If you've ever spotted flakes in your part a few days after wash day, no matter what you do, you may be looking at dandruff. It's one of the most common scalp problems there is. The good news is that you can clear it without drying out your curls.
If regular washing doesn't clear it, the fix is a dandruff shampoo with the right active ingredient, used on your scalp only. If you have curly or coily hair, the American Academy of Dermatology says about once a week is often enough, as long as you give the shampoo time to work before you rinse it out.
In this article, we'll tell you what dandruff is, what causes it, and how to tell it apart from a dry scalp and the look-alikes that need a doctor. Then we'll show you exactly how to use a dandruff shampoo on curly hair, what to do about your hair oils, and which home remedies have any research behind them. Let's get into it!
Key Takeaways
- Look for an active ingredient: A dandruff shampoo works because of its active ingredient, like zinc pyrithione, ketoconazole, or selenium sulfide. You'll find it in the Drug Facts box on the bottle.
- Put it on your scalp only: The ingredients that treat dandruff can dry out your curls, so massage the shampoo into your scalp and leave it there for about five minutes if the directions allow.
- About once a week is often enough: For curly and coily hair, the American Academy of Dermatology suggests using a dandruff shampoo about once a week, if your hair tolerates it.
- Give it four weeks, then keep going: Give a dandruff shampoo about four weeks before you decide whether it's working. Dandruff tends to come back, so keep up a weekly maintenance wash once your scalp clears.
- Keep oils off your scalp while you treat it: Put your hair oil or grease on your hair strands and ends instead.
- Know when it isn't dandruff: A flaky scalp in a young child, thick silvery scale, or an itchy, burning crown with thinning hair all need a doctor, not a new shampoo.
Prefer to listen? This is also an episode of Curl Science, our podcast, and you'll find it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and other podcast apps.
What Is Dandruff?
Dandruff is a very common scalp condition that causes the skin on your scalp to itch and flake. In simple terms, dandruff is a scalp reaction that causes the natural cycle of skin replenishment to occur more quickly on your scalp.
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So the white flakes you see in your part are clumps of dead skin that came off your scalp too soon.
Dandruff is not contagious, and most of the time it is not a serious condition.
It also isn't a sign that your hair is dirty. The NHS says dandruff isn't caused by poor hygiene, although it can be easier to see when you don't wash your hair often. That's good to know if you only wash once a week, because the flakes have more days to build up in your part between wash days.
Obviously, it can be embarrassing to have noticeable dandruff flakes present in your hair and on your shoulders, but typically, it can be controlled.
A regular shampoo can rinse the flakes away and may be enough for mild dandruff. If the flakes keep coming back, try an anti-dandruff shampoo, also called a dandruff shampoo or a medicated shampoo. It has an active ingredient that a regular shampoo doesn't, and we'll show you how to pick one below.
Dandruff is also considered the mildest form of seborrheic dermatitis (i.e., a scalp condition that adds swelling and discolored skin to the flaking). If yours is more severe, a board-certified dermatologist can tell you what it is and prescribe something stronger.
What Causes Dandruff in Curly Hair?
Curly and coily natural hair doesn't cause dandruff. The causes are the same for every hair type. What curly hair changes is how you treat it, and we'll get to that below.
Many regular shampoo manufacturers, like Procter & Gamble, have conducted substantial scientific research to discover what causes dandruff.
Current research suggests that dandruff causes are linked to three factors: (1) fungus, (2) sebum (i.e., the natural oil your scalp makes), and (3) individual susceptibility.
- Fungus: It's common for bacteria and fungi to exist on the scalp; these can grow anywhere that's warm, damp, and moist. The one behind dandruff is a tiny yeast called Malassezia, and a yeast is a type of fungus. It lives on almost everyone's scalp, and it can't make its own fats, so it feeds on the oil your scalp makes.
- Sebum: Sebum is the yeast's food. As the yeast feeds, it breaks that oil apart and leaves some of the pieces behind, including one called oleic acid. On some scalps, those leftovers irritate the skin, and the irritated skin renews itself too quickly. The dead cells clump together instead of shedding one at a time. The skin flakes and falls off.
