Dandruff | Natural remedies to get rid of dandruff

📹 Dandruff | Natural Remedies to get rid of Dandruff

 In this blog, we show you how to get rid of dandruff with simple home remedies.

What is Dandruff?

Before we get started, let’s have a quick recap on what dandruff is 

Put simply dandruff is a skin condition which affects your scalp. In some cases, dandruff can also be found behind the ears, on eyebrows, or even on the face. 

However, these are rare and we will deal mostly with dandruff that affects your scalp in this video. 

The key symptoms of dandruff include flakiness of the scalp and mild itching. 

dandruff and hair loss

A more severe form of dandruff is known as seborrheic dermatitis, which can cause inflammation of skin. 

Researchers claim that there is no known cure for dandruff. 

However, using some antifungal creams can improve your condition and reduce the occurrence of dandruff and can soothe the scalp

And so can the nifty home made remedies that we’re going to share!

So let’s take a look at the causes of dandruff, 

as once we identify these, it’ll be much easier to treat them.

 Dandruff can be caused by the following key factors:

Oily Skin or Seborrheic Dermatitis 

This is one of the most common reasons for occurrence of dandruff. 

It is mostly marked by redness of skin covered with flakes or scales. Areas which are rich in oil glands are most affected by this condition. 

Lack of Adequate Shampooing 

Another reason for dandruff is lack of scalp hygiene.

 If you don’t clean your scalp regularly with a good quality shampoo, it can lead to buildup of oil and dead skin cells. These dead skin cells and oil buildup leads to dandruff. 

Malassezia

Malassezia is a yeast-like fungus which resides in your scalp.

 It can cause skin irritation and flakiness which leads to dandruff occurrence. 

Dry Skin

The most common cause of dandruff is dry skin. 

When your skin is not properly hydrated, it becomes dry which causes flakiness. These flakes then develop into dandruff. You would have noticed that the dandruff occurrence is more prominent in winters as your scalp becomes drier during it. 

Dandruff flakes caused  by dry skin are smaller than any of the ways I’ve just mentioned. 

When You Need Immediate Remedies for Dandruff

Dandruff in itself is not a serious medical condition. You don’t need immediate medication to get it cured. 

However, it can point to other health disorders in your body.

Dandruff can slowly turn into psoriasis or eczema which can further aggravate an itchy scalp.

So, let us get straight into some of the excellent home made remedies to treat dandruff.

Tea Tree Oil

Tea tree oil is known for possessing antifungal properties.

It contains a compound terpien-4-ol which has strong anti-microbial properties. 

These Studies revealed that compounds in tea tree oil can be effective in controlling the microbes causing dandruff. 

You can apply it topically on your skin or scalp to address any fungal infections which might be causing the dandruff. 

To get started, you will need 2-3 drops of tea tree oil and 2-3 drops of coconut oil and pour them onto a cotton pad. Now apply this on your scalp gently. You can repeat this process 3-4 times a week to get the best results. You can also mix a few drops of tea tree oil to your shampoo and apply it on your scalp to treat dandruff. 

You should remember that directly applying tea tree oil on your scalp, without mixing it with coconut oil or shampoo can cause irritation to your scalp and further compound the problem.

So, you need to be careful and watch out how you use this oil. 

Some shampoos which contain tea tree oil can also be effective in dealing with dandruff. 

Garlic

garlic for removing dandruff and hair growth

Garlic is rich in phytonutrient and a Sulphur compound which provides excellent nourishment to your hair and scalp. 

It clears scalp infections and is an ideal remedy for dandruff which is caused by dirt build-up. 

Garlic contains essential nutrients which help to regulate and control sebum production on the scalp which is critical in treating dandruff. 

Its also known to improve blood circulation and protects the hair follicles to give you strong and nourished hair. 

To get started, you will need a few cloves of garlic and half a cup of olive oil.

Peel and crush the garlic cloves. Now heat a saucepan and add olive oil to it. Add the crushed garlic mixture to the saucepan now. 

You should heat this mixture for 5 minutes and then strain it. 

Let it cool down and then apply it thoroughly on your scalp. Leave it on the scalp for 30-40 minutes and then rinse it off. 

You can apply this oil twice a week to see marked reduction in dandruff. 

Onion Juice

Onion Juice for removing dandruff and hair loss

Onions are known to contain phytochemical compound which can combat dandruff effectively. 

You can apply a peeled onion directly to your scalp which will help in reducing its flakiness and control dandruff. 

