Dandruff flakes can ruin any hairdo, so when you notice them, you probably want them gone right away. The problem is the shampoo aisle. Medicated dandruff shampoos have a reputation for fading dyed hair.
Here's the good news. Most of the dandruff ingredients you'll find at the drugstore don't carry a hair color warning. Two of them do, and their labels tell you how to use them around color-treated hair.
In this article, we'll show you which active ingredient to look for on the back of the bottle. We'll also cover how often to use it and which gentle rinses may help alongside it. Let's get into it.
How to Get Rid of Dandruff Without Stripping Hair Color
To treat dandruff without giving up your hair color, start with a shampoo containing pyrithione zinc, ketoconazole, salicylic acid, or sulfur. The Drug Facts labels for these four ingredients don't include a specific hair color warning, but the rest of the formula can still affect how quickly your color fades. Always follow the directions on your bottle.
Selenium sulfide and coal tar can clear flakes, too, but their labels include special instructions for color-treated, tinted, bleached, or light-colored hair. That makes the active ingredient one of the most important choices on this page, so we've compared all six below.
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Which Dandruff Shampoos Are Safe for Hair Dye?
Medicated dandruff shampoos work through the active ingredient listed at the top of the Drug Facts panel. Some formulas contain more than one. The table below covers the six ingredients in this comparison and what their labels say about colored hair, based on the FDA's over-the-counter dandruff rules.
Sorted by what the label says about your color
Every drugstore dandruff ingredient, and what its label says about hair color
The FDA’s over-the-counter rules cover five of these ingredients. One-percent ketoconazole is available over the counter under a separate approval. Their labels don’t give the same guidance about colored hair, so turn the bottle over, find the active ingredient, and check it here before you purchase the product.
| Safe on dye? | Active ingredient | Strength on the label | What the label tells you |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yes | Pyrithione zinc | 0.3% to 2% in a shampoo you rinse out | There’s no hair color warning anywhere on the label. For the most dandruff control, you can use it every time you shampoo. |
| Yes | Ketoconazole | 1% | No hair color warning. You use this one every 3 to 4 days for up to 8 weeks, then only when you need it. |
| Yes | Salicylic acid | 1.8% to 3% | No hair color warning. Labels ask you to massage it in for 3 to 5 minutes, then rinse it out well. |
| Yes | Sulfur | 2% to 5% | No hair color warning. You’ll usually find it sharing the bottle with salicylic acid. |
| Rinse well | Selenium sulfide | 1%, or 0.6% micronized | The label carries a line written for you: for color-treated or permed hair, rinse thoroughly. |
| Take care | Coal tar | 0.5% to 5% | In rare instances, the label says, it can discolor gray, blonde, tinted, or bleached hair. It also leaves your scalp burning more easily in the sun for about a day. |
Two of these ingredients mention your color directly, so read those rows closely. A selenium sulfide label tells you to rinse color-treated or permed hair thoroughly. A coal tar label warns that, in rare cases, the ingredient may discolor gray, blonde, tinted, or bleached hair.
Coal tar can also make treated skin more likely to sunburn for up to 24 hours. Since sunlight can fade your color, protect your scalp from direct sun after using it. The other four labels reviewed don't mention hair color, but that alone doesn't guarantee that every formula is color-safe.
Use Color-Safe Anti-Dandruff Shampoo
A shampoo labeled color-safe is designed to cleanse more gently and help limit color loss, and plenty of dandruff shampoos fit within this category. It's a useful clue, but the active ingredient and full Drug Facts label tell you more.
Turn the bottle over and read the Drug Facts panel. The active ingredient is listed first. It tells you how the shampoo treats flakes and whether the label includes a color-related warning. If you see pyrithione zinc, ketoconazole, salicylic acid, or sulfur, the labels reviewed above don't include a specific hair color warning. You should still check the full label and follow its directions.
How Often to Use a Dandruff Shampoo
Start with the directions on your bottle. Most rinse-out dandruff shampoos say to use them at least twice a week, while 1% ketoconazole labels typically say every 3 to 4 days for up to 8 weeks and then only as needed.
Contact time matters, too, but it varies by product. Some labels tell you to massage the shampoo into your scalp for 3 to 5 minutes, while others say to leave it on for several minutes or rinse and repeat. Follow the time printed on your bottle instead of lathering and rinsing immediately.
If your flakes return after weeks of consistent use, try a shampoo with a different active ingredient and follow its label. If your dandruff continues, gets worse, or irritates your scalp, see a dermatologist.
Wash Your Hair With a Scalp Brush
A scalp brush is a small silicone brush that gently loosens flakes and buildup as you shampoo. It works alongside your dandruff shampoo rather than replacing it.
It lifts loose flakes, excess oil, and buildup from your scalp. The oil matters because the yeast linked to dandruff can't make its own fatty acids and depends on oils from your scalp. Removing excess oil regularly can make your scalp less inviting, but the dandruff shampoo is still the step that treats the condition.
Start by fully saturating your hair with warm water. Apply your favorite color-safe shampoo and massage your scalp with the brush using small, circular motions.
Your scalp should feel invigorated rather than tender, so try not to use too much pressure.
