength training was involved in my routine. Almost all my training was done in the water along with the occasional 'extended stretching and flexibility' I would do on my own just to say loose.

He had been swimming his entire life since he was the age of. None of his coaches had ever shown him basic exercises to keep his shoulder healthy. While he learned some basic stretches that swimmers usually do before diving into the pool, he never learned how to properly recover from his long and intense workouts. Most of his coaches were a poolside presence, and prescribed a few dryland exercises.. Although he has a strong and large upper body, his shoulder health was becoming a limiter to his performance.

When I met Mike I introduced him to dryland exercises that he needed to do if he was going to keep his shoulder healthy, and if he was going to ever realize his dream of becoming a professional swimmer. These exercises were totally new and completely foreign to Mike. "Immediately after Kevin designed a dryland routine for me based on my personal workout load and training needs, I felt more flexible and able to perform drills with greater ease. Mobility is a must in my training schedule and is done every day."

Before your implement this program, it's important to have a basic understanding of the anatomy of the shoulder joint. The glenohumeral joint actually comprises four muscles that surround the joint, and are referred to as the rotator cuff: the supraspinatus, the infraspinatus, the teres minor and the subscapularis. When they're flexible and strong, you'll avoid any kind of injury

The following program is the same one Mike uses to not only maintain his shoulder health, but to feel even more flexible and stronger in the water. He does them every day, including days he doesn't swim. He prefers to do them right after workouts.

Of course, you're probably not a professional swimmer. But even recreational swimmers and triathletes should include this program if they want to continue swimming without any problems. The program includes active-isolated stretching, a Swiss ball routine, and some dumbbell exercises.

Active-Isolated Stretches

Created by Aaron Mettes, the premise of active-isolated stretching (AIS) is that prolonged static stretches greater than two seconds actually decreases blood flow within tissue creating ischemia and lactate build up. AIS allows the target muscle to optimally lengthen without triggering the stretch reflex. AI stretching activates the opposing muscles, which contract, and force the target muscle to elongate. The body them remembers this new range of motion. Thus, the muscle is activated in this new position and isn't just stretched and released. AIS also increase blood flow and can increase core temperature.

Arm circles

Bend over and let your arms drop. Spin your arms in circles 10 times in each direction.

Horizontal Abduction

Bring your arms out and back. Hold stretch for 2 seconds and repeat 10-15 times. Extend your arms as far as you can.

Hyperextension.

Stand straight. Bring arms up behind body with fingers pointing towards ground. Hold for 2 seconds and repeat 10-15 times.

External Rotation

Stand straight Lifts arms out to sides with elbows 90 degrees and hands making a fist. Knuckles should be pointing towards the sky. Rotate backwards and hold for 2 seconds and repeat 10-15 times

Internal Rotation

Stand straight. Bend your elbows at 90 degrees. Knuckes should be pointing towards the ground. Rotate shoulders fowward. Hold for 2 seconds and repeat 10-15 times.

Horizontal Flexion

Stand straight. Bring one arm across body. Place other hand on elbow that is crossing the body. Hold for 2 seconds and repeat 10-15 times.

Horizontal Flexion

Stand straight. Bring one arm across body and place it over your shoulder. Place other hand on shoulder. Hold for 2 seconds and repeat 10-15 times.

Triceps stretch

Stand straight. Bring one arm up and back with elbow bent. Place other hand on elbow. Hold for 2 seconds and repeat 10 times

Posterior hand clasp

Stand straight. Clasp hands in each direction. Try to grab the hands. If you cannot, you can use a towel. Always strive to reach the hands. Hold for 2 seconds and repeat 10-15 times.

Ys

Lie on the stability ball in a prone (face down) position. Place feet on the floor and stomach on the ball. Hold light dumbbells (weighing no more than a kilogram or 2.5 pounds), and lift the arms to form a Y. Bring the arms towards the floor and then lift again. Lower your arms and repeat. Make sure the top of your abs or on the middle of the ball. Retract your shoulder blades down and back

Ts

In the same position, hold the dumbbells straight down along the side of the ball. Lift the dumbbells to your side and repeat Pul your shoulder baldes in toward your spie and extend your arms to the sides. Keep your arms at 90 degrees. Lower your arms and repeat

Ws

In the same position, hold the dumbbells straight down. Bring your hands towards your chest and bend your elbows and repeat. Squeeze your elbows toward you ribs. Take your thumbs and rotate them back toward the ceiling, squeezing your shoulder blades together to form a W

Ls

In the same position, hold the dumbbells straight down. Bring the arms up and bend the elbows 90 degrees. Turn the forearms forward. Turn them backwards and then drop the arms to the original position. Flex your elbows until they are 90 degrees with your upper arm. Squeeze your shoulder blades together to raise your upper arms so they're 90 degrees to your torso. Once they form an L, externally rotate your upper arms so that the backs of your hand stretch toward the ceiling

Side-Lying External Rotation

This is a great exercises for the infraspinatus and teres minor, your shoulder external rotators. Lie on your side and hold dumbbell in your top arm. Your arm should be 90 degrees and the dumbbell should be just above the floor. Rotate your elbow until your arm is parallel to the floor. Slowly lower to the starting position.

Noticeable Benefits

Swimmer usually ignore dryland exercises, because they don't perceive the benefit or value. They simply don't think that stretching or strength training will improve their times like the thousands of meters they swim in the pool. But Harris disagrees: I believe that strength training is a must for any athlete who wants to achieve next level success. Every tool must be used in order to maintain a consistent level of peak performance," Harris says. Without a detailed strength training plan, my training intensity and load would steadily decline over time due to fatigue and strain. It's comforting to know that I can get the most out of every workout without losing a day to "being drained", or physically tired."

While you certainly won't set a world record or double your speed in the pool, that's not the point. A balanced strength and stretching program could give you the extra edge in a sport where hundredths of seconds separate 1st and 2nd place. "Times drop on a consistent basis and muscle fatigue has drastically decreased, which is great for any athlete to insure performing and drilling at the upper levels of your ability every time," Harris says. For Harris, the lack of stretching and strengthening was his 

Achielle's Heel, and it might be yours.