Tips to stop dandruff from coming back?
In wintertime, chances are more than just snowflakes are on your head and shoulders. Dandruff, a skin condition that manifests as an itchy, flaking scalp, is more commonplace in wintry weather for reasons still unknown. While having dandruff is not a serious skin illness, the prickly sensation and the visible dandruff flakes can be uncomfortable and embarrassing. This article gives you tips to prevent dandruff in winter, and provides home remedies and over-the-counter products that help you get rid of dandruff easily.
Method 1: Home remedies to treat dandruff
1. Tea tree oil
- Tea tree oil is one of the many wonders of nature, with various medicinal and aesthetic uses. One of the benefits of tea tree oil is that fights the overgrowth of fungus, one of the key culprits in dandruff. It also acts as a skin moisturizer, soothing your dry and flaky scalp.
- Mix a tablespoon of tea tree oil and warm water in a spray bottle. Shake well.
- After washing your hair thoroughly with your regular shampoo, spray or pour the mixture all over your scalp. Massage your scalp gently for five to 10 minutes.
- Towel-dry your hair to remove excess water. Do not rinse your hair again. Leave on the mixture.
2. Coconut oil
- Coconut oil is a natural enemy of dandruff-causing fungus. It stops the overgrowth of fungus on your scalp that really causes the dandruff. To prevent dandruff in winter, just buy a jar of virgin coconut oil and follow these simple steps:
- Before going to be at night, squirt a dollop of coconut oil on a cotton ball and apply it on your scalp. Repeat until you have covered your entire scalp.
- Leave it on while sleeping and wash it off thoroughly first thing the next day.
3. Vinegar
- Vinegar is not exactly the fragrance you would want your hair to exude in public, but rinsing your hair with vinegar is an effective way of treating dandruff because it addresses one root cause of your flaky problem: dry and dead skin cells that clog up the pores of your scalp.
- Mix equal parts of warm water and vinegar. For maximum effectiveness, use apple cider vinegar or white vinegar.
- Pour the mixture all over your hair and gently massage your hair and scalp for five to 10 minutes, depending on the length of your hair.
- Rinse your hair and scalp thoroughly with water to remove excess mixture. Use water only.
- Let your hair “soak” in the mixture for half a day, and then wash it with your regular shampoo.
4. Mouthwash
- Mouthwash contains ingredients that fight fungus, which is another common cause of dandruff.
- Mix two parts of mouthwash with water. Put the mixture in a spray bottle.
- After washing your hair thoroughly with shampoo, spray or pour the diluted mouthwash directly on your scalp.
- Massage your entire scalp gently, and then let it absorb the mouthwash for about 10 minutes to half an hour, depending on the severity of your dandruff problem.
- Rinse you hair and scalp well.
Method 2: Over-the-counter products to get rid of dandruff
1. Anti-dandruff shampoos
- The most common and widely used solutions out in the market are anti-dandruff shampoos. These medicated shampoos contain key dandruff-fighting ingredients. But before you buy a bottle, you must know what causes your flaky problem: Is it fungal, excessive dead skin, bacteria, or all of these? This helps you make an educated purchase. Here are some of anti-dandruff shampoos’ key ingredients:
- Zinc pyrithione targets fungus and bacteria
- Ketoconazole fights fungus
- Coal tar and selenium sulfide slow down the growth and death of skin cells on your scalp
- Salicylic acid, loosens flakes so they can be washed away
2. Aspirin
- Aspirin works like any medicated, anti-dandruff shampoo because it contains another effective anti-dandruff ingredient: salicylic acid.
- Crush two tables of aspirin to a fine powder.
- Mix the powder of aspirin to the squirt of shampoo that you use to wash your hair. Massage your hair gently for two minutes.
- Rinse your hair thoroughly, and then reapply your regular shampoo. Rinse your hair and scalp again.
Method 3: How to prevent dandruff from coming back
1. Shampoo regularly
Washing your hair regularly can be an overwhelming chore during wintry weather, when all you want to do is curl up at home and sip your hot drink. But dirty hair and scalp are breeding grounds for excessive growth of dandruff-causing fungus. If you want to prevent dandruff in winter, you must keep your hair and scalp clean, moisturized, and healthy at all times. This stops your scalp from drying out and flaking.
2. Manage your stress levels
Stress is another surefire way of triggering dandruff flakes. Stress weakens your immune system, which is responsible for fighting skin ailments, including dandruff. To take off dandruff fast, keep your stress at bay by taking conscious steps to relax and unwind during winter.
3. Maintain a healthy diet
Dandruff can also be caused by a lack of skin-nourishing nutrients. Even hair and scalp need healthy food. Eat a well-balanced diet rich in zinc, omega-3 fatty acids, and vitamin B. Take balanced portions of meat, vegetables, and whole grains.
4. Keep your hair styling products basic and simple
Sometimes what you put on our hair can make you look good for a short while, but the long-term effect on the overall well-being of our hair and scalp can be disastrous. Styling products such as hair wax, gels, and hair spray make the scalp oilier. Coupled with irregular washing, the oils clog up the pores on the scalp that cause flaking. To remove dandruff in winter, use styling products to a minimum. If you cannot do without your hairdo, try using herbal styling products.
