Looking for a perfect, easy-to-do, and cheap natural remedy for your never-going dandruff?
If you’re then you have reached the right place!
Today, we are going to talk about a perfect remedy that ticks all the boxes for being an ideal remedy for your dandruff plagued hair. It is none other than your favorite pantry ingredient “Coconut oil”.
In fact, Coconut oil for dandruff is just one of the effective use of coconut oil for the scalp because it provides a lot of scalp healthy benefits like scalp dryness protection, scalp irritation protection, deep hair moisturization, and adequate hair nourishment.
However, one thing in which it particularly excels is the use of coconut oil for the dry scalp( the most common cause of dandruff) which makes it a perfect natural remedy for dandruff.
Let’s find out some of the amazing benefits of coconut oil for dandruff and how can you make its effective uses to get you rid of dandruff permanently.
What causes dandruff in your scalp?
Dandruff is a very household concern that affects a lot of people at least once in their lifetime. It can occur due to a range of reasons but most commonly it occurs when your scalp gets too dry.
As a result of this extreme dryness, your scalp’s oil glands, in order to compensate for the lost moisture, start to produce excess amounts of oil.
Now, the buildup of these excessive oil triggers the breeding of infection-causing fungus and bacteria which is manifested by abnormal removal of skin cells with the excess oil build-up in the form of white flakes which we call ‘dandruff’.
Other common causes of dandruff besides extreme scalp dryness (one of the most common causes) are.
- Oily irritated skin
- Fungal infection
- Poor diet
- Pollution
- Stress
- Lack of cleansing
Benefits of coconut oil for dandruff and dry scalp
Let’s go through the long list of benefits of coconut oil for dandruff and find out why it is one of the best home remedies for stubborn dandruff.
1. Coconut oil deeply moisturize your scalp
Dryness is one of the most common leading causes of dandruff and Coconut oil comes straight for the rescue.
Being inherently a deep moisturizer, coconut oil easily penetrates your scalp skin to deeply moisturize your dry skin cells which effectively checks the dryness of your scalp which is directly linked with your dandruff.
2. Coconut oil fights the fungus growth on your scalpy
Fungal growth is another common cause of dandruff in your scalp. Anything which prevents the growth and breeding of fungus on your head would effectively check the spread of dandruff on your head.
Coconut does that in the most effective way possible.
Having very good natural antifungal properties, lauric acid (one of the fatty acids) found in them effectively neutralize the yeast infection, Malassezia, found in these fungal bodies which are primarily responsible for your never-going dandruff.
3. Coconut oil promotes regrowth & repair to fight dandruff
Another cause of dandruff is the poor health of your scalp skin cells resulting in their death and accumulation which leads to itching and buildup providing a breeding ground for dandruff-causing bacteria and fungus.
Applying coconut oil on your dry scalp will only act as a powerful antioxidant to prevent these infection-causing bacteria and fungus but can stimulate the extra flow of blood towards your scalp with much-needed growth and repair stimulating oxygen and nutrients in it.
These blood nutrients combined with the nutrients found in coconut oil can combine to speed up the growth and repair process of your dying hair cells which effectively keeps any dandruff-causing element at bay.
In short, you get nourishment and protection in one of the most hair-friendly solutions like coconut oil.
4. Coconut oil protects your scalp from damage
Wearing off the delicate skin of your scalp due to oxidative stress resulting from free radical damage which makes your hair and scalp cells weak and vulnerable to bacterial and fungal infections is another common cause of dandruff.
Coconut oil does well in protection against these kinds of damages due to its great antioxidant and free radical-damage protection properties.
Rich in vitamin E, vitamin K, capric acid, iron, etc and other polyphenolic compounds, coconut oil effectively protects against the impact of free radical damage by penetrating deep into the skin and providing these protecting nutrients to the root of these cells.
This is so crucial because your hair is not getting adequate protection and nutrients like these, it would result in weakening of scalp cells which in turn, makes them vulnerable to dandruff-causing fungal and bacterial infections and in some cases cell death.
5. Coconut oil boosts your immunity to scalp inflammation
Scalp skin inflammation due to a serious scalp skin condition called seborrheic dermatitis is another common cause of dandruff.
