In this article, you will find easy and effective home remedies for dandruff, which in the first place, help you prevent dandruff and, if it has already occurred, then in curing dandruff.
What is Dandruff?
Dandruff is a skin and hair condition in which dry flakes of dead skin cells are shed from the scalp that sometimes fall on your shoulders and face too. If left untreated, it can turn into frequent itching, together with excessive development of scales on the skin. The intensity of dandruff is affected by weather, and it usually gets severe in winter. Dandruff affects people irrespective of their age, gender, or ethnicity.
Those who have dandruff know how those tiny flakes constantly falling on their dress make them low on confidence and self-esteem. So, it impacts your behavior negatively in public.
Causes of Dandruff
Dandruff occurs when bacterial and fungus infections begin to grow on your scalp. This can cause scalp damage and severe dryness. There is another type of dandruff. In this type, your scalp starts producing more oil, so dandruff gets oily and sticky on your hair. Following are some of the leading causes of dandruff.
- Irregular brushing and hair washing.
- Not using shampoo regularly.
- Stress.
- Hormonal fluctuations
Now that you know the primary causes of dandruff, let us understand how to get rid of it without any medical treatment by following some simple home remedies.
Now that you know the causes of dandruff, let us discuss how you can get rid of dandruff. Home remedies can effectively treat dandruff, provided the condition is not very severe. However, if dandruff is very severe or the home remedies can’t resolve your problem, you might need medical treatment.
The home remedies are simple, and mostly the ingredients would be available in your kitchen.
Home Remedies to Prevent and Cure Dandruff
Dandruff is a persistent condition, but it can be tamed. Following are dermatologists recommended 15 home remedies for dandruff:
- Cleanliness: Maintain your hair and scalp clean.
- Comb and hairbrush: Wash your comb and hairbrush regularly to keep them clean.
- No sharing: Neither you should use other’s towels, combs, or hairbrushes, nor share yours with others. Dandruff is highly contagious.
- Avoid stress: Try to avoid stress, as it is seen that stress contributes to the growth of dandruff.
- Avoid wet hair for a long time: Do not allow your hair to remain wet for a long time. Keeping the scalp wet for a long time contributes to the development of dandruff.
- Comb or brush your hair often during the day: It stimulates blood circulation in the scalp.
- Balanced diet: A balanced healthy diet facilitates preventing dandruff.
- Herbal oil: Massage your scalp regularly with herbal oil or warm coconut oil for half an hour twice a week. This can help to get relief from dandruff. Click on this link to look for anti-dandruff herbal oil and treatments.
- Shampooing regularly to drain down dandruff: Shampooing regularly keeps your hair and scalp clean. This will also help you eliminate extra oil (excessive oil contributes to the overgrowth of Malassezia and flakes). Allow the shampoo to remain on your scalp for a few minutes before rinsing it.
- Switch your Shampoo: If your regular shampoo is not helping to get rid of dandruff even after daily washing, it’s an indication to change your shampoo to an anti-dandruff shampoo. Look for one that suits you the best by using different anti-dandruff shampoos. Click on this link to look for the best anti-dandruff shampoos.
- Rotate Shampoo Brands: After using the shampoo continuously for a period, you may find it’s not working anymore. Little flakes may reappear. It happens as you are likely to develop resistance to a particular brand’s active ingredients after continuously using it. To overcome this problem, try rotating brands of anti-dandruff shampoos every month, each having a different formulation. For example, use one shampoo for a month, then change to a second brand for the next month, then to a third brand the next month, revert to the first one, and so on.
- Repeat Lathering: Lathering and rinsing will help you get rid of the loose flakes and oil build-up on your scalp and hair. Repeat shampooing for the second time and leave the lather on your hair for five minutes before rinsing it off. This way, the shampoo gets a chance to penetrate the skin cells and does the job properly.
- Use hair conditioner: The medicated anti-dandruff shampoo will likely stiffen your hair and make it less manageable. Some of them also dry your scalp, which tends to add flaking. Apply a good hair conditioner after washing your hair with anti-dandruff shampoo to overcome this problem and nourish your hair with moisture. Click on this link to look for the best anti-dandruff hair conditioner.
- Stop scratching your scalp with your fingernails: Avoid doing this. You may injure your scalp with fingernails. If you break the skin on your scalp, stop using medicated shampoo for some time. Use a mild shampoo, like baby shampoo, until the scratches are healed.
- Shower after sweating: Sweat can irritate your scalp and contribute to the flaking of skin cells. So, after exercise or vigorous work, if you have sweat on your scalp, rinse it off.
The above remedies will help you to prevent and cure dandruff.