A dermatologist and a psychologist share insight on physical-mental stress loops and the stress-dandruff connection.

Theres nothing like a bout of full-body anxiety to remind you that your psychology and physiology areseriouslyintertwined.

Examples of this stress loop are wide-ranging, from indigestion to insomnia.

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One surprising common culprit?

Itsdandruff, which can flare up when youre feeling tense.

Spoiler: Its not.

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According to psychologist Sanam Hafeez, PsyD, reducing your stress may actually help improve your dry scalp.

Keep reading to learn about the stress-dandruff cycleand how to get out of it.

To take a step back, heres a quick refresher on the fundamentals of dandruff and stress.

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On the other hand, the physical discomfort and emotional insecurity of a flaky scalp can be totally stress-inducing.

The mental state of anxiety can increase the production of stress hormones, Dr. Hafeez says.

Your emotional state can make the physical issues you already have worse.

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And thus, the stress-dandruff cycle begins.

And the more stressed you are, the worse your skin conditions may become, she says.

How to break the cycle

So how do you put an end to it?

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The first step, according to Dr. Hafeez, is searching for the source of your symptoms.

Step one is recognition, she says.

Identifying patterns of what triggers your stress is the key to managing it.

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Seizing control of what we can and accepting what we cant will reduce our stress levels.

One thing you definitelycancontrol?

How you remedy your scalp.

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The ingredients antibacterial and antifungal properties fight yeast growth, which is a main factor in dandruff.

This gives the ingredients time to activate.

And during those extra moments?

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Want to learn more about loving your scalp?

Get the scoop fromHead & Shoulders, and stock up on products atWalgreens.

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