Dandruff care

Struggling with dandruff is a difficult experience since the flakes can be embarrassing. Dandruff can be caused by a variety of reasons and conditions including: dry skin, seborrheic dermatitis, not shampooing regularly enough, psoriasis, eczema, a fungus or even sensitivity to beauty products.

A diet rich in zinc and Vitamin B can help fight dandruff from the inside, but when that isn’t enough, here are a few ways you can provide your scalp with some dandruff care.

• Shampoo daily: Washing your hair daily can help remove flakes. But, be sure to condition after shampooing so that your scalp doesn’t dry out and produce more flakes. What’s more, shampooing daily without conditioning can result in an oilier scalp, as your skin will produce more oil to compensate for the oil the shampoo strips off.
• Minimize styling products: A lot of styling products, such as hair gel and hair spray, cause buildup in your hair that results in dandruff. If you use a lot of products, then scale back on what you use and see if there are any changes.
• Scalp exfoliator: Another quick remedy to try at home is to make a DIY scalp exfoliator. The idea is simple: just like you remove dead skin from your body using a sugar scrub, you can remove dead skin from your scalp using a scrub as well. Just add some Epsom salts to your favorite shampoo and lightly massage your scalp to remove the dandruff flakes.
• Oil massage: Dandruff is essentially dead skin, so curb flaking by giving yourself an oil massage. This may not work for everyone, as dandruff has a variety of different causes, but it’s worth a shot at home. Massage your scalp with some virgin coconut oil or extra virgin olive oil and let it sit in your hair for at least twenty minutes. Then shampoo and condition your hair as you would normally do. At the very least, this at-home remedy will leave your hair shiny and nourished.
• Pick the right shampoo: The shampoo you pick can make all the difference, as there are some key ingredients that fight off dandruff. Shampoos that contain zinc pyrithione (e.g. Head & Shoulders), tar (e.g. Neutrogena T/Gel), salicylic acid, selenium sulfide (e.g. Selsun Blue) and ketoconazole (e.g. Nizoral) can all help alleviate dandruff by battling the causes.
• Tea tree oil: This Australian oil is a well known for its antiseptic, antibiotic and antifungal properties. Either look for a shampoo with tea tree oil or apply the oil directly to your scalp for a daily scalp massage.
• Visit a dermatologist: When all is said and done, the best way to know what is wrong with your scalp is to visit a dermatologist.