Are you having problems with dandruff? You are in the right place! Find out how to get rid of dandruff with some homemade recipes for making shampoos and masks that we have prepared for you.
Although this unaesthetic phenomenon creates a problem in as many as 87 percent of people, there is a way to get rid of dandruff. It should be said immediately: dandruff is not a health problem, but a cosmetic problem, which is, of course, good, but it is still a pain for many people because you will agree: no one is comfortable with white spots on their hair and shoulders all the time.
What Is Dandruff?
Dandruff is made up of tiny scales formed by peeling of dead skin on the head and is usually oily and yellowish-white in color. Dandruff is considered to be a non-inflammatory variant of seborrheic dermatitis.
These scales fall spontaneously from the surface of the head and for that reason we often notice them first on clothes and shoulders.
It can also occur in the area of the forehead, eyebrows, behind the ear… In addition to scales, itching of the head can also occur.
Dandruff is a common problem that most of the population encounters at least once in their lifetime, but luckily you can still get rid of it.
What Is the Main Cause of Dandruff?
How dandruff occurs – let’s see the most common causes:
- Dry skin: if you have this problem, it is likely that you also have dandruff. And its appearance is like this: the skin starts to itch and dry out, and then it releases white particles.
- Irritated oily skin: if your skin is oily and irritated, it will be red and accompanied by white or yellow spots. In such cases, it is possible for dandruff to occur in other places where the glands secrete more sebum (eyebrows, chest, around the nose, in the armpits)
This type of skin is better known in medicine as seborrheic dermatitis. It can be caused by stress, fatigue, illness, lack of sleep, cold weather or cold air.
- Skin problems: e.g. eczema and psoriasis can cause dandruff. If the condition worsens, these problems also cause itching, bleeding, a burning sensation, but also a hair loss.
Scalp psoriasis is distinguished from ordinary dandruff by its silvery color.
- Yeast: There are people who are very sensitive to yeast, so they are more susceptible to dandruff. It is believed that about 33% of people are intolerant to food that contains yeast.
- Irregular hair washing: when the scalp and hair are not cleaned regularly, sebum and dead cells accumulate on the head, which leads to dandruff. The solution here is to wash your hair regularly with shampoo.
- Improper combing of the hair: this means that you do not comb your hair enough to clean the scalp. When you comb your hair, you remove dead cells, but also clean the pores, getting rid of the dirt that can cause dandruff.
For this reason, we advise you to wash and comb your hair regularly; and in case you get dandruff, consult a doctor or apply some of the natural remedies that will help you to get rid of dandruff.
But first of all, try proven shampoos that work against dandruff.
Other possible causes of dandruff are fungal infections, improper hygiene, the use of chemically strong gels or hair shampoos.
How to Get Rid Of Dandruff With Natural Preparations
If you want to get rid of dandruff naturally, you can read about some good natural ways to get rid of dandruff.
Baking Soda
Surely you know how effective baking soda is for our body. It is most often used when we have a heartburn problem, but what you may not have known is that it can also be used to get rid of dandruff.
It helps get rid of dandruff by removing dead scalp cells. In addition, it also regulates the pH level of the skin, so that fungi, bacteria, etc. do not settle.
Homemade anti-dandruff shampoo made of baking soda: you need 1 tablespoon of baking soda and ½ cup of lukewarm water.
Put baking soda in lukewarm water, mix well and use as a shampoo; let it stand on the scalp for a while before rinsing.
If you feel that baking soda makes your skin dry and you do not like it, do not use it as a shampoo, but just mix a teaspoon of soda with a very mild shampoo and wash your hair.
Lemon Against Dandruff
Another natural preparation that will help you get rid of dandruff is with lemon juice.
Lemon has citric acid in it, which fights dandruff very well. It actually kills the fungi that cause dandruff.
Here are some ways to prepare a natural preparation that will help you get rid of dandruff:
- take two tablespoons of fresh lemon juice and massage the scalp with it. Leave to stand for a minute or two and rinse with water.
- rub lemon slices directly on the scalp, leave for a few minutes then rinse.
Apple Cider Vinegar Against Dandruff
It is, in addition to its many effectiveness, a great way to get rid of dandruff because it returns the pH level of the skin to normal, whose imbalance is to blame for the increased development of fungi that cause dandruff. It is also a natural skin cleanser.
Recipe: mix 2-3 tablespoons of vinegar with the same amount of water and add another 15-20 drops of tea tree oil. Massage the root of the head, then rinse after a few minutes. Repeat this 2-3 times a week.
Interesting fact: apple cider vinegar, in addition to some other natural methods, can also be used to remove nail polish, instead of acetone-based preparations, which, as you probably know, dry your skin and nails.
Olive Oil
Olive oil is a common ingredient in masks for all hair types. The dryness of the scalp can be overcome by regular use of olive oil. Heat it slightly, massage it into the scalp, then wrap the hair in a towel and let it stand for half an hour. After that, comb your hair with a wide-toothed comb, and wash it as you normally would.
