12 natural remedies for dandruff
Those seemingly harmless snowflakes floating around the top of your head are actually caused by a scalp-dwelling fungus called malassezia globossa. The fungus is present in every single one of us – but only some of us have a reaction to it. While normal scalp turnover is 21 to 28 days, the shedding process is sped up in people with an inflammatory response. Chemical treatments, like colouring and relaxing, or even regular blow-drying, can also leave your scalp dehydrated, irritated and more prone to flaking.
Though most people treat the condition with medicated shampoos such as Head & Shoulders, many of the formulas out there are … intense. They are made with detergents, to which anti-flaking agents such as coal tar, zinc pyrithizone, salicylic acid and selenium sulphide are added. These can be irritating to both skin and eyes – coal tar and salicylic acid in particular.
Got dandruff to rival Ally Sheedy's character in The Breakfast Club, but don't want to wage chemical warfare on your scalp? Through incorporating these natural remedies, you can ensure that everything up there stays in tip-top shape.
1. Cinnamon
Try a cinnamon hair mask using two teaspoons of warm olive oil and one teaspoon of cinnamon. Apply liberally to the scalp, massage and leave on for 10 to 15 minutes before washing off with shampoo.
2. Rosemary
Create a hair tea by infusing your bath with loose-leaf rosemary and rubbing the ends with rosemary oil, which contains anti-fungal properties.
3. Coconut Oil
Of course coconut oil was going to make an appearance on this list. Apply the oil to your scalp, but try to avoid your hair. Wash out – you may have double shampoo – and repeat once a week until dandruff is gone.
4. Avocado
Avocado, that beauty powerhouse that also happens to be as the most delicious food in the world, can be whipped into a hair mask when you mix it with 10 drops of argan oil, two tablespoons of honey and 5 drops of tea tree oil, known for its antifungal properties. Simply mash, massage onto your scalp, leave in for 10 minutes, comb through and rinse.
5. Apple Cider Vinegar
Apple cider vinegar is like bicarbonate soda in that it literally fixes everything – hiccups, pimples, what have you! Combine one part apple cider vinegar with one part water in a spray bottle and spritz after shampooing. Simply rinse out with water – no need to condition after.
6. Beetroot
Apparently, rinsing your hair with the concentrated water leftover from boiling beetroots and ginger will help if used every night for four to five days.
7. Jojoba Oil
Do most anti-dandruff shampoos leave your hair feeling dry? Glossy, shiny, flake-free hair is actually achievable if you treat with jojoba oil. Massage a couple of drops into your scalp, wrap with a towel and leave for 10 minutes.
8. Brown Sugar
Fix chronic flaking with a simple sugar scrub made of two tablespoons of brown sugar and two tablespoons of warm olive oil. Pat into warm hair and rinse out before styling as usual.
9. Ginger
Finely grate half a ginger root (known for its anti-inflammatory properties) into two cups of hot water before adding a tablespoon of lemon juice and olive oil. Mist directly onto the scalp and let dry before shampooing it out.
10. Aloe Vera
The healing plant improves seborrhoeic dermatitis and other skin conditions due to its anti-inflammatory properties. Apply to your scalp at night and rinse in the morning.
11. Eggs
You've heard of putting mayonnaise on your hair, right? Try mixing an egg yolk with olive oil for the same silky smooth results. Warning: This one can get messy!
12. Quicker Showers
And last but not least, quit it with the steamy showers and switch to shorter ones with lukewarm water instead. Also, wet hair is fragile so wait until your hair is damp before blow-drying on the lowest setting.
Written by Kathleen Lee Joe. This article first appeared on Stuff.co.nz.
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