Essentially, in this skin condition, your hair follicles are clogged by abnormal production of their oil which leads to the growth of bacterial infection leading to extreme scalp inflammation in the form of severe irritation and itching leading to more flaking of scalp cells and dandruff.
Coconut oil deals this very effectively as the strong antibacterial properties of lauric acid and capric acids found in it not only eliminate these inflammation-causing infectious bacteria…
…but purges the hair root of any build-up and harmful toxins to clean up the whole scalp to effectively eliminate any underlying dandruff cause.
Other lees known benefits of coconut oil
6. Coconut oil minimizes itchiness
Severe itchiness and inflammation are the most prominent symptoms of severe dandruff in your scalp.
Coconut oils’ amazing analgesic, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory properties make it an effective remedy against the constant itching of your head and the resulting inflammation and irritation sensation.
7. Coconut oil can reduce your hair loss
Coconut oil can help minimize the rate of your hair loss too.
Essentially, your hair starts to weaken and fall when your hair is unable to retain their protein content and as a result, an infection enters in your opened hair follicles leading to worsening of your overall hair health and shape.
Coconut oil addresses this by preventing the weakening of your hair strands by forming a firm coating around them to prevent hair protein loss and penetrating deep to provide necessary nourishment to your hair roots in the form of a healthy dose of antioxidants and Vitamin E.
Research evidence – Does coconut oil for dandruff actually work?
We talked a lot about the benefits of coconut oil for dandruff and dry scalp, but what is its scientific research basis? Does research evidence support its extraordinary benefits for dandruff in particular and overall hair health in general?
- According to a study, coconut oil was found to be an effective treatment for eczema in children. In much likelihood, it shielded them from dryness and inflammation by acting as an impregnable barrier to these hair conditions. Research derived from this that if it can help against eczema, it can definitely help against dandruff.
- According to another research, coconut oil was found useful in dealing with both eczema and fungus at the same time and hence the resulting dandruff issues arising from them.
- Similarly, another research found coconut oil to be effective against inflammation and the resulting pain. The researchers derived from this that it can be helpful against certain skin conditions causing dandruff-like psoriasis and other skin diseases.
However, despite all of this research evidence, more focused research is needed to further establish the superiority of coconut oil for dandruff.
However, one thing that is clear and can be gathered from all these researches is that the use of coconut oil is promising for both treating dandruff and other scalp conditions.
It removes the build-up of sebum, dead skin, and dirt, and keeps the follicles and hair clean and healthy, thus treating and preventing dandruff effectively.
It also helps strengthen hair, reduce breakage and hair loss, promote hair growth, and restore luster. Therefore, it is the perfect solution to make your hair long, smooth, shiny, voluminous, and dandruff-free.
Using Coconut oil for dandruff: Best methods & remedies
While coconut oil in any way or capacity is useful for your dandruff concerns, however, there are some methods and combinations that would allow you to take the maximum out of your dandruff dealing efforts with coconut oil.
1. Simple coconut oil remedy
This is about a simple coconut oil remedy for your dandruff plagued hair.
What do you need?
- Just 2-3 tbsps of pure coconut oil
- Lukewarm water to rinse your hair
How to do it?
- First, properly wash your hair and let them dry out before you apply coconut oil over them.
- Now, take 2-3 tbsps of coconut oil in your hands and warm it up by gentle rubbing with your palms and gently massage all of your scalp using your fingers about 4-5 minutes.
- After 10-12 minutes, wash off your head with slightly lukewarm water and let it dry.
2. Coconut oil as a deep conditioner for dandruff
The use of coconut oil as a deep conditioner is the best use for both curing dandruff and maintaining overall hair health. As a deep conditioner, coconut oil would deep moisturize your hair from inside out and get you rid of dandruff quickly.
What do you need?
- About 3-4 tbsps of coconut oil (this quantity actually depends on your hair length)
- A protective hair clothing like a cap or warm towel
- A wide-toothed comb
How to do it?
- First, properly wash out your hair with a good shampoo but don’t condition after it as we are using coconut oil as a deep conditioner.
- Now, using a wide-toothed comb, separate out your hair to get them ready for coconut oil application and thoroughly apply all over your hair strands but make sure you are doing it on slightly damp hair.