- Individual Susceptibility: While current research shows that fungus and sebum are important components, it's interesting that some people have what appears to be the perfect scenario for dandruff, yet they don't have dandruff.
Malassezia (formerly known as Pityrosporum) is often found on the skin of many humans and other mammals. This yeast-like fungus typically doesn't cause problems for most healthy adults.
So why do some people get dandruff and others don't? Researchers tested this by putting pure oleic acid on people's scalps.
On scalps that weren't prone to dandruff, nothing visible happened. On dandruff-prone scalps, it caused flaking. So dandruff isn't something you catch from anyone. It's about how your own scalp reacts.
The climate can also impact the condition. Winter and early spring are usually the most difficult times of the year for people with dandruff, partly due to indoor heating contributing to dry skin and scalp issues.
Typically, the condition improves in the summer months, when the air is warmer and more humid. Stress can also make a flare-up worse, so if your flakes show up during a hard week, that may be why.
Should You Put Oil on Your Scalp If You Have Dandruff?
Not while you're treating it. Keep your hair oil or grease on your hair strands and ends, and keep it off your scalp until the flakes clear.
Here's why. The yeast behind dandruff feeds on oil and leaves oleic acid behind, and oleic acid is what makes a dandruff-prone scalp flake. So when you put more oil on your scalp, you may be giving the yeast more to work with.
Some oils also carry a lot of oleic acid of their own. Olive oil is 55% to 83% oleic acid, while coconut oil is only about 5% to 10%.
No study has tested what happens when oil sits on a dandruff-prone scalp between wash days, so we can't tell you that oil definitely makes dandruff worse. But the American Academy of Dermatology advises using pomade sparingly because it can lead to flare-ups, and the Mayo Clinic says products that build up on your scalp can cause more dandruff.
One study did test coconut oil on scalps with dandruff. Women in India massaged coconut oil into their scalps twice a week, left it on for two hours, and then washed it out with a mild shampoo.
Their dandruff scores went down over 12 weeks. But some of the researchers worked for L'Oréal, and the oil never stayed on overnight, so the study can't tell you what happens when oil sits on your scalp for days.
Our YouTube video above says, "no study has tested oiling a dandruff-prone scalp," because by oiling, we mean putting a hair oil or grease on your scalp and leaving it there until your next wash day. The coconut oil study rinsed the oil out after two hours, so it tested something different.
This doesn't mean you have to give up your oils. Amla oil, emu oil, coconut oil, argan oil, castor oil, and lanolin oil can all stay in your routine.
Just put them on your hair strands and ends instead of your scalp while you're treating your dandruff. And if you use rosemary oil on your scalp for hair growth, take a break from it until the flakes clear.
What's the Best Hair Oil for Dandruff?
There isn't a hair oil with good research behind it for treating dandruff. Tea tree oil is the closest, and the trial behind it used a ready-made shampoo with 5% tea tree oil, not oil put straight on your scalp. Neem oil is often suggested because neem has antifungal properties, but the small study behind neem used a paste made from fresh neem leaves, not the oil.
So if you'd like to try either one, look for it in a shampoo, and keep your dandruff shampoo going.
Is It Dandruff or Something Else?
Dandruff is one common cause of a flaky, itchy scalp in adults. But a few other conditions can look just like it, and some of them need a doctor rather than a new shampoo. The American Academy of Dermatology says dandruff and a dry scalp in particular can be tricky to tell apart without a dermatologist's help.
Here's a quick way to sort out what you're seeing. Find the row that sounds most like your scalp, then read more about it below.
Dandruff or something else?
