How To Cure Dandruff

Are you someone who detests wearing black or dark colored clothes for the sheer embarrassment of flaky dandruff showing up on your shoulders? Dandruff can be a real itch! Triggered due to a variety of reasons like lack of proper nutrition intake, stress and anxiety, overuse of styling products and scalp fungus, dandruff is one of the most common hair woes. The severity of the condition may vary from light patches of dandruff to stubborn scalp dandruff. The condition worsens when you have oily hair. Oily dandruff is more difficult to cure as the presence of natural oils makes it difficult for the flakes to go, even after shampooing. Excessive scalp dandruff can spread to eyebrows, eyelashes and face, causing acute acne and eye infections. Fortunately, there are many home remedies available to treat dandruff. You can easily battle this much-dreaded hair bane using simple kitchen ingredients. People with excessive flaky dandruff condition are self-conscious and avoid wearing dark clothes. So, before you toss out that ‘little black dress’ out of your wardrobe, try these remedies to cure dandruff.

How To Cure Dandruff 

• Soak two tablespoons of fenugreek seeds overnight in water and grind into a fine paste the next day. Make small partitions of hair, apply this paste all over the scalp, and leave on for 30 minutes. Use lukewarm water to wash with a soap-nut (ritha) solution or a mild shampoo.
• Make a smooth paste of lemon juice and fuller’s earth and apply on your scalp. Leave on for few minutes and then wash. The lemon juice will remove excess oil and fuller’s earth will clean your scalp off dirt and grime.
• Another home remedy is to wash your hair with a fine paste of green gram powder and curd. This can be done twice a week without any harmful side effects.
• Roughly chop the tops and roots of beets, boil them in water, and massage this water into the scalp every night. Leave it overnight and rinse it off the next day.
• To prevent and treat dandruff, grind snake gourd and beet and squeeze out the juice. Gently rub the juice on the scalp and wash it off with plain water after an hour.
• Also, try massaging your hair for a few minutes with a mixture of beaten curd, limejuice and Indian gooseberry juice. You can wash it immediately after the massage.
• To use as a last rinse, pour two spoons of cider vinegar in a mug of water and use. You can also substitute cider vinegar with undiluted Witch Hazel.

The best and widely known dandruff treatment is the hot oil massage. Use baby oil or any hair oil that suits you with a few drops of lemon and rigorously massage the scalp to loosen the dandruff. Leave for a minimum of 30 minutes and then wash off with an anti-dandruff shampoo.

Tips

Clean Scalp
Always make sure to keep your scalp and hair clean from dirt, pollution and oil. Wash your hair regularly to remove the dead cells. Using one shampoo for too long will make the scalp immune to its anti-dandruff effects. Switch the shampoo to a new one, which contains zinc pyrithione, selenium sulfide, salicylic acid or ketoconazole.

Hair Brushing
Use a soft bristled brush or comb to brush your hair daily to improve the blood circulation and to remove any loose flakes or dirt. Massaging the scalp in circular motion using your fingertips will also improve blood circulation. Do not share your hair products and hair accessories like combs, brushes, hair clips, bands and hair ties with others to avoid spreading as well as receiving dandruff.
Eating Habits
Have a balanced healthy diet with loads of fresh fruits, but avoid citrus fruits and banana. Also, limit your intake of caffeine, strong tea and other aerated drinks. Have a healthy portion of proteins, green vegetables and lean meats. Refrain from eating fried foods, pickles and processed food items.

Some aggravated forms of dandruff will need to be treated by dermatologists, as the condition may be seborrhea, dermatitis, emphysema or psoriasis. There are many anti-fungal medicinal treatments for such acute conditions. The doctor will check your hair scalp and possibly run some thyroid tests to analyze your glands also.The dermatologist may prescribe a special ointment or lotion to control flaky dandruff. Take special care of your hair and scalp during winters as frigid weather can dry out the scalp quickly causing itchiness and dandruff.