- Now once you have properly applied all over hair, cover it up with a good thick head covering cloth like a cap or towel as the warmer hair conditions inside will allow for maximum benefits in terms of oil penetration and dandruff control and leave you head in this condition for half an hour or so.
- Finally, using a good shampoo, wash your head and make sure no oil build-up or impurity is left behind
For dandruff treatment, use this coconut oil treatment for at least twice a week but to prevent dandruff, you can limit to only once a week.
3. Hot coconut oil massage therapy
A hot coconut oil therapy helps to achieve maximum penetration to deal with dandruff from the roots of your hair.
Also, a massage helps to stimulate the extra blood flow towards your scalp which not helps cleaning up any dirt build up in your scalp but provides extra nutrients and oxygen to ensure the stronger growth of your hair strands next time.
What do you need?
- About 3-5 tbsps (this quantity is not fixed but depends upon your hair length and health) of hot coconut oil heat for about 2-4 minutes on the light stove.
How to do it?
- Take the hot coconut oil in a bowl (it should not be too hot to touch) and using your fingers fully into the bowl, start gently massaging your scalp throughout your hair strands.
- After you have thoroughly massage your scalp, leave it open for about 20-25 minutes before rinsing it off with good shampoo.
To make it an effective remedy against dandruff, try this hot oil therapy for at least twice a week and once you have cured your dandruff problem, you can limit to only once a week to prevent any sort of dandruff.
4. Coconut oil with camphor for dandruff treatment
What do you need?
- About 1 tbsp of camphor
- About a half a cup of pure coconut oil
- One clean airtight jar container
How to use this dandruff remedy?
- Take coconut oil and add camphor in it. To help in easy mixing, gently heat up the mixture and keep stirring until camphor completely dissolves.
- When it has cooled down, using your fingers, start massaging all of your hair strands from root to tip and leave your head open for 25-30 minutes to let your mixture sink into your hair.
- After 30 odd minutes, wash this mixture off your hair thoroughly with a good shampoo and immediately apply a good moisturizer to seal the healing effects of the remedy for your dandruff plagued hair.
- Try this remedy for at least twice a day during your dandruff period and once you get rid of your dandruff, you can use it occasionally to keep dandruff at bay.
Why does this work?
In order to explain to you why this works, I don’t need to explain the coconut oil benefits instead I would like to shed light on the benefits of camphor in this mix.
Camphor, just like coconut oil has strong anti-inflammatory and antifungal properties that soothe any inflammation and infection on your scalp and stimulate the blood flow towards your hair follicles to provide adequate nourishment to revitalize hair growth and health which ultimately leads to preventing dandruff.
5. Coconut oil with honey for dandruff treatment
What do you need?
How to make this remedy?
- First evenly mix both honey and coconut oil in equal concentrations in a clean jar and shake well to mix homogeneously.
- Now, using your fingers, start massaging your scalp from root to tip of your hair and coat the leftover mix over your hair to not waste anything.
- Cover your head with a thick cloth like towels or a head cap to help it properly penetrate your hair.
- After 25-30 minutes, remove the cap and mask and rinse your head with a good shampoo and apply a good moisturizer after it to lock in moisturization benefits besides dandruff alleviating benefits.
- Do this remedy for at least twice a week while you are having dandruff and once a time normally to help you prevent it from affecting your scalp.
Why this remedy works?
Just like coconut oil, honey in this mix is another haircare powerhouse as it is a powerful moisturizing agent to prevent dryness causing dandruff very much like your coconut oil.
Similarly, honey has strong anti-bacterial, an anti-inflammatory which effectively fights any infection caused by dandruff. Finally, its strong exfoliating properties coupled with its vitamins and minerals richness make it a perfect hair health promoter & dandruff protector.
6. Baking soda and coconut oil for dandruff
What do you need?
- About 2-3 tbsp of honey and coconut oil
- About 1-2 scoops of baking soda
How to make this remedy?
- First, properly mix honey and coconut oil together. You can heat the moisture a little bit to aid in your mixing.
- Now, take 1-2 tbsps of baking soda and mix it to the coconut oil and honey solution and stir well to make an even mixture.
- Now, using your fingers, apply thoroughly all over your hair scalp and let it sit for at least 20-30 minutes.
