Whilst there are no officially recognized cures for dandruff, there are
still plenty of natural remedies for dandruff that claim to be able to
help control it.
Many of the suggestions below should help you.
But to what
extent probably depends upon the type and severity of your condition,
as well as other factors such as your diet and stress levels.
Dandruff problems and its symptoms can generally be grouped into two
types:
1. Greasy dandruff - flakes of skin mix
with sebum (oil) and
stick to the scalp. Combing leaves a greasy mixture of dandruff and
sebum on the teeth of the comb.
2. Dry dandruff - combing your hair
causes flakes of skin to
fall onto the shoulders, etc. Dry dandruff is easier to treat and less
likely to reappear than greasy dandruff.
These two types often mirror the type of skin you have, so if you have
dry skin, you're more likely to get dry dandruff.
The main idea of using a natural remedy for dandruff is obviously to
avoid the chemicals that form the ingredients of most anti
dandruff shampoos.
So, if you're thinking about using an organically produced
shampoo, bear in mind that all natural dandruff shampoos should be free
from chemicals such as SLS (Sodium lauryl sulfate). Learn more about
what ingredients you need to avoid? Read
this page.
A simple online search for "organic dandruff shampoo" should provide
plenty of retailers in your own country. Local health food stores
should also sell high quality natural dandruff shampoos that have been
proven to work.
Of course, many natural dandruff shampoos you can buy will be
quite expensive. So you could try making your own home remedy for
dandruff instead. However, many people will immediately dismiss this
idea because it involves collecting specific ingredients and then
spending time making something that might not even work.
Instead, most people prefer simply to buy a ready-made dandruff
shampoo.
But, if you are prepared to try this home remedy approach, here are
five highly recommended natural cures for dandruff that should help
you...
Applying various types of oil to the scalp is also said to help cure
dandruff. Recommended oils include:
Jojoba oil
Olive oil
Peanut oil
Sesame oil
Neem oil
Note: neem oil has a powerful
smell and should be mixed with
another (carrier) oil such as almond oil. However, its effects are long
lasting and it is also said to promote hair growth too.
Typically, oils are left on the scalp overnight and shampooed out the
next day.
The various benefits some of these oils have include: antiseptic, anti
fungal, moisturizer and excess sebum removal.
It's worth noting that oils have a neutral pH but many
dandruff problems involve an imbalance in scalp pH. That's why most
shampoo-based treatment for dandruff involves rebalancing the pH of the
scalp. This is done by formulating slightly acidic (low pH) anti
dandruff shampoos.
So, if you're trying to cure dandruff by applying oil to your scalp, it
may be worth considering using a method to lower your scalp pH too (see
2. below).
Other topical applications for dandruff include:
Aloe vera - Aloe vera can help heal the
scalp. Aloe vera gel can
be purchased from a health food store, or you can make your own from
the leaves of the plant.
Alliums - garlic and onion contain
sulfur which can benefit the
scalp. Either consume, take capsules or (if you handle the smell) rub
directly onto your scalp!
Ginger root - juice from the ginger root
can be squeezed out and mixed with olive oil.
Beetroot - the beetroot will need to be
boiled before it is applied to the scalp.
2.
Can restoring scalp pH cure dandruff?
Many natural, made-at-home remedies aim to cure dandruff by applying
slightly acidic solutions to the scalp.
A healthy scalp should have a slightly low (acidic) pH. But,
when it gets very greasy, its pH can increase. So, by restoring its
normal pH, a fast and completely natural remedy for dandruff might just
be possible.
This idea makes sense particularly because it should be very easy to
do...
Simply use white vinegar or apple cider vinegar for dandruff
treatment as a final rinse every time you shampoo. Dilute the vinegar
in water. Since vinegar is acidic, it can help restore the natural pH
of the scalp and as such, be an effective way to treat greasy dandruff.
Other acidic applications include lemon or lime juice.