Match what you see on your scalp
Find the row that sounds most like your scalp. This chart can point you in the right direction, but it can’t diagnose you, so see a doctor for anything in the last three rows.
| Likely | What you notice | Why it happens | What to do |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dandruff | White or yellowish flakes in your part and on your shoulders, an itchy scalp, and flakes that come back a few days after wash day. | A yeast on your scalp feeds on its oil. On some scalps, what the yeast leaves behind makes the skin itch and flake. | Use a dandruff shampoo on your scalp only, about once a week, and give it four weeks. |
| Dry scalp | Small, dry flakes, with dry skin on your arms, legs, or back too. It’s often worse in winter. | Cold air, indoor heating, and harsh shampoos can strip the natural oils from your scalp. | Switch to a gentle, regular shampoo. If your scalp doesn’t improve, treat it as dandruff. |
| Seborrheic dermatitis | Greasy, yellowish scale with irritated skin underneath, or flaking on your face, in your eyebrows, or behind your ears too. On darker skin, the patches may look pink, purple, or lighter than the skin around them. | It’s a stronger form of dandruff that comes with inflammation. | Start with a dandruff shampoo. If your scalp isn’t better in four weeks, see a dermatologist. |
| A product reaction | Your scalp turned red, itchy, or sore after you used a new hair dye, gel, or other product. | Your skin is reacting to an ingredient in the product, which is called contact dermatitis. | Stop using the product. If your scalp doesn’t settle, see a doctor and bring the bottle with you. |
| Scalp psoriasis | Thick, dry, silvery scale, sometimes with patches on your elbows or knees too. | Psoriasis makes dead skin cells build up into thick scales instead of shedding as loose flakes. | See a dermatologist, and try not to scratch or pick the scale off. |
| Scalp ringworm | A young child has a flaky, itchy scalp, especially with broken hairs, black dots, or bald patches. | It’s a fungal infection that spreads from person to person, and shampoo alone won’t cure it. | Take your child to a doctor. It needs prescription medicine taken by mouth. |
| Possible CCCA | Your crown itches or burns, and your hair is getting thinner there. | This can be an early sign of a type of hair loss that scars. | See a dermatologist soon, because hair loss from scarring is permanent. |
Based on guidance from the American Academy of Dermatology, the NHS, the Mayo Clinic, and the Cleveland Clinic. If you can’t tell which row fits, ask a dermatologist.
Dry Scalp
Dry skin has always been a potential cause of dandruff. The problem is exacerbated in the winter months when the air outside is cold, and our houses are often heated. This scenario is ripe for itchy, flaking dandruff.
It is important to note that the flakes that you will see from dry skin are usually smaller and less oily than the flakes from other causes of dandruff.
If you have dry skin on other parts of your body - like your arms, legs, and back - there is a greater probability that you will encounter this form of dandruff.
The clearest clue is what makes it better. A dry scalp usually improves when you switch to a gentle, regular shampoo, while dandruff gets better with a dandruff shampoo. Some shampoos can also dry out your scalp by stripping its natural oils, so a harsh shampoo can be part of the problem.
Seborrheic Dermatitis (also Seborrheic Eczema)
Seborrheic dermatitis, an inflammatory skin condition, can affect oily areas of the body, including your eyebrows, ears, nose, groin, armpits, and breastbone.
Additionally, this condition has been known to produce flaky, dandruff-like scales on other oily areas of your body, including the scalp. Seborrheic dermatitis is commonly misdiagnosed as dandruff.
The two are really one condition. Dandruff is the mild form, and seborrheic dermatitis is the stronger form that comes with inflammation. So with seborrheic dermatitis, the flakes are often yellowish and slightly greasy, and the skin underneath is irritated.
On lighter skin, that irritation looks red. On darker skin, the American Academy of Dermatology says it often looks pink, slightly purple, or lighter than the skin around it, and some people get white spots on their scalp.
If you see flaking on your face, in your eyebrows, or behind your ears as well as on your scalp, that points toward seborrheic dermatitis, and it's worth showing to a dermatologist.
Eczema (Dermatitis) Skin Inflammation
If you have eczema on any part of your body, then there is a chance that you also have it on your scalp.
With eczema, the itching often comes with inflammation, and a dermatologist can tell it apart from dandruff and seborrheic dermatitis.