- After that, rinse it off with a good shampoo and keep doing this for at least twice a week until you get rid of your stubborn dandruff.
Why this remedy works?
Well, you now know enough about both honey and coconut oil for your dandruff but you want to know the benefits of baking soda for your dandruff.
Essentially, baking soda has some excellent clarifying and purifying properties which not helps to remove any scalp buildup, sebum or dirt leading to dandruff but its strong antiseptic and antifungal properties effectively eliminate the fungus or bacteria causing dandruff.
Moreover, the alkaline properties of baking soda help to maintain a healthy level of PH balance that allows an optimally healthy environment for your scalp and hair health to keep any dandruff at bay.
Research evidence
According to one study over a week, baking soda was found to strongly inhibit the fungal growth in most of the specimens i.e it was proven that it could have strong antifungal effects to effectively eliminate any fungus or yeast causes dandruff.
Another study found out that baking soda was an effective remedy against common scalp skin conditions like atopic dermatitis and hence a considerable relief from itchiness that follows dandruff and allows its further progress.
7. Yogurt and coconut oil for dandruff
What do you need?
- Half a cup of yogurt
- About 2-3 tbsps of coconut oil
How to make this?
- First, take a clean bowl and mix both yogurt and coconut oil in equal quantities and mix well to make a uniform mixture.
- Now, using your fingertips, massage the mixture throughout your scalp for about 3-5 minutes.
- Now, cover your head with a shower cap to protect it from surroundings and help effectively penetrate this in your scalp hair and leave it for about 30-40 minutes before you rinse this mixture off with slightly lukewarm water.
- Apply this treatment for at least twice a week until you get rid of it and once you get rid of it, you can use it occasionally.
Why this remedy works?
On one hand, yogurt is a deep moisturizer that effectively checks the extreme dryness of your scalp leading to severe dandruff.
On the other hand, its strong anti-inflammatory properties soothe your itchy scalp and nourish your scalp hair with vital nutrients like proteins, vitamins, and minerals to revitalize your hair growth and strength.
Finally, yogurt is an excellent exfoliator that helps keep your scalp clean and free from flakes and any potential infections leading to dandruff.
8. Aloe Vera and coconut oil for dandruff
What do you need?
- About half a cup aloe vera gel
- About 2-3 tbsps of coconut oil
How to make this remedy?
- Start by mixing the aloe vera gel and coconut oil in equal proportion and stir well to get a uniform mixture.
- Now, use your fingers to massage this mixture all over your head and leave it for 25-30 minutes before you wash this off with slightly lukewarm water and a good shampoo.
- Use this remedy for at least twice a week when you are treating dandruff but once you have gotten rid of your dandruff problem, you can start using it occasionally to prevent dandruff affecting your scalp.
Why this remedy works?
First, Aloe Vera has deep moisturizing properties which can effectively eliminate the dryness causing dandruff.
Also, It has strong anti-fungal and anti-inflammatory properties which effectively eliminates any fungal infection causing dandruff and helps maintain a healthy scalp surface.
Being a strong anti-pruritus in nature, it is very good at providing immediate smoothness to relieve any severe itching and scratching and heal a damaged scalp which discourages the further development of any dandruff.
9. Lemon juice and coconut oil for dandruff
What do you need?
- About 2-3 tbsps of coconut oil
- About 1-2 tbsps of lemon juice
How to make this remedy?
- Mix both coconut oil and lemon juice in equal proportions and mix them well to get a homogenous mixture.
- Using your fingers tips, gently and thoroughly massage all over your scalp and leave it to dry for 25-30 minutes.
- After about half an hour, wash it off with lukewarm water and use a good shampoo.
- Apply this treatment for at least twice a week while you are having dandruff and after that, you can normally use it.
Why this remedy works?
The combination of lemon juice and coconut oil is an anti-dandruff powerhouse. Essentially, being acidic in nature, lemon juice has powerful anti-fungal properties which effectively eliminates any infection-causing dandruff.
Moreover, being a rich source of vitamin C and citric acid and strong exfoliating properties, lemon juice is a perfect remedy for cleansing any scalp buildup, dirt and dead skin cells to maintain a super healthy scalp that keeps any potential dandruff away.
