
Hair care
How to get rid of dandruff with natural remedies?
What bores you with your hair now? Is it hair loss or split ends or damaged hair? The list is endless and different from each person. However, there may be a problem that many people have in common. That is dandruff! Dandruff is a common situation, but it can be embarrassing, uncomfortable and difficult to treat. That why we spend time gathering the most important things you should know about dandruff. Hope you find it informative.
1. What is dandruff?
Dandruff, which presents itself as white flakes, is a mild and common form of seborrhea dermatitis. Normally, when old scalp cells die and new ones form, they form flakes. However, in the case of dandruff, there are more dead cells. If this situation lasts a long time, it can redden the scalp, cause discomfort and then excess dandruff. It can appear behind the ears, eyebrows, or even in folds of the face. It can be red, flaky, itchy, or a combination of all those factors.
2. Why does dandruff happen?
Although dandruff has unchanged root causes, some factors can contribute to exacerbating the condition as listed below:
- Dirty hair and scalp: If you don’t wash your hair regularly then oils and skin cells can accumulate on the scalp, resulting in dandruff. Male hormones – known as androgens can also cause greasy or oily skin which directly causes dandruff. However, remember to do it on a regular basis because shampooing too often can dry out the scalp. It is advised to shampoo every other day to maintain a healthy balance.
- Dry skin: If you suffer from dry skin or have a medical condition such as eczema, your scalp will also become dry, flaky and probably itchy. As a result, dandruff happens. Dry skin can be common in colder climates and during winter due to dry weather conditions. So dandruff in the winter often worsens than that in the summer.
- Air pollution: Circulating in the air can affect the skin and cause irritation or allergic reactions on the skin and scalp, leading to dandruff.
- Stress: Stress can cause an itch-scratch cycle where the more you scratch the itchier your scalp becomes. Therefore it is important to incorporate some relaxation methods into your daily routine to reduce stress levels and improve scalp health.
3. How to get rid of dandruff at home?
- Aspirin
Do you know that aspirin is not only used to treat headaches but also an effective way to reduce dandruff? It contains salicylic acid – the active ingredient used in many dandruff shampoos which helps soothe inflamed scalp areas.
You only need to crush 2 aspirin tablets into a fine powder, then mix it with some shampoo and apply to the hair for 1-2 minutes. Finally, rinse your hair and wash it with normal shampoo.
- Baking soda
Baking soda is a popular treatment for dandruff. Baking soda has a mechanism like a mild exfoliating solution that helps to remove dead skin and control the amount of oil secreted from the scalp. That is also why many people choose baking soda to treat greasy hair.
You mix a little baking soda with a few drops of water to form a thick paste, then massage and gently rub the paste onto the scalp. Rinse hair with warm water.
Note: NOT use shampoo right after treating your hair with baking soda. Your hair may be dry at first, but after a few weeks, your scalp will adapt that condition and reproduce natural oils that keep your hair soft and free of dandruff.
- Coconut oil
Coconut oil is also good at eliminating dandruff. Especially, coconut oil can work as a fungicide and also provide moisture for your hair at the same time.
Before bathing, you can massage your scalp with coconut oil in 3-5 minutes, then hold it up for about 1 hour. Finally, wash your hair with normal shampoo as usual and you will immediately see the result.
- Salt
You can take full advantage of salt to remove dead skin cells on the scalp. This is an ideal tool for cleaning dandruff flakes from your hair before washing it.
Scatter a little salt over your scalp, massage for a few minutes then wash it with water. The result will make you wow right after the first time.
4. Some advice for you
- Water has the ability to slow down the proliferation of keratinocytes on the scalp. Therefore, you should drink at least 8 glasses of water each day to limit the occurrence of dandruff.
- Changing your diet with 50 – 60% green vegetables and fruits will work very well in treating dandruff. In particular, you need to increase the supply of minerals for the body, especially zinc (many in oysters, beets, peas, soybeans …) to limit the skin cracking, peeling skin.
- Implement scientific activities such as clean hygiene, not sharing personal belongings, limiting chemical abuse, changing hairstyles, eating a lot of stimulants …
So, that’s some suggestions for you to get rid of dandruff by natural remedies. If you have this problem, try one and wait for good results.