The Problem
When looking for ways to get rid of this annoying flaking, you usually read things like: Wash your hair daily, massage shampoo in well and leave in for some minutes, use anti-dandruff shampoo (duh), and so on.
Anti-dandruff shampoo’s can contain a lot of ingredients that, according to the cosmetics companies, cure dandruff: Coal Tar extract, Salicylic Acid, Selenium Sulfide, Sulfur, Ketoconazole, and Zinc Pyrithione, of which the last one is probably best known: this is used in most normal drugstore shampoos like Head & Shoulders, Pantene, L’Oreal, and so on. Well, while these ingredients might keep the dandruff under control, it certainly won’t help you get rid of it forever. And it’s a lot of work to wash and style your hair daily! It can’t really be healthy either, putting all that stuff on your head time and time again.
As you might notice, I was getting pretty desperate. I even bought an anti-dandruff comb in the US, that “leaves behind copper particles to kill the fungal infection”. Well, it did nothing for me except combing my hair (which it did and still does well), and I guess not for anybody else either. You see, companies are very good at making up stuff so they can make money on us silly believers. Because if you ask me, one of the biggest pranks the cosmetics industry pulled on us, is how they got us all addicted to shampoo.
Normal, healthy hair and scalp have a natural balance that is disturbed every time you wash them. Did you know that normal shampoos contain chemicals (mostly sulfates, like sodium lauryl sulfate) that are identical to the ones found in detergents you clean your kitchen with? They completely strip your hair and scalp from its natural oils and destroy the balance. This makes you want to use conditioner and styling products – usually made with petrolatum and mineral oil – which act as a substitute for the oils you just rinsed out of your hair. But after washing, your body also starts making sebum (oil) like crazy to restore the natural balance. So what happens? Your hair will become very oily very fast again and within a day your scalp will be a great place for… the fungus causing dandruff to have a little party in. Hmmm…!
So you wash your oily, itchy hair, stripping it from its oil, use all their fake-oily styling products, your hair becomes oily again very fast, you get flakes and itchiness, and then the whole circle starts again from the beginning: we have become addicted to shampooing our hair!
The Solution
1. Salt Scrub for Dandruff
2. Lemon Juice Hair Rinse
- Lemons are amazing and they have so many uses. So it’s no surprise that lemon juice can also help with dry and itchy scalp.
- Massage the juice of 1/2 a lemon into your scalp. Rinse hair with a glass of water and 1 teaspoon lemon juice.
3. Baking Soda for Dandruff
- Switch out your shampoo for baking soda. Sprinkle baking soda on your scalp and massage thoroughly. Rinse out and dry.
- This method can be used for several weeks to encourage natural oil production to prevent flaking. After you see improvement, you can return to your regular shampoo.
4. Olive Oil for Dandruff
- Mix 2 Tbsp olive oil, water and lemon juice. Massage mixture into wet hair before shampooing.
5. Tea Tree Oil for Itchy Scalp
Tea tree oil, with its powerful natural antifungal, anti-inflammation and antibacterial properties, can be used to treat itchy scalp. You can use tea tree oil in various ways, for instance:
- You can add 10 to 20 drops of tea tree oil to one-half cup of baby shampoo and use it daily until the condition of your scalp improves.
- Another option is to dilute two or three drops of tea tree oil in one tablespoon of vegetable oil and massage the mixture onto your scalp. With regular use, this remedy will heal a dry, itchy scalp within a week or two.
6. Apple Cider Vinegar Itchy scalp
Apple cider vinegar has powerful anti-inflammation properties that help kill the yeast and virus that can cause itchy scalp. Also, apple cider vinegar balances the pH levels of the scalp, which may help relieve itching and dryness.
- Rinse your hair and scalp with water and allow it to dry.
- Mix equal amounts of apple cider vinegar and water and pour the mixture into a spray bottle. Apply this mixture directly onto your scalp with the help of cotton balls. Spray it on your scalp.
- After few minutes, shampoo with normal water.
Follow this remedy once or twice a week.
7. Aloe Vera Itchy Scalp
Aloe vera gel contains moisturizing properties, which may relieve excessive dryness and itching. If fresh aloe vera gel is not available, you can purchase the gel.
- Spread some fresh aloe vera gel onto your scalp using your fingers.
- Allow it to sit for 10 to 15 minutes and then wash your hair with a mild shampoo.
8. Coconut Oil Itch scalp and Dandruff
Coconut oil creates a barrier that helps keep skin moisturized and hence it is an effective way to treat an itchy scalp.
- Rub a little coconut oil onto the scalp after washing your hair your scalp when it is clean. Leave it on for at least half an hour and then wash it out with a perfume-free shampoo. Follow this simple remedy three times a week.
- Another option is to gently heat coconut oil so that it melts, add it to your shampoo before washing your hair.
Tip and Tricks to get rid of an itch scalp and dandruff
1. Stop using normal shampoo’s (containing aggressive ingredients) and anti-dandruff shampoo’s entirely and switch to using natural / organic shampoo’s without silicones, sulfates like sls, and other nasty chemicals..
2. When washing your hair, make it wet with luke-warm water. Then very gently massage in the natural/organic shampoo (don’t use your nails). Then, and this is very important: rinse out with cold water. As cold as you can handle. Cold water will close the cuticles of the hair and skin pores, which makes it much easier for them to keep out dirt or any harmful substances that may cause negative reactions like dandruff. Your hair will be softer, silkier, sleeker and shinier then after a warm water rinse – so you also need to use less or even no styling products.
3. Wash your hair every other day. Then two times per week. Then even less. This may be pretty hard in the beginning – your dandruff may get worse and your hair really oily. But persevere. You will notice a change:
4. Towel dry hair with a clean towel, or a towel that you use only for hair. This is to make sure no bacteria and stuff from hands or other parts of the body reach the hair. Do this very gently. Don’t rub, just pad and let the towel absord the water.
5. Styling. Balm Balm with Tea Tree oil – this works great as a hair styling product! Tea Tree has great antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal, and antiseptic qualities and thus will create a climate that’s not attractive for the fungus to grow in.
Torie Dominique