By Hugo Elliot
When you finally give in to the urge to scratch your scalp and notice flakes stuck to your fingernails, you know that dandruff has arrived. These yellowish, oily flakes are the tell-tale signs of dandruff and can make your scalp appear scaly or red and make it raw and itchy as well. Instead of letting your guard down and damaging your scalp by incessantly scratching it, you need to understand the major reasons for dandruff as it will help you seek the right treatment.
What causes dandruff?
This calls for a quick science lesson: everyone has a microbe called Malassezia globosa living on their scalp. This microbe feeds on the sebum the scalp produces, and it’s mostly harmless. During the breakdown of the sebum, the microbe produces a by-product called oleic acid, and about half the population reacts poorly to the presence of this by-product. Your body reacts to the oleic acid by increasing the speed at which the skin cells renew themselves. To shed the irritant, this very action of shedding skin cells causes flakes. These dead skin cells then accumulate on the scalp and make their presence felt on your scalp, hair, and even shoulders. Other reasons for dandruff include:
- Dry skin
- Irritated, oily skin
- Not shampooing your hair enough
- Sensitivity to hair care products
- Other skin conditions, such as eczema and psoriasis
Treating dandruff
Now that you are aware of the major reasons for dandruff, let’s dig deeper into the perfect dandruff treatment that can help get rid of these pesky flakes.
- Combine the power of coconut oil and lemon
Coconut oil gives your hair an enviable luster that’s hard to miss. The nourishing and hydrating properties of coconut oil has made it a crowd favorite. But, did you know that coconut oil, when combined with lemon juice, can get rid of the tiny flakes that make your scalp incredibly itchy? Get that coconut oil out of your beauty cabinet, and heat two tablespoons of it and mix it equally with lemon juice. Apply this mixture on your scalp and massage your hair gently. Leave it on for 20 minutes and rinse it off completely with your shampoo.
- Try curd for treating flakes
Curd is rich in protein and makes for an incredible addition to your daily diet. It even works as an effective dandruff treatmentsince it possesses antibacterial properties. When you combine the properties of curd with lemon juice, which is acidic in nature, the mixture works effectively as it has acids and enzymes that remove dandruff from your scalp and hair. Take a cup of curd and add two tablespoons of lemon juice to it. Apply it to your hair and scalp and let it sit for an hour. Rinse it off with your shampoo.
- Neem juice to the rescue
Neem has been hailed as an incredible home remedy owing to its antibacterial and antifungal qualities. Since dandruff occurs due to a fungus, neem functions as the ideal dandruff treatment and gives you clear scalp and hair! Since applying a concentrated form of neem can irritate your scalp further, prepare neem juice instead. Crush some neem leaves till it forms a thick paste and apply it directly scalp and hair. Leave it on for ten minutes and wash it away with water.
- Use an anti-dandruff shampoo and conditioner
Another effective dandruff treatmentwould be to find the perfect anti-dandruff shampoo and conditioner. You can try Head & Shoulders Anti-dandruff shampoosthat are formulated using zinc pyrithione, an active ingredient that fights against dandruff. If you are used to using a conditioner after shampooing your hair, you can do the same when you use an anti-dandruff shampoo. However, a regular conditioner reduces the dandruff-fighting power of your anti-dandruff shampoo. Explore the wide range of Head & Shoulders Anti–dandruff conditioners and find the one that meets your haircare requirements.
Dandruff is known to wreak havoc on your lives if you do not make attempts to keep it under control. Try these dandruff treatments and make the most of your flake-free hair.
