Dandruff! :(

Nov 16, 2012

Becky W.

(Sorry if this grosses you out!)

I have a lot of dandruff, and I first noticed it about 10 years ago. It itches just a little bit, though I'm not sure if it's like the random itching you get all over your body once in a while for a split second (does that make sense?) or itching from having a dry scalp. The only dandruff shampoo I've tried is Head & Shoulders but it only helps a little.

Does anyone else have a similar problem? Any suggestions would be really appreciated :)

A bit about my hair/hair routine, if it helps:
I wash my hair about every 3 - 4 days, and it doesn't start getting greasy until around day 3. I use conditioner mostly on my ends, and put whatever is left in my hands near the roots. I usually let my hair air dry, and I only blow dry if it's cold outside and I'm in a hurry to be somewhere. When my hair is dry, the dandruff is very noticeable and comes off in big flakes no matter what the weather is like. Once in a while I'll use gel or mousse, maybe a few times a year. I also bleach my hair occasionally, but I don't let it get anywhere near my roots.

Thanks in advance!

Nov 16, 2012

Jessica O.

Try garner fruitise? And you should probably wash you're hair every other day. 

Nov 16, 2012

Natise M.

Tea Tree Oil is great for treating dandruff. Try out Paul Mitchell's Tea Tree shampoo & conditioner, I think it will work for you :)

Nov 16, 2012

Yesenia P.

I have bad dandruff and Head & Shoulders worked for me. Maybe see a dermatologist?? I'm sure they can help!!

Nov 16, 2012

Megan P.

Aveda scalp benefits shampoo and conditioner. 

Nov 16, 2012

Arianna S.

You need to exfoliate your scalp. The Itching can be from dead skin. Scrub your scalp with a mixture of brown sugar and olive oil and let it sit for 3 minutes or so, then rinse it out. You'll notice your scalp is relieved of the itch and it won't have any dandruff and its moisturized. I did this and loved the outcome. Also try switching to a better shampoo and conditioner. Tea trea oil is good. Also Argan oil

Nov 16, 2012

Nowheregirl B.

dilute apple cider vinegar with water, 1 part ACV :1 part water, and put it on a spray bottle, after you shampoo your hair( with any shampoo) and before you condition, shake the bottle well and spray this on your scalp. Not a lot just enough to cover all of your scalp. Dandruff and itchiness will go away. try it and let me know how it goes :)

Nov 16, 2012

Becky W.

@Jessica - I used to wash my hair every day, then toned it down to every other day, then to every 3-4 days. The dandruff is the worst when I wash my hair but it calms down a bit afterward, until I wash my hair again.

@Yesenia - Doctors scare me, haha! But if worse comes to worst, I'll have to try that.

@Arianna - I'll try the sugar/olive oil scrub. How often should I do this, and should I follow up with shampooing afterwards?

@ Megan, Natise - The Aveda Scalp Benefits + Paul Mitchell's Tea Tree shampoo/conditioner seems very promising based on the reviews I read, so I'll try both of them.

Edit: @Nowheregirl - Sorry, I didn't see your reply before! Sounds a little similar to no-poo - I believe ACV helps to balance/regulate the oils in your hair? I heard that it might make hair go haywire for a few weeks, but starts working wonders after. I'll let you know, though!

Thanks for the suggestions so far :)

Nov 16, 2012

Arianna S.

If you use hair products often I'd say once a week. And yes shampoo afterwards 

Nov 16, 2012

Jessica W.

If you go to a dr they are probably going to prescribe you ketoconazol shampoo, which has a very similar if not exact OTC match, called nizoral. So if all else fails and you can actually find the nizoral shampoo give it a try. It's hard to find its usually the most asked for medicated shampoo and also the hardest to actually get in.

Nov 16, 2012

Varshini B.

I have used Nizoral and its amazing. But I am just not able to find it. Any idea where I can find it??? 

Nov 16, 2012

Jessica W.

