It is frustrating, but the good news is that dandruff can be treated. Many things cause dandruff, from your skin condition (too dry or too oily) to not shampooing often enough and even sensitivity to haircare products as well as other skin conditions like eczema and even emotional stress that put you at a higher chance of having dandruff. Essentially, the flakes you see are dead skin cells that have formed on the surface of your scalp. Here are some tips on how you can tackle the issue to have healthy, dandruff-free scalp.
Dandruff can be easily solved by using the right medicated shampoo. What to look out for when buying a shampoo? One of these ingredients: Zinc sulfate, selenium sulfide, sulfur, ketoconazole, sodium chloride or salicylic acid. Try different types until you find one that works for you.
With dandruff, your scalp is the issue. So it is best to focus on your scalp, not your hair. Do this by shampooing the right way. Wash your scalp twice – the first time to clean any existing dandruff on your scalp, and the second time to help medicate your scalp.
How you brush your hair can also help eradicate dandruff problems. One issue about dandruff is that oil clogs up your pores on your scalp (which is skin after all) causing dead skin cells to accumulate. To prevent this, brush from the roots to hair ends. This encourages oil on your scalp to spread evenly through your hair. But don’t brush too much or too hard as it may over stimulate your oil glands to work harder than they should, making dandruff worse.
To have dandruff-free scalp, keep clear of dairy products as these can worsen your dandruff.
Another ingredient to avoid? Sugar, which causes inflammation in our
bodies, and processed food and bad fats that lead to insulin spikes in
turn over stimulating your hormones that trigger oil production.
Dandruff can also be caused by improper digestion. To aid digestion, make ginger a bit part of your diet as this spice can help improve your digestion as well as keep dandruff away with its antifungal and antibacterial properties. Other things to include in this your diet include sunflower seeds and wheat germ (rich in zinc and vitamin B6, which is good for controlling sebum production on your scalp and skin) and bananas (loaded with amino acids and antioxidants to treat dandruff).
Shampoo more often, change your brushes more regularly and use clean pillow covers and towels (make sure to wash these daily in hot soapy water).