Scalp Psoriasis
Psoriasis, which more commonly affects the knees and elbows, is a skin disorder where dead skin cells accumulate and form chunky, silvery scales.
This disorder can also affect your scalp, making it difficult to differentiate from seborrheic dermatitis without the assistance of a medical professional.
Unlike dandruff, scalp psoriasis gives your scalp a silvery sheen with thick, dry scale. Try not to scratch it or pick the scale off, because the American Academy of Dermatology says that can cause hair loss. The good news is that hair usually grows back once the psoriasis clears.
Sensitivity to Certain Hair Product Ingredients
Experiencing sensitivity to specific ingredients within hair care products that contact the scalp (contact dermatitis) is a common cause of dandruff-like symptoms.
This is a great example of why writing down what you put in your hair is so important.
Using certain ingredients too frequently may also irritate your scalp. For example, paraphenylenediamine is an ingredient that has been known to appear in some hair care products.
It is a common culprit of an itchy, scaling scalp. It's important that you determine which hair care ingredients are causing problems for your scalp.
Hair dye, sprays, gels, and mousses are common triggers. A reaction can leave your scalp red and irritated, sometimes with blisters or cracked skin. If you see a doctor about it, bring your products with you so they can read the labels.
Scalp Ringworm in Young Children
Dandruff usually starts around puberty. So if a young child has a flaky, itchy scalp, it may be scalp ringworm (i.e., tinea capitis) instead. Despite the name, there's no worm involved. It's a fungal infection that spreads easily from person to person.
In the United States, it's most common in children aged 3 to 9, especially Black and Latino children.
Early on, scalp ringworm can look like plain flaking. Later, you may see scaly bald patches or black dots where hairs have broken off.
A dandruff shampoo won't cure it. It needs prescription medicine taken by mouth, and severe cases can scar and leave permanent bald patches if they aren't treated.
It isn't caused by how you do your child's hair, either. One study found no link between scalp ringworm and hairstyles, how often hair was washed, or using oils or grease.
So if your child has a flaky scalp, especially with broken hairs or bald patches, take them to their pediatrician or another health care provider instead of reaching for a dandruff shampoo. The label on 1% ketoconazole shampoo, for example, says to ask a doctor before using it on a child under 12.
An Itchy, Burning Crown With Thinning Hair
If the itching or burning sits at your crown and your hair is getting thinner there, see a dermatologist. That can be an early sign of central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia (CCCA), a type of hair loss that starts at the crown and can scar.
Once it scars, the hair loss is permanent, so catching it early matters. CCCA is more common in Black women, but it can happen to anyone.
Are You at High Risk?
Several factors can make you more susceptible to suffering from dandruff, including:
- Men get dandruff more often than women.
- People with oily hair and scalps are more susceptible.
- Young adults, since dandruff often starts around puberty and can last through middle age.
- People under a lot of stress, since stress can make a flare-up worse.
- Certain medical illnesses and conditions, which are outside of the scope of this article, also put you at high risk for dandruff. We choose not to provide medical advice and encourage you to consult with your medical doctor or dermatologist.
What you eat isn't on this list. Eating well is good for your whole body, but no clinical trial shows that cutting out sugar or dairy, or taking a supplement, clears dandruff. So keep your dandruff shampoo going, whatever changes you make to your diet.
How to Get Rid of Dandruff in Curly Hair
If regular washing doesn't clear your dandruff, use a dandruff shampoo with an active ingredient on your scalp only, leave it on for about five minutes if the directions allow, and use it about once a week. Give it four weeks to work. Once your scalp clears, keep up a weekly maintenance wash so the flakes don't come back.
Typically, dandruff can be controlled with a little patience and persistence.
Keep in mind that shampoos can contain very different ingredients, and you may have to try a few to find the one that works best for you. Discontinue using any hair products that cause your scalp to itch, sting, burn, or turn red.
Furthermore, if you think you're having an allergic reaction to a hair product - like a rash or hives - then consult with your medical doctor or dermatologist at your earliest convenience.
