Dandruff affects the scalp and causes the scalp to flake; it is a common condition. Our skin cells are continually renewed. When the skin cells of our scalp are renewed, the old ones come to the surface. If you are a person who suffers from dandruff, the renewal process is faster, which makes dandruff a more noticeable problem.
The exact cause of dandruff is unknown, although some professionals believe it is associated with an overgrowth of Malassezia, which is a fungus commonly found on the skin and scalp. Dandruff can be a long-term problem or it can be the result of certain lifestyle changes or stress. If you have dandruff, you may also notice itching and redness on your scalp. Excessive flaking can be caused by an underlying disease or condition, such as psoriasis, a fungal infection, or even lice.
Having dandruff can be a real blow to a person’s self esteem, causing them to lose confidence. Therefore, finding an effective dandruff treatment can be important for both physiological and psychological reasons.
How to help prevent dandruff.
Before we get started with the cures and to get rid of dandruff, let’s take a quick look at some of the steps we can take to help prevent dandruff.
- When you shampoo your hair, try not to scratch your scalp too much.
- Try to avoid putting too many chemicals on your hair, such as hair dyes.
- Try to manage your stress better. Good quality sleep and meditation can help you de-stress.
- Brush your hair at least once a day. Shampoo at least three times a week.
- Reduce the use of hair products like gel and spray until dandruff subsides.
- Clean your comb every day. Try using a good quality barbicide (the blue liquid you may have seen your barber or hairdresser use to store your combs and scissors, etc.)
- Get more vitamin B in your diet. Include more seafood, fresh vegetables, and nuts in your diet.
- Don’t wash your hair with hard water. If you live in an area with hard water, fit a filter or wash your hair with bottled water.
- Change your shampoo. Sometimes you may be using a shampoo that just doesn’t suit your scalp and can actually agitate your sebaceous glands and cause dandruff. Once you’ve found a shampoo that works for you, stick with it.
Okay, that’s the preventative out of the way … what about the cures?
How to get rid of dandruff naturally.
For those of you who prefer to do things naturally, there are many options available to you. If you prefer to use commercially available medicinal products instead of going the home remedy type route, you can skip the following paragraphs.
- Yogurt is an excellent hair conditioner. After washing your hair, try rubbing some plain yogurt on your scalp. Leave it for 10-15 minutes to do its job. Rinse your hair with a mixture of water and vinegar (you don’t need a lot of vinegar, just a tablespoon in a bowl of water). After rinsing with vinegar water, rinse again with warm water until clean. You can then wash your hair with a little shampoo if you like.
- Boil the peels of a lemon or two in 1 liter of water for 15-20 minutes. Let it cool down and rinse your hair with this solution about once a week.
- Mix the juice of half a lemon with 4 tablespoons of warm olive oil (obviously not hot, just warm. You don’t want to burn yourself). Rub the mixture into the roots before washing your hair with a mild shampoo.
- Get some boric acid powder. This is available at the pharmacy or online and is usually used as an eye wash. Heat any natural oil like olive oil, coconut oil, or castor oil, add a teaspoon of boric powder, and let it dissolve. Divide your hair into separate sections and apply the oil and massage well into the scalp. Leave it on for 2-3 hours or ideally overnight if you can, and then wash your hair in the morning. Do this procedure once a week and if your dandruff is stubborn, try it twice a week.
- Mix two tablespoons of malt or cider vinegar in a cup of warm water. After shampooing and washing your hair, do a final rinse with this vinegar mixture. Do this two or three times a week.
- Take 2 tablespoons of fenugreek seeds, soak them overnight. In the morning, blend them into a fine paste. This paste should be applied to the scalp and left for half an hour. Then the hair should be thoroughly washed with a mild shampoo.
- Add a drop of tea tree oil to your regular shampoo. Tea tree oil has been used for centuries and is a very effective antiseptic and antifungal substance. It works great to fight dandruff.
Over-the-counter remedies.
If natural home remedies aren’t helping you get rid of dandruff, you may want to try some of the many medicated shampoos that are available over the counter, T-Gel and Head & Shoulders are two that come to mind. Try to get a test sample of any brand name medicated shampoo before purchasing. Some brands work better for you than others, because they can be quite harsh, some medicated shampoos can even make your dandruff problem worse by irritating your skin. So shop around until you find one that works.
What if the treatments don’t work?
If you’ve tried all of the above methods and nothing seems to work for you, it could mean there are underlying issues. You may need to speak to a doctor or dermatologist so they can diagnose what exactly the problem is.