Breckland Thyme
This plant has antiseptic and antibacterial effects, so it is an excellent ingredient that helps you get rid of dandruff.
Recipe: Put 4 tablespoons of dried Breckland thyme in 20 oz (0.5 l) of water and cook for 10-15 minutes. Strain and allow to cool; divide the liquid into two parts.
First, massage one half of the liquid into the scalp and let it stand for 15-20 minutes, then massage the other half. Wait 2, 3 hours, and then wash your hair.
Coconut Oil
Coconut oil is one of the best ingredients in the fight against dandruff. It will also reduce itching and hydrate the skin.
Recipe: mix coconut oil with a little lemon juice and rub into the scalp, gently massaging. Rinse after 20 minutes. Repeat the procedure 2-3 times a week.
Depending on the type of skin and hair, some people decide to try to remove dandruff with special shampoos. Some others, on the other hand, use ordinary shampoos, but fight dandruff with the help of special anti-dandruff hair masks or seek remedy in certain plants.
Since we are all different and our organisms and bodies function differently, one will work better on someone and another on someone else. That is why we have decided to provide you with an insight into all the possibilities, and it is up to you to choose what will best suit your skin.
The next thing we present to you as a way to get rid of dandruff are shampoos.
Effectiveness of Anti-Dandruff Shampoo
To be able to solve this aesthetic problem, one of the possibilities is to use special anti-dandruff shampoos. They act on both the symptoms and the causes of dandruff.
- Shampoos with antibacterial substances destroy the bacteria on the scalp and reduce the possibility of infection.
- For problematic cases, try a tar-based shampoo: leave it on your head for 5-10 minutes, so that it works nicely. Just don’t overdo it.
- Herbal shampoos: for example, a tea tree is a natural antibiotic so you can use this shampoo. A little tip: before use, do a test for possible allergies, so that you do not have problems afterward.
Anti-Dandruff Hair Masks
If you have decided to find a way to remove dandruff with natural hair masks, we have prepared a few recipes that you can try at home.
It is necessary to apply anti-dandruff masks for 2-3 months to see the effects.
First, you should know that there are two types of dandruff (dry and oily), and depending on what type you have, use appropriate masks.
How to recognize which dandruff you have?
- If dandruff appears 1-2 days after washing your hair and is accompanied by itching, you have dry dandruff.
- If it occurs after 4-5 days, it is oily dandruff.
Homemade Masks Against Dry Dandruff
- The first one we present to you is burdock oil. It should be rubbed into the hair root with massaging movements. The oil should be warm. After applying the mask, cover it with a nylon bag, and wrap your head with a towel. Rinse after 30-40 minutes and apply this once a week.
- For the second mask, you need to mix one egg yolk, 3 tablespoons of yogurt, and one tablespoon of oil (you can choose olive, burdock, castor, or sunflower). Apply the mask on the scalp and after an hour, rinse with lukewarm water. Use this mask two or three times a week.
Homemade Masks Against Oily Dandruff
- Half an hour before washing your hair, rub a mixture of two cloves of crushed garlic with a tablespoon of castor oil, a tablespoon of sour cream, and a tablespoon of lemon juice into the hair root. Use once a week.
- Apply warm yogurt to your hair and rinse it off after 30 minutes. Use this 2-3 times a week and you will get rid of dandruff successfully.
Why Is Combing Important When It Comes to Dandruff?
Be sure to comb your hair in the morning and evening with a comb, as this is necessary to improve blood circulation in the scalp and to strengthen the hair.
Combing enables even distribution of fat, which collects near the hair roots, and also gives it elasticity, smoothness, and mechanically cleans the scalp of dandruff.
How Does Diet Affect the Appearance of Dandruff?
A diet that does not have enough zinc can be one of the causes of dandruff. For that, but also for many other reasons, zinc is necessary for our body so try to get enough of it.
Here are some foods of animal origin where you will find zinc: oysters, fish and shellfish, egg yolks.
Also, whole grains, legumes, nuts, flax and sesame seeds contain a large amount of zinc …
Zinc is better absorbed from foods of animal origin than from those of plant origin. This means that if you are a vegetarian, you should consume it in larger quantities.
If you have dandruff, increase the intake of vitamin B6, which you will find in chicken, tuna, salmon, spinach… It helps reduce dandruff and eczema.
How to Prevent Dandruff?
In the end, if you are among the small number of people who do not have this problem, that is great, but – it is worth giving you a few suggestions on how to get rid of dandruff.
You know the saying, “Better safe than sorry!” The key is in proper care.
- Avoid rough brushes, hair drying with hot air, washing hair with too hot water…
- Always wash off sweat after sport activities or hard physical work, because sweat irritates the scalp and accelerates the formation of dandruff.
- Use hair products carefully (gels, foams, hair sprays) because they bind fat. Try to use them as rarely as possible.
- Do not scratch your head when shampooing, but massage your scalp with your fingertips.
What are your experiences and do you have any recommendations on how to get rid of dandruff? Do you have any other way or have you maybe tried some of these recipes? Write to us in the comments!