You might have to go online and pay a little more than usual. When I lolled on our order site at the pharmacy I work at it says manufacturer back order. I don't know if that's for everyone or just the company I work for. 

Nov 16, 2012

Jessica W.

I actually just found it on amazon. 

Nov 16, 2012

Varshini B.

Oh kewl... I need it... With this cold... My scalp tends to dry a lot more than usual... Any home remedies for this?

Nov 16, 2012

Ciermae B.

You probably have a few suggestions to try out now, but another one to add to the list would be Ginger Scalp Care shampoo from The Body Shop. My boyfriend uses it for his itchy scalp and dandruff and it works wonders. It's a product that people have said there is no product that works as good as it. Hope that helps and that you get to try it out :)

Nov 16, 2012

Nowheregirl B.

@Becky W. i think baking soda does the cleansing part in no poo...acv counteracts the baking soda. yes acv can be a bit drying if applied for a prolonged time, but you are not leaving it on your hair per say...you will be spraying some after shampoo and (Dont wash off the acv just yet) then you will put the conditioner then wash off the conditioner with water (which will also take care of the acv)...since your hair will be coated with condition acv wont hurt..but it will help to neutralize the scalp nevertheless :)

Nov 16, 2012

Sandra R.

Try neutrogena T-Gel Shampoo! I hope it helps you. 

Nov 16, 2012

LesAnn N.

Selsun blue really worked for me got rid of the itching by second wash. Now I'm using Wen tea tree oil cleanser and selsun blue I alternate them. Also try to keep hair sprays with alcohol away from the scalp they contribute to the dandruff. 

Nov 16, 2012

Amy E.

I've never had dandruff but a friend of mine did and the Neutrogena T-Gel shampoo worked for her.

Nov 16, 2012

Julianne J.

Just check and see with a doc if you have psoriasis or a more serious skin issue before proceeding with dandruff remedies.

Nov 16, 2012

Sophie L.

I've had a bad itchy scalp & dandruff for years, I feel your pain! I used to wake up with blood under my nails when it got bad....
- T-Gel, suggested above, really helps. But it's also pretty harsh in your hair & very grant in synthetic chemicals (if that's an issue to you)
- no-poo & ACV work well, really helped me, although not solved it completely
- tea tree, although great for its antibacterial properties, can be drying. Worth trying but keep a close eye on it
- is your hair thick? My scalp can't shed, because my hair's too thick, meaning it gets built up (lovely!). A scalp massage brush (the round, flat kind with a handle on top) helps clear it, but I must use it every day, in the shower
- Green People Homme Itch Away shampoo is excellent
- does it get worse if you eat lots of sugar or are stressed? Could be a yeast overgrowth (Google will give you lots of info!)

What finally worked for me (& it only controls it, hasn't solved it) is a very clean diet (paleo), scalp brush every day under running water & Itch Away shampoo once a week.

Sorry, I know that's an essay, but I know how miserable it is!

Nov 16, 2012

Nicole R.

I am going to have to fourth the t-gel!!! It really helps, but I my scalp gets used to it if I use it too much so I switch it up and use a different product from time to time.

Nov 19, 2012

Becky W.

Wow, thanks for all the suggestions! Sorry I wasn't able to reply in a timely manner, I was out of state for a few days.

@ Arianna - I just tried the olive oil/brown sugar scrub today, it's fantastic! Thank you so much for the suggestion :D It got rid of about 75% of the dandruff, and most of the ones that are left are tiny specks.

@ Lesann - Thanks for the hairspray tip!

@ Sophie - Thanks so much for all the suggestions, and the heads up for the T-gel shampoo. I have a feeling that maybe the skin on my scalp can't shed because I have pretty thick hair as well.

I'm going to try a few of the shampoos that have been mentioned - the ones I have in mind are the Ginger Scalp Care, Aveda Scalp Benefits, and Paul Mitchell's Tea Tree shampoos, though hopefully I can try the others + ACV out as well. Thanks everyone! :)