The skin of the scalp (and also of the whole body) is constantly renews itself by shedding the outer layer of skin cells. Most of the time this shedding is unnoticeable. But when this shedding becomes noticeable on the scalp, it is called dandruff.
Mild dandruff occurs not due to dryness of the scalp but usually is a result of too much oiliness of the skin. If you have large size flakes together with symptoms around your nose, eyebrows, ears, around your navel or genitals, it may be due to seborrheic dermatitis or seborrhea. Severe dandruff may be the result of psoriasis of the scalp. Seborrheic dermatitis may be caused by an increased number of a yeast-like organism (pityrosporum ovale) found on healthy scalp in low numbers. Dandruff can occur to anybody at any age. It should not be left untreated.
Zinc and essential fatty acids (pumpkin seeds, nuts, vegetable oils) prevent dandruff.
Home cure & remedy of dandruff
For good hair without dandruff, drink at least 2 liters of water daily, eat lots of salads, green vegetables, and fresh fruits. Combs must be washed as frequently and hair should be brushed regularly. Dandruff is a scalp condition that can be controlled. Too little oil or too much oil can result in dandruff. Try the following:
1. Mix 2 teaspoons of pure vinegar in 6 teaspoons of water and apply it on the scalp before going to bed. Tie a towel around the head. Wash your head next morning. After shampooing, rinse again with vinegar water. Treat your hair like this once a week for at least three months.
2. Mix 1 teaspoon of lemon juice with 2 teaspoons of vinegar and massage on the scalp. Wash your hair with an egg shampoo.
3. Take 1 part of almond oil, 1 part of pure sulphur powder, 2 parts of 'surgical spirit' and 4 parts of distilled water or rose water and mix well. Rub on the scalp.
4. Take 2 cups of water, add 4-5 tablespoons of dried thyme and boil for 10 minutes. Cool, strain, and use the mixture to massage scalp. Keep for half an hour.
5. Dissolve 2 aspirins in any dandruff shampoo and wash your hair.
6. Massage the scalp with almond oil. Dip a towel in boiling water and wrap it around the hair. Repeat it thrice or four times when the towel gets cold.
7. Make a shampoo by mixing 100g of amla (Indian goose berry), reetha, and shikakai, and boil in two liters of water until the liquid reduces to half. Use this shampoo for one month. Dandruff will vanish and your hair will become thick.
8. Fenugreek seeds are also useful in the removal of dandruff. Grind fenugreek (methi) seeds soaked in water overnight. Massage this paste on scalp and hair and leave it for 15-20 minutes. Wash it off with a mild shampoo.
9. Wash your hair with warm apple cider vinegar. Then cover your head with a towel or a shower cap and leave for about 30-40 minutes. Rinse with plain water. Repeat 2 times a week until your dandruff goes away.
10. Take a palm full of baking soda and rub it on your wet hair. Wash it off with water. The baking soda should relieve the itching and help in reducing the problem of dandruff.
11. Mix 100g of witch hazel and 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice in 200ml of water. Shampoo your hair and apply with cotton to the scalp when the hair are still wet. Repeat several times until the dandruff is treated.
12. Try a shampoo with selenium sulfide or salicylic acid.
13. Try Zest soap once a week. It may work for oily hair. It leaves your hair dry, so use conditioner to your hair only but try not to get it on your scalp. It has worked to get rid of dandruff for some people.
How to prevent and treat dandruff
Dandruff, a condition characterized by flaking, itchy scalp, is one of the most common dermatological conditions. Fortunately, while the exact cause of dandruff is not known, there are some things you can do to reduce your risk of getting it, and effective treatments are available.
Steps
1. Eat a healthy, balanced diet. A healthy diet may ward off the flakes. Make sure to get plenty of zinc, Omega-3 fatty acids, E and B-vitamins, and avoid excessive yeast and sugar. Research suggests that dandruff is at least in part caused by a fungus that thrives in yeasty, fatty, sugary environments. Though this does not necessarily directly affect the conditions of your skin, your overall health will help with how your body responds to the fungus causing the dandruff.
2. Don't worry, be happy. Stress challenges the body's defenses and encourages all sorts of ailments, including dandruff, so relax now and don't worry about wearing a black shirt tomorrow.
3. Limit your use of hair styling products. Hairspray, mousse, and gel may contribute to dandruff in some people. They may also cause excessive drying of the skin, which can cause flaking - or trigger allergic reactions. If you notice dandruff soon after you begin to use a new product, chances are the product is to blame. The exception to this would be using a therapeutic styling gel or spray formulated with tea tree oil.
4. Wash your hair regularly. Dandruff seems to thrive in oily hair, so regular shampooing can help you fight it off. If you already have dandruff, washing your hair may help you keep the symptoms (the flakes) under control until it goes away. Massage your scalp so that you clean your skin, as well as your hair. Wash your hair many times. The first washing breaks up the waxy sebum, and the second washing helps rinse it all away.
