We're setting the record straight on a few of the more common dandruff falsehoods.

Dandruff is not a disease or a virus and cannot be transmitted from one person to the next. The flakes normally found on combs, hairbrushes or pillows are just dead skin cells.

While stress can compound the problem by affecting your body's ability to fight the Pityrosporum ovale (P. ovale) fungus - the main cause of dandruff-stress by itself has never been proven to actually cause dandruff.

A dry scalp is usually a result of your body producing lower levels of sebum - the skins natural oil. However, the flakes you see as a result of dandruff are actually groups of dead skin cells that are being replaced at accelerated levels because of the Pityrosporum ovale (P. ovale) fungus. As the P. ovale grows in size and numbers, it causes increased skin irritation and accelerates the rate at which old skin cells are shed and replaced. The result: Dandruff.

Because dandruff is caused by an over abundance of the fungus called Pityrosporum ovale (P. ovale), washing your hair regularly would probably help to control the flakes, but would do little to fight the actual P. ovale fungus. Even if you have the best hygiene habits in the world, there are a number of factors beyond your control that can cause dandruff.

Actually, the problem isn't the greasy hair, but the type of grease or sebum - the skin's natural oil - that is produced. People with dandruff or seborrhea have a different chemical composition of sebum that allows the Pityrosporum ovale (P. ovale) fungus to grow more readily.

Much like sharing a hairbrush or pillow won't cause or pass on dandruff, wearing a hat won't cause dandruff either. The only time wearing a hat can affect the cause of dandruff is when the hat doesn't allow your scalp perspiration to properly evaporate. When this happens, perspiration can become alkaline and allow fungus to easily grow.

No matter how many times you wash your hair, you'll never eliminate dandruff by washing away the flakes and other symptoms, without treating the actual cause. Since dandruff is caused by a fungus called Pityrosporum ovale (P. ovale), the best way to clear your scalp of dandruff is to use a shampoo designed to fight P. ovale. NIZORAL* contains ketoconazole - the world's most frequently used ingredient for the treatment of dandruff because it's clinically proven to kill the P. ovale fungus.