Products and Suggestions for Scalp Health and Flaking

Dandruff is a distressing affliction for many. Not typically severe enough to warrant medical attention, dandruff can nonetheless be a chronic irritation. It can be embarrassing to discover white flakes on your shirt collar three hours into a party, or to have to go to the bathroom to dust yourself off during work. If this reminds you of your own scalp, then keep reading to see some suggestions for how you may be able to better manage your dandruff.

What causes dandruff? Well, it depends on the person. Seborrheic dandruff is caused by a kind of dermatitis that results from oily and irritated skin. This kind of dermatitis can be particularly acute beneath the hair on the scalp, where oil tends to accumulate. Likewise, dry or sensitive skin can have the same outcome. Dandruff may also be the result of sensitivity to malassezia fungus, which lives on all of our scalps. About 25% of people are allergic to the fungus, and scalp irritation and flaking is the result in these cases. Dandruff may also result from any combination of these causes.

Now that we know why dandruff appears, let’s find out how to combat it.

Natural Dandruff Products

Different dandruff products attack the problem in different ways. Scalp Treatment Tea Tree Shampoo from Avalon Organics targets people with a dry scalp. Moisturizing the scalp may be enough for some people to prevent flaking. Calaguala Fern Leave-in Conditioner from Aubrey Organics addresses the problem by helping to absorb oils found on the scalp, potentially helping to prevent the growth of microbes.

Giovanni’s Wellness System Shampoo with Chinese Botanicals works to support the healthy layers of skin, the overall feel, and normal hydration of the scalp. Herbal Conditioner for Normal Hair from Nature’s Gate conditioner is meant to follow the normal application of dandruff shampoo. Pine Tar Shampoo from Grandpa’s may be ideal for people with fungal growth on the scalp. It works to regulate the normal growth of microbes, helping to give your scalp time to heal.

Practices for Beating Dandruff for Life

It’s impossible for most of us to fully rid ourselves of dandruff. Scalp problems happens for many reasons, even in perfectly healthy people. You may have very thick hair that traps oil, or delicate skin that can’t handle the yeast-like fungus that lives on the surface of every human being.

Nonetheless, there are things you can do to help ease the worst cases of dandruff. As you might expect, it all starts with cleanliness. All of the above shampoo and conditioning products work well, but you can use affordable alternatives on days when you don’t wash your hair. For example, diluted apple cider vinegar (1 part cider to 10 parts water), sprayed onto the scalp, can work to help regulate microbial growth on the scalp. Apply twice weekly if you find dandruff is especially problematic.

If you have a dry scalp, try applying coconut oil directly to the scalp once or twice weekly. Allow to sit for 30 minutes, then wash out with any of the shampoos already mentioned. Coconut oil also has antimicrobial effects, so you can help get to the root of other kinds of scalp irritation.

General nutrition and fitness may also help because exercise helps with circulation through the body and skin. However, because dandruff can occur in the healthiest and cleanest among us, this isn’t always a cure by itself.

If you struggle with dandruff, you likely will always deal with this issue to some extent. However, by using products aimed at the cause of your specific form of dandruff, and using practices that help to manage dandruff of any form, you can gain confidence that your shoulders won’t always have a dusting of embarrassing flakes.