Find the Active Ingredient on the Label
If you think you have dandruff, using an anti-dandruff shampoo is your first line of defense. Most anti-dandruff shampoos are effective, and many people can fix their dandruff problem just by using the right dandruff shampoo.
A dandruff shampoo works because of its active ingredient. Turn the bottle over and look for the Drug Facts box, which lists the active ingredient and its strength.
The American Academy of Dermatology names six: zinc pyrithione, selenium sulfide, ketoconazole, salicylic acid, coal tar, and sulfur. Zinc pyrithione, selenium sulfide, and ketoconazole go after the yeast. Salicylic acid and coal tar help with the itching and flaking.
Read the Drug Facts box
The six dandruff shampoo ingredients, and what each one does
Turn your dandruff shampoo over and find the active ingredient in the Drug Facts box. These are the six the American Academy of Dermatology names. The strengths are the ones the FDA allows in an over-the-counter dandruff shampoo, and 1% ketoconazole is sold over the counter under its own approval.
| What it does | Active ingredient | Strength on the label | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fights the yeast | Zinc pyrithione (listed as pyrithione zinc) | 0.3% to 2% in a shampoo you rinse out | You’ll find it in many drugstore dandruff shampoos. In one trial, a 1% shampoo improved severe dandruff by 67% in four weeks. |
| Fights the yeast | Ketoconazole | 1% over the counter; 2% needs a prescription | In the same trial, the 2% strength improved severe dandruff by 73%. The 1% label says to use it every 3 to 4 days for up to 8 weeks, then only when you need it. |
| Fights the yeast | Selenium sulfide | 1% or 0.6% micronized | If your hair is color-treated or permed, the label asks you to rinse it out thoroughly. |
| Loosens flakes | Salicylic acid | 1.8% to 3% | It helps loosen thick, crusty flakes so they rinse away. It doesn’t go after the yeast, so it’s a good one to switch to if a yeast-fighting shampoo isn’t enough on its own. |
| Loosens flakes | Sulfur | 2% to 5% | You’ll usually find it sharing the bottle with salicylic acid. |
| Slows flaking | Coal tar | 0.5% to 5% | It slows down how fast your scalp sheds skin. It can also make your scalp burn more easily in the sun, and it can discolor light, bleached, or tinted hair. |
How well do they work? In one trial of people with severe dandruff, a 2% ketoconazole shampoo improved their dandruff by 73% over four weeks, and a 1% zinc pyrithione shampoo improved it by 67%.
Just know that 2% ketoconazole needs a prescription in the US, while the 1% strength is sold over the counter. We charted that trial, along with a tea tree oil shampoo trial, in our guide to why you still have dandruff after washing your hair.
And if you're worried that a dandruff shampoo like Head and Shoulders will make your hair fall out, we looked into whether Head and Shoulders causes hair loss too.
How to Use Dandruff Shampoo on Curly Hair
How you use your dandruff shampoo matters as much as which one you pick. Here's how to do it on curly and coily hair, step by step.
- Step 1: Gently detangle your hair before you wet it, then part it into sections so you can reach your scalp.
- Step 2: Wet your hair and put the dandruff shampoo on your scalp only. The ingredients that treat dandruff can dry out your curls, so keep the lather off your hair strands and ends as much as you can.
- Step 3: Massage it into your scalp with your fingertips, not your nails.
- Step 4: Leave it on. The American Academy of Dermatology says some dandruff shampoos need up to 5 to 10 minutes on your scalp before you rinse. Most bottles only say to lather and rinse, so check the directions on yours, and leave it on for about five minutes if they allow it. In one small study, leaving the shampoo on for five minutes worked better than rinsing it off right away.
- Step 5: Rinse thoroughly. Then shampoo and condition your hair with your usual products, and finish with your leave-in as you normally would.
- Step 6: Keep your oils on your hair strands and ends instead of your scalp until the flakes clear.
How Often Should You Use Dandruff Shampoo?
