How to Deal with Dandruff at Home

No one likes to admit that they have dandruff. Hair should be silky, soft, shiny, and beautiful to look at. Dandruff is anything but that. It is itchy, flakey, and does not look good when it is falling out of your hair. You may feel embarrassed or anxious about your dandruff, but the truth is that it is nothing to be extremely worried about because there are ways to handle it. While there is a biomedical explanation for the cause of dandruff, it is more of a cosmetic concern than anything.

What is dandruff?

As much as we hate it, dandruff is very common for both men and women. It can appear at any time, and it can happen to anyone, at any age, and at any time of the year.

Believe it or not, dandruff is completely different than dry scalp or psoriasis.

• Dry scalp is caused by not having enough oil secreted in the hair.
  
  
• Psoriasis is an autoimmune disease that causes patches of red, flaky skin all over the body.
  
  
• Dandruff is caused by too much oil secreted in the hair.

Dry scalp and dandruff are clearly the most closely related. Unlike having a dry scalp with not enough natural hair oils, dandruff is caused by excessive amounts of oil in the hair. The secretions of oil lead to a buildup of yeast that is yellowish, flaky and feels itchy. Simply put, dandruff is yeast that is stuck to your scalp.

Yes, you read that correctly … yeast! Do not worry though because it will not cause a fungal infection or disease or anything of the like. It will just be itchy and annoying.

How do I get rid of dandruff?

Dandruff does not have a permanent cure, but there are several treatment options. Treatment can be medicinal, over-the-counter, or a natural homemade remedy.

Medicinal Treatments

If you are interested in pursuing medical treatment, talk to your primary care physician or dermatologist. Your doctor will be able to prescribe a medicated shampoo that will help alleviate the itching and decrease the amount of dandruff in your scalp.

If you decide to use a prescription shampoo, you must use it regularly and follow the directions given on the prescription. You cannot mix the medicated shampoo with other products, including conditioners. Mixing could lead to a bad reaction and even more itchiness or dandruff, which is exactly what you do not want.

Natural Treatments

If you would prefer not to use a medicated or over-the-counter shampoo, there are a variety of home remedies. For all of the home remedies, you should keep washing your hair and using the remedy until you have highly noticeable results and dandruff significantly improves. Some of these remedies include:

• Aspirin: Crush two aspirin into your shampoo and wash your hair normally. Then let it soak in for a couple of minutes, rinse it all out, and then wash again with normal shampoo.
  
  
• Tea Tree Oil: Add a couple of drops of tea tree oil to your shampoo.
  
  
• Baking Soda: No shampoo needed. Wash your hair with it and go on your way.
  
  
• Apple Cider Vinegar: Put ¼ cup apple cider vinegar and ¼ cup of water in a spray bottle. Spray your hair and towel wrap for 15 minutes to 1 hour. Then wash your hair as normal. (Note: Dr. Yates Reset Clarifying Shampoo is infused with Apple Cider Vinegar. It's great for a dry, itchy, flaky scalp - and sorks well for both Psoriasis and dandruff.  It is anti-inflammatory and stabilizes the pH of the scalp and hair).
  
  
• Mouthwash Rinse: Wash your hair with normal shampoo, rinse with mouthwash, and then condition as normal.
  
  
• Coconut Oil: Massage 3-5 tablespoons into your scalp.
  
  
• Lemon Juice: Rub two tablespoons into your scalp, then rinse with water and one additional tablespoon.
  
  
• Salt: Shake the salt shaker in your hair and give your scalp a little massage, then shampoo as usual.
  
  
• Aloe Vera: An aloe vera scalp massage will help get rid of the itchiness. Shampoo afterward.

Prevention

As mentioned earlier, there is no cure for dandruff. More likely than not, it will come back.

Fortunately, there are two important things that you can do to try to prevent major dandruff breakouts:

1. Wash your hair. Contrary to popular belief, washing your hair daily is good for dandruff removal. Upon noticing that dandruff may be back, get back into your daily dandruff removal routine as soon as possible. The more you wash it, the better it will get!
   
   
2. Use professional hair care products. Your hair stylist should have great recommendations for you that will be much better for your dandruff than over-the-counter products at the local drug store.

Next Steps

Even though people are not willing to admit it, having dandruff is very normal and common. We will never get it to go away completely, but we can at least make our hair and scalp look and feel better through medicated or natural remedies. If you try one remedy and it does not seem to be working for you, try another. If you are not getting results that you want, be sure to consult with Dr. Yates, your hair loss expert.