Try a Vinegar Hair Rinse
If you use vinegar on dyed hair, dilute it first. Its low pH, which refers to how acidic it is, helps the outer layer of your strands lie flatter, so your hair feels smoother and looks shinier.
Additionally, vinegar is one of the most well-known DIY dandruff treatments around. It's a natural anti-fungal and helps cut through oil and product buildup.
To try this method, do the following:
- Mix one to three tablespoons of apple cider vinegar with a cup of room temperature water.
- Add a few drops of your preferred essential oil and mix well.
- Spray or pour the mixture onto your scalp and gently massage it in.
- Let it sit for 5 minutes, and then rinse well.
You can use this treatment once every week or so until you start to see an improvement.
Make a Green Tea Rinse
Green tea is rich in antioxidants and has anti-inflammatory properties. It may help soothe your scalp, but it won't replace a medicated dandruff shampoo. Want to give this rinse a try?
Here's how to do it:
- Start by brewing a strong cup of green tea.
- Pour the tea into a clean spray bottle.
- Add a few drops of peppermint or tea tree oil, and shake well.
- Spray the mixture onto your strands and massage it into your scalp for at least five minutes.
- Shampoo and condition your hair like you normally would.
Note: The caffeine in green tea can have a slightly drying effect, so make sure you follow up with a moisturizing conditioner. This tea rinse is highly nourishing, so you can use it once or twice a week as needed.
Use a Pre-Poo Treatment
A pre-poo is a treatment you apply to your hair and scalp right before shampooing. Placement matters when you have dandruff. Coat the length of your strands, which is where the conditioning does its work, and keep heavy oils off your scalp between washes. The yeast linked to dandruff uses scalp oils to grow, so leaving a thick layer of oil there overnight may work against you.
Anytime you want to pre-poo, just coat your strands in your preferred oil or oil blend and let the treatment sit for up to 30 minutes. Then, wash and condition your hair as usual. Make sure you rinse well to remove all the residual oil.
Add Tea Tree Oil to Your Hair Care Regimen
Tea tree oil is another option for color-treated strands. It contains antimicrobial and antifungal compounds that may help control the yeast linked to dandruff.
One thing to know before you mix your own: the research behind tea tree oil tested a shampoo already formulated with 5% tea tree oil, used daily for four weeks. Adding a few drops to a cup of shampoo won't recreate that formula or give you a reliable concentration. If you want to try the strength used in the study, buy a ready-made shampoo that lists 5% tea tree oil on the label.
Use it as often as the bottle directs, and stop if your scalp becomes irritated.
Use Moisture-Promoting Products
Is your dandruff due to dry skin? If so, caring for your scalp with moisturizing masks, oils, and creams will reduce your symptoms.
They'll soothe and moisturize your scalp and give it all the nourishment it needs to stay healthy. Your chemically processed strands will also benefit from the increased moisture. Hydrated strands hold onto color much longer than dry, brittle hair.
Give Yourself a Scalp Massage
A scalp massage won't treat dandruff on its own, but it's a relaxing way to help your dandruff shampoo do its job. Massaging while you lather helps loosen flakes and product buildup so they rinse away.
Use gentle but firm pressure and focus on moving your skin rather than your hair. There's no set time that works best, so massage for as long as it feels good.
The best time to do it is on wash day, while your dandruff shampoo is on your scalp. Leave the shampoo on for the time listed on the bottle, which can be up to 5 to 10 minutes, and then rinse.
With consistent treatment, you should start to see fewer flakes.
Wash Your Headgear Regularly
When you put on dirty headgear, the dirt, sweat, and oil it has absorbed end up on your clean hair and scalp. Since the yeast linked to dandruff uses scalp oil to grow, dirty hats and other headgear can give it more oil to live on.
Try to wash anything that comes into contact with your hair after every fourth or fifth use. That includes your hats, brushes, pillowcases, hair accessories, and sleepwear.
Brush Your Hair
Gently brushing your hair can move some scalp oil onto your strands and loosen visible flakes, but it doesn't treat the cause of dandruff. If you have curly hair, avoid brushing dry curls or forcing a brush through tangles, since that can lead to frizz and breakage.
Keep in mind that excessive brushing can lead to breakage and split ends, so you don't want to overdo it. The type of brush you use also makes a difference.
Here are our picks for the best brushes to fight dandruff.
- Soft boar bristle brush: The soft, flexible bristles are gentle enough for fine and curly hair.
- Paddle brush: Paddle brushes are a good choice for anyone with long or straight hair.
- Cushion brush: These brushes are recommended for long hair that's breakage or tangle-prone.
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If your scalp stings or looks redder after you switch products, stop using the product. If the irritation continues, or your dandruff gets worse or doesn't improve with regular use, see a doctor or dermatologist.
Medicated dandruff shampoos have a reputation for being hard on dyed hair, but only two of the six active-ingredient labels reviewed above mention hair color directly. The rest of the formula can still affect your color, so choose a color-safe shampoo when you can and follow the directions on the bottle.
Read the Drug Facts panel, leave the shampoo on for the time listed, and use it on the recommended schedule. That gives the active ingredient time to work while helping you hold onto your color.