For curly and coily hair, the American Academy of Dermatology suggests using your dandruff shampoo about once a week, if your hair tolerates it. Many labels say to use it at least twice a week, but those directions are written for every hair type. If you have fine or straight hair or an oily scalp, the AAD says you may need it twice a week.
So if you only wash once a week, your dandruff shampoo goes in on wash day, and the time it spends on your scalp matters even more. If your curls feel dry afterward, a deep conditioner on your hair strands and ends can help.
How Long Does It Take to Get Rid of Dandruff?
Give your dandruff shampoo about four weeks before you decide whether it's working. That's how long most dandruff shampoo trials run, and the NHS suggests the same. You may notice less itching and flaking sooner than that.
Once your scalp clears, don't stop completely, because dandruff tends to come back. In one six-month study, 47% of people who switched to a shampoo with no active ingredient had their dandruff come back, compared with 19% of people who kept using a prescription 2% ketoconazole shampoo once a week.
Be sure to follow the instructions on the bottle, or the product might not work as intended. Once your scalp clears, you can go back to your regular natural hair regimen and keep the dandruff shampoo for a weekly maintenance wash.
What If Your Dandruff Shampoo Doesn't Work?
If one shampoo doesn't work after about four weeks, try one with a different active ingredient. The American Academy of Dermatology also suggests alternating between dandruff shampoos with different active ingredients if one stops working.
If over-the-counter shampoos don't work, you may need a prescription-strength shampoo.
Anti-dandruff shampoos can work for some people with eczema. However, not everyone will respond favorably. If you don't see any results from an over-the-counter shampoo, talk to your doctor about eczema management.
They'll be able to offer a number of treatment options, and you can figure out which one works for you. There are various shampoos, creams, and other prescription-strength products that can help with dandruff.
There are even stronger treatments if the eczema is especially bad. This is why it's important to get eczema diagnosed by a professional.
Do Natural Dandruff Remedies Work?
A few natural remedies have small studies behind them, but none has the research that dandruff shampoos do. If you'd like to try one, use it alongside your dandruff shampoo, not instead of it.
While natural solutions sound great, there's little scientific evidence confirming how well they work. Using home remedies and natural solutions is a risk. They might work; they might not.
While that's true of every product, anti-dandruff shampoos are proven to work on a large segment of the population based on clinical lab tests. Home remedies and natural solutions are usually not backed by any scientific evidence.
Tea Tree Oil Shampoo
Tea tree oil is the natural remedy with the best trial behind it. In that trial, people with mild to moderate dandruff washed with a shampoo containing 5% tea tree oil every day for four weeks. Their dandruff improved by 41%, compared with 11% for a shampoo without it.
That was a properly made shampoo, though, not a few drops of tea tree oil added to your own. The Mayo Clinic also says there's no strong evidence that tea tree oil helps with dandruff, so treat it as something to try, not a sure thing.
Using Honey as an Itchy Scalp Treatment
One small study looked at whether honey could help treat an itchy scalp.
As part of the study, the scientist looked into the possibility of using crude honey in a topical fashion in an effort to control seborrheic dermatitis as well as dandruff.
Included in the study were thirty individuals suffering from chronic seborrheic dermatitis on the scalp, chest, and face.
Ten of these patients were females, and the remaining twenty were males. The ages of the participants were between 15 and 60 years old.
All of the patients were experiencing itching, scaling, and hair loss.
The subjects were instructed to apply a mixture of crude honey diluted with warm water (90% honey) to the affected patches every other day for four weeks. This crude honey was allowed to sit for three hours prior to a warm water rinse.
The honey had a positive effect on every patient. Within just one week, scaling was eliminated, and itching ceased.
Within two weeks, skin lesions resolved, and patients said their hair loss had improved. In the six months after that, none of the 15 participants who kept up weekly honey treatments had a relapse, while 12 of the 15 who stopped saw their symptoms come back within two to four months.
The antifungal, antioxidant, and antibacterial properties of honey are well known, along with its impressive nutrients.