Onion juice not only prevents dandruff, it also stimulates blood circulation in the scalp which leads to strong and nourished hair. For this home remedy, you will need 1 large onion. You need to blend the onion thoroughly in a blender to extract its juice. Once the onion is blended, you should strain it properly to get pure onion juice. You should now apply this onion juice on your scalp and leave it for one hour to work. Once done, you can wash your scalp with a good shampoo. This process needs to be followed at least twice a week to get the desired results. 

Aloe Vera Gel

Aloe Vera for Hair Growth

Those of you familiar with aloe vera would know that it is mostly used for comforting and treatment of burns and wounds. Aloe vera gel has cooling and soothing properties which reduces inflammation and reduces pain from burns and wounds.

However, it is also known to work wonders for treatment of dandruff. One study shows that participants who got treated with aloe vera gel, reported considerable reduction in itchiness, flakiness, and the size of the area affected by dandruff. 

A more recent study has established that treatment of seborrheic dermatitis on the face with aloe vera gel had promising results. It resulted in an 80% improvement in symptoms of seborrheic dermatitis on all patients. There were no side-effects reported too. 

So, all you need to do is apply the aloe vera gel on your scalp gently. You should massage in circular motions to ensure that the gel is absorbed completely by your scalp. You can leave it for 1 hour and then wash it off with a shampoo. This aloe vera gel application should be tried at least twice a week and you’ll start to notice some promising results.

Eucalyptus Oil

Eucalyptus Oil for Hair Growth and removing Dandruff

Eucalyptus oil has properties which can help fight dandruff.

 Studies have shown that eucalyptus oil has antimicrobial, antifungal, and anti-herbicidal properties.

 If your scalp has low levels of ceramide, then it can be vulnerable to dandruff. Eucalyptus oil is rich in bioactive compounds which can increase the ceramide content of your scalp and thus assist in dandruff control. This oil can also be used for reducing the scalp inflammation. 

You will need 2-3 drops of eucalyptus oil and 2-3 drops of coconut oil to begin. You should take note that like all essential oils, it is recommended to dilute the eucalyptus oil with a carrier oil before applying it directly on your scalp. 

In our case, it is being diluted with coconut oil. You should mix the eucalyptus and coconut oil and apply this mixture on your scalp using gentle circular motions. Once applied, leave it for 30-45 minutes for it to work on the scalp. Now wash thoroughly using plain water. This process should be repeated at least 2-3 times in a week in order for it to work effectively. 

Lemongrass Oil

Lemongrass Oil for removing dandruff

Another effective remedy against dandruff is using lemongrass oil. It is an essential oil rich in bioactive compounds which have antifungal properties. It is known to combat Malassezia furfur-a type of yeast which can cause dandruff growth. 

A study conducted in 2015 showed that lemongrass oil can be effective in treating dandruff. Subjects who used lemongrass hair tonic showed visible improvements in dandruff control compared to other subjects who had used placebo. 

Hence, to get started with this home remedy, you will need few drops of lemongrass oil which you can mix with either virgin coconut oil or jojoba oil as carrier oils. Using jojoba oil may yield better results. Apply this oil mixture on your scalp generously.

You should apply using gentle circular motions for better coverage. 

It is ideal to leave the oil overnight for best results. However, if you are running short on time, then try to leave it for 2-3 hours and then wash it off with a good quality mild shampoo. You should apply lemongrass oil twice a week, after which you will see the results of dandruff control. 

Coconut Oil

coconut oil for dandruff and hair growth

Coconut oil is one of the best and cheapest remedies for dandruff control. It is rich in lauric acid which can combat fungal infections known to cause Malassezia, which can reduce the occurrence and growth of dandruff. 

Coconut oil also has excellent moisturizing properties, which can treat dandruff. 

A study conducted on children revealed that coconut oil was found to be more effective than mineral oil in controlling eczema. The oil penetrated the epidermis-top layer of the skin- and prevented further dryness which could have led to growth of dandruff flakes. Another study highlighted that cultured coconut extract lowered inflammatory markers in human skin samples. 

Take 2 tablespoons of virgin coconut oil and massage it gently on your scalp. Apply in generous quantity and use circular motions for best scalp coverage. 

You should leave it on for at least 1 hour and then wash it off using a mild shampoo. Repeat this process at least twice a week to see the results. You will observe significant reduction in dandruff by using coconut oil. 

Neem Oil

Neem oil for removing dandruff

The Neem tree is world-renowned for its medicinal properties. Neem oil is very potent in fighting dandruff. It is created by an extraction process from the fruits and seeds of neem tree.

It is better to use cold-pressed neem oil as the therapeutic properties of neem is not destroyed in this process. 