5. Use a shampoo designed to treat dandruff. If dandruff persists despite regular shampooing, you may need something stronger. There are a variety of anti-dandruff shampoos available at your pharmacy or grocery store, and they usually work. Be sure to follow the instructions carefully, and make a little extra time to shower, as most of these recommend that you leave them in for 5-10 minutes and lather twice.
6. Oil your hair with herbal oils or use special herbal gels. Do this on a regular basis, at least twice a week for improvements.
7. Be aware that there are different active ingredients in dandruff shampoos. If one does not work for you try another. Ketoconazole (brand name Nizoral®) is extremely effective against certain types of dandruff that are caused by a fungus. 1% Ketoconazole is available without prescription in the US, 2% requires a prescription. The 2% is available without a prescription in Canada.
8. Be patient. While anti-dandruff shampoos may produce results, it can take a week or two to see the difference.
9. Switch it up. If one type of anti-dandruff shampoo doesn't seem to work, or if it works for a time but then doesn't, switch to a product with another active ingredient (the active ingredient will be labeled on the bottle).
10. See your doctor if the problem persists after more than a couple weeks of treatment. There are prescription shampoos available, and steroid creams may also help.
Tips
* Try using a softer shampoo. Several barbers have said that the cause is often a harsh shampoo which kills or dries out the skin.
* Another possible remedy consists of pouring a generous amount of table salt into your hand before showering. Gently rub it in your whole scalp. Rinse it out in the shower, and shampoo normally.
* It's best to get your vitamins from food, rather than nutritional supplements. A quick Internet search will turn up foods you can integrate into your diet that are rich in zinc, Omega-3s, and B-vitamins.
* If anti-dandruff shampoos aren't working, or if you notice redness on the scalp or silvery or yellow flakes, you may not have dandruff at all. A number of other conditions can lead to flaking skin and itchy scalp. See your primary care physician or dermatologist.
* A quick internet search will turn up all kinds of home remedies for dandruff. While some of these may indeed work, anti-dandruff shampoos are inexpensive enough to be adequate for most people.
* Wear light-colored clothing (especially tops) while you have dandruff. Most people won't even notice.
* If you have hay fever, eczema, or other skin or respiratory allergies, your dandruff may be caused in part by an allergic reaction. In this situation, you may find it helpful to shampoo LESS frequently, so the natural oils that protect your scalp aren't stripped away. Allergic people may also react to dandruff shampoos by generating more dandruff. If you think this may be the case for you, try washing your hair with conditioner only, or washing less frequently.
* Try the condition only treatment first during a vacation or a time when you will be less publicly visible, since your scalp will be very oily at first. It will take two weeks to a month for the balance of oils on your hair and scalp to adjust itself.
* Rinsing your scalp with a rinse of 1/4 cup of white vinegar and 3/4 cup of water may help the problem. The natural acids will help loosen any sebum (dead skin and oils) that clings to your scalp and flakes to form dandruff. Rinse thoroughly with WARM, not hot, water. If you don't rinse well, you will smell like vinegar. While white vinegar is the gold standard of home remedies and apple cider vinegar or lemon juice should work as well. Lemon juice may lighten dark hair.
* Tea tree oil has antiseptic qualities that may help kill the fungus, and keep your scalp moisturized. You can buy a small bottle at many groceries and health food stores, and add 5-6 drops to your regular shampoo. Or just purchase a shampoo that contains tea tree oil.
* Buy and use two or three different types of regular shampoo and don't use the same one two days in a row. For some reason this gets rid of lesser cases of dandruff.
* Scalpicin® may be useful for particularly itchy scalps. They contain either anti-inflammatory ingredients (like hydrocortisone) or one of the active anti-dandruff ingredients. Usually these treatments also contain menthol, which provides a cooling effect that reduces the sensation of itching.
Warnings
* Some anti-dandruff shampoos, such as those containing selenium sulfide or coal tar may discolor dyed hair.
* Discontinue use of any anti-dandruff shampoo or medication if the condition worsens or spreads, or if you notice side effects. Consult your primary care physician or dermatologist if the problem doesn't go away.
* Watch out for shampoos that are packaged to look like dandruff shampoos but only say that they will rinse away loose dandruff. Any shampoo will rinse away loose dandruff.
* Using more than one anti-dandruff product may cause redness and irritation.
* Avoid Sodium Lauryl Sulphate (SLS). It's a foaming compound that's a mild irritant. Some people find that using specialist soap without SLS as a shampoo for a couple of weeks makes their dandruff go away. You'll probably get it back if you switch back to ordinary shampoo.
Shampoo with one of these anti-dandruff ingredients: ketoconazole, zinc pyrithione, selenium sulfide, salicylic acid, coal tar extract, or sulfur. If one doesn't work try another.