Still, this was one small study, and it had no comparison group during the first four weeks, so we can't be sure how much of the improvement came from the honey. If you'd like to try it, use it as an extra step alongside your dandruff shampoo, not in place of it.
A Glycerin Leave-On Lotion
In one research study, scientists tested a leave-on lotion as a potential dandruff remedy.
Instead of applying an antifungal solution to the scalp, which is one of the most widely used dandruff treatments in the world, the researchers decided to treat the loss of scalp hydration.
It's important to note that most commercial dandruff shampoos include an antifungal solution, so this was indeed an interesting study.
The study tested a humectant, which is an ingredient that draws in and holds water, to see whether improving scalp hydration would reduce dandruff.
The lotion had 10% glycerin, along with a fatty acid and sunflower seed oil, and the participants put it on their scalps three times a week for eight weeks.
Though it may seem as if you are treating the symptoms instead of the cause, the study found that the lotion significantly reduced dandruff.
The study participants who used the lotion for eight weeks were then asked to stop using it to see if the problem would return.
The benefits to their scalps lasted for up to a week after they stopped.
How to Prepare the DIY Leave-On Lotion
The lotion in the study was made in a lab, so you can't copy it exactly at home. This simple version uses the same 10% strength of glycerin, but it hasn't been tested the way the study's lotion was.
Ingredients:
- Vegetable Glycerin - 10 ml
- A base of your choice (details below) - 90 ml
For the base of the solution, you can choose to use either water or your favorite leave-in conditioner. The study lotion did contain sunflower seed oil, but since oil on your scalp can feed the yeast behind dandruff, we'd leave the oil out of your homemade version.
If you intend to use a leave-in conditioner as the base, you should avoid leave-ins that have a high percentage of oil content in them; be careful with natural oils, too.
How to Use the DIY Dandruff Treatment
- Step 1: Shampoo your hair using your regular routine.
- Step 2: Apply the DIY Glycerin Treatment directly to your scalp.
- Step 3: Repeat the process three times a week, which is the schedule the study used.
Note: Remember to shake the bottle containing the lotion before use to make sure the base and glycerin are mixed well.
What Results You Can Expect
The study tested its own lab-made lotion, not this homemade mix, so it can't tell you how well yours will work or how long it takes. If you try it, keep using your dandruff shampoo the whole time, and stop using the lotion if your scalp itches, stings, or turns red.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Apple cider vinegar is a popular rinse for curly hair, but it doesn't contain any of the active ingredients that treat dandruff. If you like how an apple cider vinegar rinse makes your hair feel, you can keep using it. Just dilute it well so it doesn't irritate your scalp, and don't use it in place of your dandruff shampoo.
When to See a Doctor About Dandruff
See a doctor, a dermatologist, or another health care provider if your dandruff hasn't improved after about four weeks of using a dandruff shampoo, or if it's severe.
If you only have a mild case of dandruff, it is typically not necessary to visit the doctor. My advice is to find a gentle shampoo and begin shampooing your hair regularly (weekly is a good start) and adjust as needed based on the results.
However, if you're regularly shampooing your hair and it doesn't seem to help much or if your scalp condition becomes more severe (red, tender, or swollen), then it's time to visit your medical doctor or dermatologist.
Also see a doctor if:
- You have flaky, itchy patches on your face or other parts of your body.
- Your scalp is bleeding, oozing, crusting, or painful.
- A young child has a flaky scalp, especially with broken hairs or bald patches.
- You have patches of hair loss, a widening part, or an itchy, burning crown with thinning hair.
There are skin conditions like seborrheic dermatitis that resemble dandruff to an untrained eye and should only be diagnosed by a physician or dermatologist.
This type of diagnosis generally requires a visual examination of your hair and scalp by a trained medical professional.
If you're concerned about having scalp eczema, or you think you might, then you should see a doctor. Severe cases of eczema and dandruff may be cause for medical intervention, even if it seems like "just" a skin problem.
Dandruff itself doesn't cause bald patches. A few small studies link it to somewhat more shedding, but if you're losing hair in patches, don't wait on a shampoo. See a dermatologist.
