Before you go through the tips on how to get rid of dandruff at home, be sure you have dandruff, and not mistake dry scalp with dandruff. And both these conditions have different treatments so you need to first confirm whether it’s dry scalp or dandruff buildup.
Let’s have a look at the causes of dandruff
- Dry skin – Dryness is one of the most contributing factors for dandruff. Those with dry skin are more likely to develop dandruff than those with normal skin.
- Oily skin – Just like dry skin, even oily skin causes dandruff. The hyper active sebaceous glands lead to seborrheic dermatitis that affects the oil glands thus leading to dandruff.
- Not shampooing enough – If the hair is not washed on regular basis then dirt accumulates, thus leading to dandruff.
- Skin ailments – Skin problems such as eczema, psoriasis and other skin conditions also lead to dandruff.
- Sensitivity to hair products – Some women are quite sensitive to hair dyes and certain hair care products, especially those with paraphenylenediamine. These products cause redness, itchiness and scaly scalp.
Here are some tips on how to remove dandruff
When our scalp dries, just like our skin on any other body part, it sheds off the dead cells in the form of white flakes. If there is too much shedding of the dead cells, it shows prominently on the head and this is what is called dandruff. Apart from the home remedies, here are some tips and tricks for you to opt for to reduce dandruff. Don’t let the dandruff slay your confidence.
1. Medicated Shampoos
It is a herculean task to find the right medicated shampoo that suits oneself. There are a number of non-prescription shampoos that work as good anti-dandruff treatment options. They help in minimizing and eventually eradicating white flakes and itching. Some of them are Matrix Biolage Scalp Therapie Anti-Dandruff shampoo, Nizoral, Cipla 8X, Body Shop Ginger shampoo etc.
You will need:
- For malassezia reduction, use shampoos that have zinc pyrithione and ketoconazole.
- To reduce presence of fungus and slow down the dead cell turnover on the scalp, use selenium sulfide based shampoos or tar shampoos
How to apply
- The medicated shampoos cause side effects and hence always condition after the hair wash.
- Rinse well after use.
- Shampoo until dandruff is under control and then minimize the use to couple of times a week.
- During the hair wash, let the shampoo work on the scalp for five minutes before you wash it off.
2. Multivitamin Tablets
For dry scalp based dandruff sufferers, multivitamin tablets will help reduce the dandruff. These vitamins will help generate scalp oil and minimize the dead cell generation.
3. Fruits
The multivitamin tablets is a dietary supplement which most of us might not be comfortable with. In such scenarios, it is better to increase the intake of fresh fruits that hold the rich vitamins and minerals. It is one of the best treatment for dandruff.
- Fruits like cantaloupe, apricots, peaches and papaya that are rich in Vitamin A help improve scalp conditions and alleviate dandruff issues.
- Bananas that are rich in Vitamin B will help develop new cells and keep the scalp healthy and free of dandruff.
- Citrus fruits like pineapples, oranges, lemon, grapefruits, kiwi, strawberries that have good amounts of vitamin C help prevent dandruff.
4. Baby Oil
Baby oil works for dandruff or dry scalp effectively. If you have wondered for long on how to reduce dandruff, then you must understand that the regular shampooing removes the natural hair oils and hence keeping the scalp moist is a good solution.
You will need:
- Baby oil
- Towel
- Mild shampoo or herbal shampoo
How to apply
- Massage baby oil into hair and scalp.
- Let your hair soak for about 30 minutes.
- Wash it off with a mild herbal shampoo.
- Let the hair dry before you start combing.
5. Shampooing Techniques
Switch from regular shampoos to organic shampoos that are free of silicones, sulfates etc., to minimize the dandruff.
How to apply
- Wet the hair with lukewarm water
- Gently massage the organic shampoo on the scalp
- Wash with cold water which will close the cuticles of hair and keeps the dirt and dandruff away.
- While drying use a fresh towel that is only intended for hair so that dirt or harmful substances from other parts of body don’t get into the hair.
- Do not rub the towel, just pad it and let the towel absorb the moisture.
- Avoid shampooing often. Wash the hair twice a week to get rid of the itchiness and oily hair dandruff.
6. Scalp Brushes
It is advisable to use natural bristle brush with medium stiffness to brush your hair. Though this brush helps clean your hair and distributes the oil, a scalp brush will help remove the flakes, dirt resting on the scalp. It will also aid in distributing the sebum (natural oil secreted by the hair) evenly.
7. Expose to Sun
Sunlight, the vital source of vitamin D is one competent dandruff solution that is inexpensive. This vitamin is a powerful tool against dandruff. Take in the morning light everyday but make sure you cover your hair from pollution and dirt.
8. Watch The Water
Hard water contains high content of chemicals and minerals like calcium and magnesium. This water when used to wash the hair form a scaly film on hair obstructing the moisture from entering the scalp.
Either a shower filter or a water softener should be implemented to avoid drastic effects of hard water on the hair.
9. Apple cider vinegar
You can use apple cider vinegar to wash your hair and rinse your scalp specifically to remove dry and flaky scales. The skin cells in the scalp mature and die too fast, thereby causing itching, leading to more dandruff formation. Vinegar removes the buildup dead skin cells, whilst clearing off clogged pores.
Even formation of fungus leads to dandruff that can be cleared by applying apple cider vinegar.
However be warned the vinegar will leave behind its smell, so only when you are at home say on weekends use vinegar as your anti-dandruff shampoo.
You will need
- 1/2 cup of warm water
- 1/2 cup of apple cider vinegar
How to apply
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- Mix warm water with vinegar in a cup. If you have long hair then you can increase the quantity
- Now carefully pour the mixture on your scalp and gently scrub it for few minutes
- Now rinse it off with tap water
- Do not use your regular shampoo on the same day. Repeat this process once in a week for best results
10. Baking Soda
Baking soda is another great home remedy that assures your scalp to get rid of dandruff, whilst avoiding any more buildup in the near future.
Baking soda acts as an exfoliating agent that helps in removing dead skin cells. The baking soda is also capable of fighting against the fungus that boosts dandruff buildup. It also helps in cleaning clogged pores apart from cleaning the flaky scales that are struck in the hair.
You will need
- 1 tbspn of baking soda
- 1 cup of water
- Few drops of rosemary oil
How to apply –
- Mix one tablespoon of soda with one cup of warm water and essential oil and pour the solution in a bottle and shake well. The essential oil is used to avoid any kind of smell after the shower.
- Now use this mixture as your shampoo and gently rinse it on the scalp to remove dandruff. Do not forget to shake the bottle before applying
- Your hair may seem to dry out but it will restore the oil and moisture content soon
- If you feel like using your regular shampoo as well, then mix the soda with your shampoo and apply
Hope this post on how to get rid of dandruff at home helps to clean your scalp.
1 comment
Is it possible hair products could give one dandruff? I never use to have dandruff but now its so severe after using a particular hair relaxer.I stopped buh d dandruff has left since instead its getting worse by the day.