Tips To Rid Your Hair Of Dandruff
Have you ever found yourself sitting in a group of people with an itch on you scalp you are dying to scratch? Your fingers are twitching to scratch that itch but you don’t want to draw that kind of attention to yourself.
Dandruff is a very common scalp condition that is irritating at best, and can be quite embarrassing. With dandruff the skin on your scalp becomes dry and flaky and it can be quite itchy. What’s worse, if you do itch you could unleash a snowy cloud of flaky skin in front of onlookers.
Before you scratch your head in despair, help is at hand. There are a number of ways to rid your hair of dandruff and they may be a lot simpler than you think.
1. Change Shampoos
If you’re using an ordinary shampoo to wash your hair, you could be unwittingly drying out your scalp to give your locks a glossy sheen. It may be time to switch to a dandruff shampoo to tackle the problem head-on. The earliest dandruff shampoos treated the problem but were harsh on the hair. They smelled pretty clinical too. Fortunately, today’s anti-dandruff shampoos are a lot gentler on the hair and scalp and they have a pleasant smell too. The active ingredients in these shampoos can include selenium sulfide, climbazole, or zinc pyrithione, to name a few. You can choose one for your specific hair type and have beautiful shiny hair – minus the dandruff.
2. Coconut Oil
This wonder substance has so many beneficial uses for a range of problems, and one of them just happens to be getting rid of dandruff. Coconut oil is very moisturizing and it has anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties that treat dandruff as well as the cause. Now you don’t want to walk around with an oily head so apply coconut oil to your scalp about 10 to 15 minutes before you shower. You will still get the benefits, but you can wash the coconut oil off before being seen in public.
3. Wash Your Hair Daily
While over-washing your hair can dry it out, it also prevents the build up of oils and flaky skin on your scalp. Washing your hair daily removes these excessive oils and skin cells. If you are worried, simply chooses a dandruff shampoo that is moisturizing and you’ll tackle the problem without making it worse.
4. Apple Cider Vinegar
Part of the problem of dandruff comes from having a pH imbalance on your skin. Adding a little bit of apple cider vinegar to your daily shampoo can bring your scalp’s pH levels back to where they should be. The other benefit is that the acidity in apple cider vinegar can facilitate the shedding of those dead and flaky skin cells a lot faster. If your dandruff is the result of a fungal problem, apple cider vinegar will take care of this too.
5. Try Aspirin
If you reach for the aspirin when you have a headache, you’ll love the fact that aspirin can also take care of a dandruff problem as well. One of the key ingredients of aspirin is salicylic acid and it’s also an ingredient used in a lot of dandruff shampoos. Salicylic acid helps to loosen dead skin flakes so they can be more easily washed away when you shampoo. If your favorite dandruff shampoo does not contain salicylic acid, simple crush a couple of aspirin tablets and mix them with your shampoo. The anti-inflammatory properties may also alleviate the irritation and itching.
6. Increase Your Omega-3’s
Omega-3 fatty acids are important for some many bodily functions but it can also help improve the overall condition of your skin, including your scalp. Omega-3 can help with controlling the oil production of your skin as well as adding hydration. It can also help heal skin wounds and other ailments.
A deficiency of omega-3 could be the cause of flaky skin and on the scalp, this can result in dandruff. Increasing your intake of omega-3 in foods such as oily fish and certain nuts and grains can help ease any skin irritations, including dandruff.
7. Good Old Baking Soda
An easy and cheap way to get rid of dandruff is by making a paste with baking soda and rubbing it generously on your scalp. Baking soda is well known for inhibiting the growth of fungal infections which are often the cause of dandruff. Apply this paste to your wet hair and scalp. Leave it on for a few minutes and wash your hair the way you usually do.
8. Enjoy Some Probiotics
Probiotics are the good bacteria that help with alleviating the symptoms of allergies and give our immunity a boost so you can fight bacterial and fungal infections. Regular consumptions of probiotic foods like yogurt, kefir and some pickled vegetables can help get rid of many skin conditions, including the ones that cause dandruff. If you’re not a fan of probiotic foods, you can always go to your local pharmacy and buy probiotic supplements for a quick and easy dose.
9. Tea Tree Oil
If you want to get rid of dandruff without a lot of fussing around, get your hands on some tea tree oil. This is one of the most potent substances for ditching the dandruff as it has cleansing and anti-fungal properties. It is relatively inexpensive and readily available almost anywhere.
Simply mix 10 drops of tea tree oil into half a cup of essential oils like lavender or whatever you like. Massage this mixture into your scalp and leave it there for a few minutes before washing with your normal shampoo. If that is too much fussing for you, just add a few drops of tea tree oil to your usual shampoo and turn it into your own personal brand of anti-dandruff shampoo.
Most cases of dandruff are pretty mild and are usually easy to treat. However, if you have persistent dandruff that won’t go away regardless of your efforts, you should consult with a medical professional or a dermatologist. While dandruff itself is not dangerous, it can worsen into seborrheic dermatitis which could also be a symptom of a serious and underlying condition.