Applying neem oil can moisturize and nourish your scalp. It removes itchiness and dryness which promotes dandruff growth. 

You would be surprised to know that neem oil is a much better and safer option for dandruff control than anti-dandruff shampoos which may contain harmful chemicals. 

Without much ado, let’s get straight to the point and see how you can use neem oil for dandruff control. 

To begin with, you should remember that concentrated neem oil can be too strong for direct application on the scalp. 

It should be mixed with a carrier oil like olive oil, coconut oil, jojoba oil, etc. before applying on your scalp. 

You can take 2-3 drops of neem oil and an equal quantity of coconut oil and prepare an oil mixture. Now apply this mixture in generous quantity on your scalp. 

Make sure to use gentle and circular motion for a complete application. You should leave this application for 30-40 minutes for it to work on the dandruff. Wash it thoroughly using a mild shampoo. In order to get the desired results, you should repeat this process 2-3 times per week. 

Baking Soda

Baking Soda for removing Dandruff from the scalp

Baking soda helps you to clean the scalp and get rid of dandruff flakes in a few uses.

Its application helps to remove excess sebum produced by your scalp. It leaves your hair clean and fresh by washing off excess oil and grease. Baking soda is a natural antiseptic and is known to be an effective antifungal agent. Hence, it can successfully deal with fungus which causes dandruff. Excess oil in the scalp can also lead to dandruff growth. Using baking soda regulates oil accumulation in the scalp which prevents dandruff growth. It also reduces any inflammation or itching in the scalp too. 

You will need 2-3 tablespoons of baking soda to get started. Wet your hair thoroughly and apply baking soda on the scalp. You can leave the baking soda for few minutes on the scalp and wash off with a good quality shampoo. 

You can repeat this process 2-3 times in a week to see the impact on dandruff control. 

You can also mix baking soda with other ingredients to make a more powerful mixture for dandruff control. It can be mixed with apple cider vinegar, lemon, olive oil, coconut oil, tea tree oil, etc. and the mixture can be applied on the scalp. 

Probiotics 

probiotics to remove dandruff from the scalp

Probiotic foods like yogurt contain Lactobacillus paracasei which can help control dandruff. 

It has been proven by studies and clinical trials that probiotics can play an important role in helping you get rid of dandruff. A study conducted in 2016 involved 60 subjects suffering from moderate to severe dandruff. The participants were given either a probiotic sachet of Lactobacillus paracasei or a placebo which had only sugar medicine in it. They were asked to use it for 56 days. After the end of the trial period, participants using probiotics were found to have significant reduction in dandruff along with reduction in itchiness and redness of the scalp. 

Research has also shown that Lactobacillus paracasei can restore normal balance of the scalp’s microbiome which helps in dandruff control. In fact, using probiotic is the simplest way of dandruff control. You don’t have to apply any oil or mixture to your scalp. You just need to consume 1 cup of probiotic yogurt and you are good to go. You can enjoy the delicious yogurt while it simultaneously works on dandruff control. Simple- isn’t it?  You should ideally eat 1 cup of probiotic yogurt every day to get the desired results. 

Apple Cider Vinegar 

Apple Cider Vinegar for Hair Growth

You can also try using apple cider vinegar for dandruff control. It has antifungal and antibacterial properties which help to maintain your scalp’s health. The vinegar is really effective in killing fungus which causes dandruff A pH imbalance in your scalp can also cause dandruff. Apple cider vinegar balances your scalp’s pH and helps to prevent dandruff growth.

Using it regularly also helps to remove product build-up and deeply cleanses your scalp and hair, thereby preventing dandruff growth. It is also known to have excellent anti-inflammatory properties which can soothe an aggravated scalp from irritation and inflammation. 

There are two different ways to use apple cider vinegar in dealing with dandruff. 

The first way is to do a scalp massage using apple cider vinegar.  Take 1 cup of apple cider vinegar to two cups of water . gently massage it on your scalp using circular motion. Leave it to work its magic for 10 minutes and then wash it off using a mild shampoo. You can also finish the process by applying a good quality conditioner. You should use this process once or twice every two weeks. 

Another way to use apple cider vinegar it to mix 2 tablespoons of it in 1cup water for preparing a mixture. You can begin by washing and conditioning your hair and then pour the above mixture on your hair and use it as a final rinse. Do remember not to rinse your hair again with water after applying this mixture. It can be done once every two weeks. This helps to remove the dirt build-up and maintain the scalp’s pH balance, thus, preventing dandruff growth.  

 

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