Dandruff Basics

Getting rid of dandruff

Here is some helpful information to know if you want to control your dandruff:

• Be aware of what hair gels and other hair products are doing to your scalp, since they cause irritation. You may want to see if your flaking, itching and redness improves, if you do without whatever you have been using, or change to a different product.
• Even though your head itches, do not scratch your scalp. And when you shampoo, try to massage your scalp with your fingertips, without scratching with your fingernails. When you scratch, you are damaging the hair at its root and you could have another problem besides the dandruff.
• For mild dandruff symptoms, try shampooing your hair twice a week with any shampoo labelled "frequent use, for dry hair" (that is, don't use an "anti-dandruff" shampoo). Doing so will remove flakes that are being shed, and the moisturizer in the shampoo will protect the scalp.
• If at all possible, avoid dyeing your hair. Hair dyes kills the bacteria you have on your scalp, including the ‘good’ bacteria that help prevent dandruff yeast. A natural remedy for mild dandruff is to boil four heaped tablespoons of dried thyme in half a litre of water (just under a pint) for 10 minutes. Let the solution cool and then strain it through a sieve into a jar. Massage your scalp with some of the liquid three times a week. Do not rinse it out.
• You can also look for a shampoo containing tea tree oil. Research from Austrailia published in 2002 ( in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology) showed that a 5% tea tree oil shampoo improved dandruff by 41%. That indicates a noticeable improvement, even though it did not completely eliminate the dandruff.
• Medical research has shown that most dandruff results from too much of a naturally occurring, yeast-like fungus called Malassezia. There are two chemicals that have been approved by the FDA to reduce this yeast, you need to carefuly read carefully the small print on the antidandruff shampoo before you buy it. Some anti-dandruff shampoo contains selenium sulfide, which has an anti-fungus effect. Another anti-dandrull shampoo ingredient is zinc pyrithone, which attacks Malassezia fungus, too. To use this shampoo, you should wet your hair, rub the shampoo onto your scalp and rinse off. Repeat, leaving the shampoo for 3–5 minutes before rinsing off. Do not use selenium sulfide within 48 hours of applying a hair colorant or a perm lotion. 
• The most effective anti-dandruff shampoo that you can purchase over the counter is an anti-fungal shampoo containing ketoconazole. You can also buy this directly from a chemist without a doctor’s prescription. Wet your hair, massage the shampoo onto your scalp and rinse off. Then repeat, leaving the shampoo for 3–5 minutes before rinsing off. Use the shampoo twice a week for 2–4 weeks to clear the dandruff. Then use the ketoconazole shampoo once every 2 weeks, using a normal shampoo for good hair care and hygience.

When to see your doctor

If your scalp is red and itchy – or if the skin is flaky around the eyebrows, round the nose or behind the ears – you should see your doctor because you may a more severe form of dandruff called seborrhoeic dermatitis (seborrhoeic eczema). Alsok you should see your doctor if the dandruff is very lumpy or patchy, or if you have scaly skin elsewhere: that could be a skin disorder, such as psoriasis.