INTERVIEW TRICHOLOGIST — DESIREE DANKERS "The scalp is the most underestimated part of your beauty routine."

We sat down with Desiree Dankers, trichologist, clinic specialist and one of the most knowledgeable Dutch voices in scalp health, to talk honestly about dandruff. What it is, why it keeps coming back, and what actually works. No shortcuts and marketing language, just science, clarity and 25 years of experience.

Désirée, let's start at the beginning. What does a trichologist actually do?

"A trichologist is a specialist in everything related to hair and scal, particularly hair disorders and scalp conditions. Think of it as a branch of dermatology. Where you'd go to a dermatologist for a skin problem, you go to a trichologist for a scalp problem."

Desiree has been running her own practice for 25 years, working as well in a hair clinic alongside dermatologists and seeing a wide spectrum of patients: from those looking to optimise their routine to those dealing with persistent, distressing scalp conditions.

What does someone with dandruff actually experience?

"It shows up on your shoulders. People stop wearing dark clothes. They feel unclean, they feel insecure, and almost always,  there's itching. The psychological side of dandruff is deeply underestimated."

That last point matters. Dandruff is not just a surface issue. For many people, it quietly shapes what they wear, how confident they feel in meetings, whether they feel comfortable being close to others. The social weight of it is real.

Is dandruff the same as having a dry scalp?

"Absolutely not, and confusing the two leads to the wrong treatment. A dry scalp produces small, fine particles, like dry skin falling off. Dandruff caused by Malassezia yeast produces larger, stickier flakes that cling and accumulate on the scalp. They only come loose when you run your fingers through your hair."

This distinction is clinically important. Dry scalp calls for moisturising support. Dandruff calls for microbiome rebalancing. Treating one as the other, as many consumers do, explains why so many people feel stuck in a cycle of temporary relief and recurring symptoms.

So what actually causes dandruff?

"Dandruff is caused by an accelerated cell renewal cycle on the scalp, triggered by an imbalance in the scalp's microbiome. Normally, skin cells reach the surface in 28 days. When the microbiome is disrupted, that cycle can shorten to 21 days or fewer. More cells arrive at the surface faster than they can be cleared and that excess becomes the environment where Malassezia yeast thrives."

The microbiome itself is a living ecosystem of bacteria, yeasts and micro-organisms that naturally protect the scalp. When something disrupts that ecosystem — stress, seasonal changes, harsh products, hormonal shifts — the balance tips, and dandruff begins.

What disrupts the microbiome?

"Stress is one of the biggest triggers especially for seborrhoeic dermatitis. Seasonal changes are significant too. In autumn and winter, humidity drops, heating goes on indoors, daylight decreases. We also see flare-ups linked to medication, infections and hormonal changes."

Desiree also flags something many people overlook: wearing hats and caps. Trapping heat and sebum against the scalp creates exactly the conditions Malassezia yeast needs to multiply. If you're dandruff-prone and active, post-exercise washing isn't optional it's part of the treatment logic.

Many people try to solve dandruff with aggressive cleansing. What happens?

"You remove the flakes but you álso strip the microbiome. And then the scalp responds by producing more. You've broken the protective barrier, caused more irritation, and made the cycle worse. Aggressive treatment is counterproductive. The approach has to be gentle, consistent and targeted."

This is one of the most important reframes in modern scalp care. The instinct to scrub harder, wash more aggressively, use stronger products it backfires. The scalp needs respect, not force.

What role does a leave-in treatment play versus shampoo?

"Shampoo cleanses. That's its function. But active ingredients need time on the scalp to actually work. When you rinse after 60 seconds, you remove most of the potential. A leave-in treatment stays. It allows the actives to do what they're designed to do — address the cause, not just the surface."

This is the scientific logic behind Calmbay's leave-in approach. Contact time is not a luxury: it's a biological requirement for efficacy.

Is there a role for scalp massage?

"Yes. Massaging the scalp activates blood flow to the hair follicle. It gives the follicle a boost. With your hands you can be gentle and controlled. A mild scalp brush or soft scrub used once a week can also help remove build-up without disrupting the microbiome."

How often should we actually wash our hair?

"Two to three times per week is optimal for microbiome balance. The idea that you can train your scalp to produce less sebum by washing less is a myth. Every dermatologist will confirm that. The scalp has more sebaceous glands than almost anywhere else on the body — it needs regular, gentle cleansing."

She's clear: washing your hair is for your scalp, not your hair. The shampoo should be chosen based on scalp type — and used accordingly.

And once dandruff is under control — can you stop treating?

"You can stop the active treatment phase. But if you're naturally prone to dandruff, preventive maintenance matters. One anti-dandruff wash per week keeps the scalp in balance. Think of it the way you think about your face — you don't stop caring for it once it clears up."

Final thought?

"People know how to care for their skin. Most still don't know how to care for their scalp. And the scalp ages just like the face does. It's the most underinvested part of most beauty routines — and it shows in the hair."

Desiree Dankers works in her own clinic and in collaboration with dermatologists. She has specialised in trichology for over 25 years.

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A closer look on the science

What are peptides?

