Integumentary / VISUAL EXPLAINER
Where Do Dandruff Flakes Come From?
Dandruff flakes come from the scalp surface, not broken hair shafts. Resident yeast, skin oil and individual skin responses can contribute, but there is no single explanation for everyone and other scalp conditions also cause flaking.
READ THE IMAGE
What the illustration shows
Portrait educational poster on a deep navy background titled “Where Do Dandruff Flakes Come From?” The subtitle says visible flakes come from the scalp, not the hair shaft. A large oblique close-up of parted dark hair reveals peach scalp with irregular ivory flakes on the surface and among intact hairs. White dot-ended leaders label scalp surface, shed skin flakes and a hair shaft. A lower-left enlarged shallow cutaway shows a continuous dark hair passing through the skin and a thin pale piece of the outer surface lifting away; a cyan arrow points outward beside its free edge. Text says small pieces of outer skin can shed as visible flakes and identifies the view as a schematic not to scale. A separate lower-right panel, “Possible Contributors,” shows rounded resident yeast forms on a thin amber skin-oil film, with leaders labeling yeast and skin oil (sebum). It says resident yeast, skin oil and individual skin responses can play a role, and that there is no single cause for everyone. The surface detail is marked not to scale. A caution says other scalp conditions can also cause flaking. The flat navy footer contains gold “AllHumanBody.com” and the slogan “REAL ANATOMY. REAL KNOWLEDGE. A HEALTHIER TOMORROW.”
How to interpret this poster
- Not a diagnosis from flake appearance. Yeast and oil symbols are enlarged, not patient microscopy; no shampoo, treatment or hygiene claim.
- AI-assisted educational illustration; not physician certification, a diagnosis or individualized medical advice.
- Fine annotations require enlargement; preserve the full uncropped illustration and its qualifiers.
AI-assisted educational illustration, adapted into web-sized images without changing its composition. This is general education, not an individual diagnosis or treatment recommendation.
EVIDENCE / CONTEXT
Sources and what they support
- AAD: Dandruff ↗
Scalp-flake origin and multiple possible contributors.
- NHS: Dandruff ↗
Skin flakes and resident yeast context.
- AAD: Seborrheic dermatitis causes ↗
Qualified yeast, sebum and skin-response context, not a universal dandruff sequence.