Dandruff is common and one in five people has got dandruff. Dandruff causes hair to fall. Men suffer from dandruff and baldness more than women because they usually have weaker scalp barriers than women. Before writing about how to get rid of dandruff, I want you to know what is dandruff and what causes it.
What is Dandruff?
Dandruff is a skin condition that is caused by the overgrowth of fungus in the skin of the scalp. It's small white or grey flakes on the scalp's skin and when it combines with dirt or oil then it gives itching and sometimes inflammation to the skin. When sebum (natural skin oil) breaks down into oleic acid then many people are sensitive to it and this sensitivity gives itching and inflammation. Dandruff can't be cured completely but there are treatments available that help to control it.
Dandruff causes:
There can be different causes of dandruff but sometimes the cause is unknown. However, the main reasons behind dandruff in the hair are as follow,
- Dryness in the scalp
- Not washing hair often.
- Inflammation and oily skin (Seborrheic Dermatitis)
- Fungus Malassezia
- Certain hair care products.
- Prolonged exposure to sunlight.
- Psoriasis or Certain medical conditions
- Using a hairdryer.
- Air pollution.
- Stress.
- Poor diet.
- Alkaline shampoos
- Zinc deficiency.
In many cases, dandruff isn't contagious but dandruff fungus is contagious and it can spread from one person to another. For this, it's better to use a separate comb and towel in order to avoid spreading dandruff to others.
Dandruff Treatment:
Dandruff can be treated in two ways,
- Home Remedies
- Anti-dandruff shampoo treatment
Shampoos are usually more effective and give a quick result. You can also try both home remedies and anti-dandruff shampoo at the same time for a better result.
Home Remedies For Dandruff:
Control Your Stress Level:
Dry skin conditions can be caused by a higher stress level. Stress silently attacks your immune system. It affects you both physically and mentally. When stress weakens your immune system then it makes it harder for your body to fight against infections or inflammations so it's important to control your stress level through different activities. If you want to know how to control stress then I wrote a post on Oxidative Stress And Its Remedies and I wrote about daily stress remedies in it so you can check it.
Have A Proper Diet:
Proper nutrition plays an important role in your overall health. For improving your scalp's skin conditions, add foods having omega 3, vitamin B12 and probiotics. Omega 3 is found in fish. Vitamin B-12 is found in fish, meat, eggs, milk and in other dairy products. Probiotics are found in yoghurt, kimchi, pickles, etc.
Using Hair Mask:
Home Remedies For Dandruff:
Control Your Stress Level:
Dry skin conditions can be caused by a higher stress level. Stress silently attacks your immune system. It affects you both physically and mentally. When stress weakens your immune system then it makes it harder for your body to fight against infections or inflammations so it's important to control your stress level through different activities. If you want to know how to control stress then I wrote a post on Oxidative Stress And Its Remedies and I wrote about daily stress remedies in it so you can check it.
Have A Proper Diet:
Proper nutrition plays an important role in your overall health. For improving your scalp's skin conditions, add foods having omega 3, vitamin B12 and probiotics. Omega 3 is found in fish. Vitamin B-12 is found in fish, meat, eggs, milk and in other dairy products. Probiotics are found in yoghurt, kimchi, pickles, etc.
Using Hair Mask:
Hair and Beauty go side by side. Apply a hair mask twice a week and wash your hair with an anti-dandruff shampoo. There are some effective recipes for a hair mask. You can check the hair mask recipe on my post Vitamin E For Hair.
Dandruff Treatment By Anti-Dandruff Shampoo:
Anti-dandruff shampoos are used to treat dandruff. It's important to find out which anti-dandruff shampoo suits you. You can ask the pharmacist or doctor for advice on selecting a shampoo. There are a variety of anti-dandruff shampoos so you select them after reading the label.
Anti-dandruff shampoos are usually of six types which are as follows,
- Zinc pyrithione shampoo
- Selenium sulfide shampoo
- Tar-based shampoo
- Ketoconazole shampoo.
- Salicylic acid shampoo.
- Tea tree oil shampoo.
Don't be confused with the different varieties of shampoos. The best is to use one type of shampoo for at least a month if you don't feel a difference then go for another type.
Shampoos containing Zinc pyrithione (which is an antimicrobial) are used to treat mild dandruff. They are used for dandruff caused by seborrheic dermatitis or the fungus Malassezia. These shampoos slow the speed of yeast growth. Head and shoulder is in one of the famous zinc pyrithione shampoos.
Selenium Sulfide Shampoo:
Selenium Sulfide Shampoos are used to treat dandruff caused by fungus or yeast. It reduces the production of excess sebum in the scalp. These shampoos aren't recommended for chemically coloured hair. Using selenium sulfide shampoo results in discolouration of chemically treated hair and it's better to check the label before using it. Selsun Blue is a famous selenium sulfide shampoo.
Tar-Based Shampoo:
Tar-Based anti-dandruff shampoos are used to treat dandruff caused by seborrheic dermatitis and the skin condition psoriasis. These shampoos contain coal tar which is a natural ingredient and quite effective in treating scalp conditions but for some, they also cause skin irritation. T-Gel is a famous tar-based shampoo and there are also a variety of tar-based shampoos available in the market.
Ketoconazole Shampoo:
Ketoconazole shampoo is an antifungal anti-dandruff shampoo. It's used to treat psoriasis and other scalp skin conditions. It may reduce hair fall and if nothing works then go for Ketoconazole shampoo. There are also different types of it and select the one that suits your scalp's skin. These shampoos may have some side effects, therefore, if it contains ketoconazole higher than 2% then the doctor gives a prescription for this shampoo.
Salicylic Acid Shampoo:
These shampoos work like a scrub on the scalp's skin. Salicylic acid is an ingredient used to treat psoriasis and seborrheic dermatitis. They remove dry skin cells from the skin but it may lead to dryness. To avoid dryness, use a conditioner after it. These shampoos are used in small quantities.
Tea Tree Shampoo:
Tea Tree Shampoo:
Tea tree anti-dandruff shampoos are for dry scalp skin conditions. It contains tea tree oil that moisturises the scalp's skin and helps to treat dandruff. Its antifungal and antibacterial properties. It also reduces itchiness and inflammation on the skin.
How To Use Shampoo:
Before using a shampoo check its label. You can also take advice from the pharmacist and they tell you how often you use shampoo. After applying shampoo to your hair, massage your scalp gently and leave it for a few minutes (2-5 mins) then wash it off. Use one shampoo for at least a month and if it doesn't give a result then try others in the same way. You may need to change a few shampoos before knowing the right one for you. Once you see improvement in dandruff then you can use shampoo less often but you can't completely avoid using anti-dandruff shampoo as it's very likely that dandruff comes back. In severe cases, you can check by a doctor.
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good read! I have used Tea tree shampoo, which was really good
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