Peptides are short chains of amino acids, the smallest building blocks of proteins. They are not new: they occur naturally in the body and direct processes such as skin repair, cell communication and immune responses.

In premium skincare, peptides have been a gold standard for more than twenty years. They are valued for their precision: they communicate with specific cells or structures without overloading the skin. That is the difference from broad-spectrum ingredients that target everything, including what does not need
to be touched.

What does the Calmbay peptide do for the microbiome balance?

The most sustainable treatment for dandruff is not one that makes the scalp sterile. It is one that brings the microbiome back into balance so the skin can maintain itself.

The scalp microbiome is a delicate ecosystem. A healthy scalp has a richer, more diverse microbial community. With dandruff, diversity decreases: Malassezia
restricta dominates, while beneficial species such as Cutibacterium acnes fade into the background. The result is a dysregulated system that repeatedly falls out of balance, even after treatment.

Conventional anti-dandruff treatments reduce Malassezia, but do not always positively influence the broader microbiome composition. Once treatment stops, the imbalance returns — sometimes more quickly, because beneficial micro-organisms have also been disrupted.

hLF1-11 works with greater selectivity. By curbing Malassezia overgrowth through direct cell wall interaction and iron sequestration, while simultaneously
strengthening local immunity, it creates the conditions under which the microbiome can restore itself. The skin does not become dependent on an
external agent — it is empowered to regain its own regulatory capacity.

How does Malassezia disrupt the balance on your scalp?

On a healthy scalp, Malassezia is always present. It is a lipophilic yeast, meaning it feeds on the fatty acids in sebum. In a healthy state, Malasseziaexists in balance with other micro-organisms, including Cutibacterium acnes and Staphylococcus epidermidis.

With dandruff, that balance shifts. Malassezia restricta grows excessively, while Cutibacterium acnes declines. This is not coincidental: C.acnes produces propionic acid, which helps regulate Malassezia overgrowth. When that bacterium declines, the scalp loses part of its own self-regulatory capacity.

Inovergrowth, Malassezia metabolises sebum and produces free fatty acids such as oleic acid in the process. These fatty acids irritate the skin barrier, trigger inflammatory responses and accelerate the rate at which skin cells divide. The result: the rapid flaking we see as dandruff, combined with itching
and sometimes redness.

The solution is not to eliminate Malassezia entirely. It is always present and plays a role in the ecosystem. The solution is to restore balance: curbing the
overgrowth, supporting the skin barrier and creating the conditions in which the microbiome can self-regulate again.

That is precisely what the active ingredient in Calmbay does.

What is HLF1-11?

hLF1-11 is the name of the peptide at the core of the Calmbay formula. The name refers to the amino acid sequence.

Lactoferrin is a protein the human body produces itself. It is present in breast milk, saliva, tears and mucous embranes, wherever the body meets the outside world and needs to defend itself. Lactoferrin has strong antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties, and plays an important role in innate immunity.

Researchers discovered that much of lactoferrin's potency resides in a specific fragment. This fragment was found to possess broad antifungal activity, antimicrobial properties and immunomodulatory effects.

hLF1-11 is the synthetic, stable reproduction of this fragment. That may sound technical, but the implication is simple: it is an active ingredient the body recognises as its own. Not a foreign chemical compound, but a molecule inspired by what nature has already designed.

In the Calmbay Anti-Dandruff Scalp Treatment, this peptide acts directly on the fungal cells that cause dandruff and simultaneously on the scalp's own immune system.

How exactly does the Calmbay peptide work on the yeast cells?

hLF1-11 works through multiple mechanisms simultaneously. That is what sets it apart from conventional anti-dandruff treatments, which typically operate through a single mode of action.

Direct action on the cell wall
hLF1-11 binds to the cell wall of Malassezia and disrupts its integrity. This process leads to cytolysis: the rupture and death of the fungal cell. The yeast cannot defend itself against this mechanism, because the
peptide targets fundamental structures in the cell wall.

Depriving the environment of iron
Lactoferrin-derived peptides bind iron. Malassezia requires iron for growth and virulence. By sequestering iron from the yeast's immediate environment its growth is slowed, without placing any burden on the skin itself.

Strengthening local immunity
Beyond direct antifungal action, hLF1-11 modulates the skin's immune response. It activates monocytes and macrophages — immune cells that can themselves clear fungal cells — and regulates inflammatory signals so the skin remains calmer.

Synergy with other active ingredients
Laboratory research shows that hLF1-11 works synergistically with other antifungal agents: the combined effect is greater than the sum of its parts. This makes the peptide exceptionally well-suited as a core ingredient in a multi-active formula.

Together,these mechanisms deliver something conventional products rarely offer: targeted, lasting action on the cause, not the symptom.

Why are peptides now central to scalp care?

The scalp is not an extension of the hair: it is skin, with its own microbiome, its own barrier function and its own vulnerability to imbalance. The challenges are specific, and call for specific active ingredients.

Calmbay uses a bio-identical peptide that acts directly on the root cause of dandruff: the overgrowth of Malassezia yeast and the associated microbiome disruption.