Finally, lemon juice is a rich source of hair-friendly vitamins and minerals which never let the scalp deteriorate and invite any sort of dandruff and keep your scalp calm, soothing and irritation-free.
Couple these powerful benefits of lemon juice with coconut oil and you have a wonderful anti-dandruff natural remedy at your disposal.
10. Jojoba oil and coconut oil for dandruff
How to make this remedy?
- First, properly mix both coconut oil and neem oil and get a uniform mixture.
- Now, using your fingers, apply all over your scalp from hair roots to tips and let it stay here for about an hour before you washed it off with a good shampoo.
- Apply this remedy at least twice a week until you get rid of dandruff and after that, you can use it occasionally to prevent any sort of dandruff attack.
Why this remedy works?
Neem oil is an all-round remedy for dandruff as it a lot of hair-friendly and anti-dandruff properties.
Essentially, a very good moisturizer, it fights off the dryness leading to dandruff. Plus, its excellent anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties help get rid of any dandruff-causing fungus or yeast infection.
Lastly, it has amazing soothing and healing characteristics that effectively relieve any severe irritated and itchy scalp to control the spread of dandruff to other parts of your scalp.
11. Sesame oil and coconut oil for dandruff
How to use this remedy?
- Add about 5-7 drops of sesame oil to the 2-3 tbsps of coconut oil and massage thoroughly by using your fingers to apply all over your scalp.
- After 30-40 minutes, rinse your head off with a good shampoo and repeat this twice a week until you get rid of dandruff and thereafter you can use it occasionally for future dandruff prevention.
Why does this remedy work for dandruff?
On one hand, sesame oil is a deep moisturizer that effectively checks the extreme dryness of your scalp leading to severe dandruff.
On the other hand, its strong anti-inflammatory properties soothe your itchy scalp and nourish your scalp hair with vital nutrients like proteins, vitamins, and minerals to revitalize your hair growth and strength.
Finally, sesame oil is an excellent exfoliator that helps keep your scalp clean and free from flakes and any potential infections leading to dandruff.
Particularly, those people who are suffering from seborrheic dermatitis, need to be extremely careful as applying a thick oil on it can make it oilier and your scalp condition more severe than before which leads to further irritation and itching.
Therefore, it makes a lot of sense to always patch test any new thing you go on to try for your hair or skin concerns. With coconut oil, you can do this by just taking a few drops of it and rubbing it on your arms or backside of your neck and waiting for at least 24 hours ( as some allergic reactions take some time to show up in the form of rashes, hives, etc) to be completely sure about its harmful skin effects.
Finally, If you find that your dandruff is going nowhere despite making use of all these sorts of remedies, it is always wise to get an appointment with your dermatologist as this could imply a serious health condition more than a skin condition.
Other home remedies for getting rid of dandruff
We just talked about a lot about the coconut oil remedies and some of the best possible effective coconut oil and other combinations to combat your dandruff but there are other good natural homemade remedies for dandruff remedies too.
Let’s find some other useful home remedies for dandruff below.
1. Manage your stress levels
I am sure you would be surprised to know that your stress levels have something to do with your dandruff.
While high-stress level doesn’t directly link with dandruff but since it impacts a range of things related to your mental health and chronic conditions, it does indirectly affect dandruff symptoms like extreme dryness and severe itching.
In fact, a sustained high level of stress has been found to suppress the immune system and in turn, a weakened immune system struggles to combat any dandruff-causing fungal infections.
Research evidence
According to a study conducted on people suffering from a scalp condition like seborrheic dermatitis, it was found that the majority of these affectees had had a stressful life event.
You can try various stress-relieving techniques like meditation, yoga, aromatherapy or deep breathing to keep your stress levels in control. To, try some stress reduction techniques, such as meditation, yoga, deep breathing or aromatherapy.
2. Try out Apple cider vinegar for your dandruff
Apple cider vinegar is another thing that you need to try out to address your dandruff levels.
While other wide range of health benefits of apple cider vinegar has been proven, the allround skin-benefiting qualities of apple cider vinegar can be a helpful natural remedy against dandruff too.
Being strong acidic in nature, it can not only help eliminate any dandruff-causing infections or yeast but trigger the faster stimulation of shedding of old skin cells to reveal a healthier scalp skin underneath to effectively eliminate any dandruff.
Moreover, its innate ability to balance out the pH of your skin helps revitalize the health of your scalp which directly inhibits the growth of any dandruff-causing fungus or bacterial infection.
However, there are no studies to support these claims and many of the benefits of apple cider vinegar for dandruff are based on anecdotal evidence.
To use it as a remedy against dandruff, just take 2-3 tbsps of apple cider vinegar and add it into your regular shampoo or other essential oils and sprinkle directly over your hair.
3. Try out Aspirin for dandruff
Aspirin or salicylic acid found in it could be another weapon against dandruff thanks to its powerful anti-inflammatory properties. This is why you would find a lot of shampoo products where it is mentioned as an ingredient too.
Essentially, salicylic acid found in aspirin can be effective in managing your scalp scales and flakes until they are completely eliminated.
Research evidence
According to a study conducted in people with dandruff, it was found that most of them were very successful in eliminating their scales and flakes of the skin by using salicylic acid-containing shampoo as compared to a shampoo that contained any other ingredient.
To use it as an anti-dandruff remedy, make a fine powder out of two aspirin tablets and add it to your regular shampoo and start using a potentially effective anti-dandruff remedy.
4. Uptake your Omega – 3s levels in your diet to treat dandruff
While Omega – 3s are crucial for the proper functioning of your body functions and parts like the heart, lungs, and immune system but they have amazing skin health benefits too.
They have been proven very effective in regulating the oil production of your skin follicles, your body hydration levels, and delaying premature aging effects.
Hence, it is very much understandable that an abnormal deficiency of them can directly lead to scalp skin dryness which directly relates to dandruff.
Similarly, they can help you deal with severe inflammation and soothe severe itchiness and irritation which are directly linked with dandruff.
You can try out these Omega – 3s rich fatty acids food to compensate for their deficiency.
- Fatty fish like salmon
- Salmon
- Trout
- Mackerel
- Flaxseed
- Chia seeds
- walnuts
FAQs
Q: Does coconut oil make dandruff worse?
Ans: No, but it depends.
It is actually one of the best-known home remedies for effectively treating dandruff thanks to its amazing dandruff fighting properties like deep moisturization, strong anti-inflammatory, and adequate hair nourishment.
However, when you are having a common scalp skin condition called “Seborrheic dermatitis”, using it can aggravate this skin condition by making it more oilier and suitable for further fungus spread, which can ultimately worsen your scalp condition and your dandruff.
Q: Which oil is best for removing dandruff?
Ans: Coconut oil is one of the best for removing dandruff thanks to its amazing dandruff fighting properties like deep moisturization, strong anti-inflammatory, and adequate hair nourishment.
However, it is not the only good hair oil remedy for treating dandruff. There are quite a good number of other essential oils that are as good as coconut oil.
Other oils best for removing dandruff are:
1. Sesame oil
2. Rosemary oil
3. Jojoba oil
4. Other essential oils
Q: How can you permanently get rid of dandruff?
Ans: You can permanently get rid of dandruff if you follow these prevention steps
1. Wash your hair at least thrice a week with a good shampoo
2. Don’t use harsh chemicals for your hair.
3. Always protect your head from the sun to avoid extreme dryness
4. Always keep your head moisturized and it is best to keep a good humidifier around you to keep your surrounding moisturized.
5. Follow a hair washing massage routine for at least once a week with some dandruff preventing natural remedies like coconut oil, essential oils, yogurt, aloe vera, etc.
Q: Is coconut oil good for your scalp?
Ans: Yes, absolutely, coconut oil is very beneficial for your scalp health which directly keeps away any sort of dandruff or other scalp condition.
Coconut oil offers this wide range of scalp health benefits.
1. Coconut oil deeply moisturize your scalp to prevent dandruff-causing dryness
2. Coconut oil fights the fungal causing infections to prevent dandruff-causing fungus growth
3. Coconut oil provides nourishment to your hair to promote regrowth & repair to fight dandruff
4. Coconut oil’s excellent antioxidant properties protect your scalp from damage to prevent dandruff
5. Coconut oil boosts your immunity to scalp inflammation to fight and prevent dandruff.
6. Coconut oil minimizes itchiness
7. Coconut oil can reduce your hair loss
