Are you having a severely itchy scalp due to dandruff and looking for some powerful dandruff home remedies to get rid of this dandruff fast naturally?
No doubt dandruff is one of the most embarrassing things that could happen when you’re dressed up for an interview or a formal dinner and a little scratch an itchy scalp throws a cascade of white flakes would follow, onto a jet black blazer.
Dandruff is a common prevalent medical problem that sees no borders and affects population across the world – beyond gender, age, and race.
But this does not mean that it is a monster to treat. While there are a lot of OTC dandruff treatments to help you cure dandruff permanently but you don’t always need them.
I mean there are powerful natural dandruff treatments straight from your kitchen that can do the solid job of removing dandruff easily.
So, today’s post is all about the best natural home remedies for dandruff to cure your dandruff problem permanently. So let’s dive straight into it.
Best Natural remedies to treat Dandruff at home
While there is effective medical shampoo treatment for lice, but you don’t always look to over the counter solutions to combat a common problem like dandruff.
There are many kitchen ingredients that can treat your dandruff with the same effect as your medicated treatments and since they are readily available at home, these pure natural remedies sometimes can be more readily useable.
The following are some of the best natural remedies to treat dandruff at home without having to visit your near medical store.
1. Aloe Vera for dandruff
Aloe vera a go-to remedy for most of the body and skin treatments due to its amazing properties like its strongly anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory and anti-fungal which is enough to keep any sort of dandruff in check.
For skin treatments, it is a strong moisturizer and very efficiently soothes skin problems like burns, psoriasis and severe cold sores.
Many studies have found it to be helpful against a range of fungal species which implies it can cure a lot of scalp problems like hair loss. However, further and more solid research needs to be done to establish more credibility.
2. Increase your body’s Omega-3s for dandruff
Omega 3 fatty acids are really powerful nutrients of our bodies that serve a whole lot of body functions like your heart health, immune system health and your overall skin wellbeing.
An Omega-3s deficient body can be affected by low oil production, low hydration of bodies and premature aging levels.
Similarly, its deficiency directly relates to your skin and scalp health which manifests itself in the form of hair dryness, skin dryness and obviously, this lays perfect ground of attack of dandruff.
So, in short, Omega-3 fatty acids can effectively curb inflammation which can set you free of any irritation or dandruff symptoms.
Rich sources of Omega-3 fatty acids
- Salmon
- Trout
- Mackerel
- Chia seeds
- Flaxseeds
- Walnuts
- Or a good fish oil supplement
3. Baking Soda for dandruff
You might be using baking soda day in day out but perhaps you would never have thought that it can sort out a very common issue of dandruff too.
Why it is effective?
- It is a mild exfoliant that can help remove your dead skin cells and reduce persistent itching and flaking or scaling of your skin.
- Baking soda has strong anti-fungal and antimicrobial properties which have been known to be an effective remedy against any sort of dandruff
It’s believed to act as a gentle exfoliant to remove dead skin cells and reduce scaling and itchiness.
To make the best use of baking soda for dandruff, always apply baking soda directly on your wet hairs when you enter into bath and gently massage it all over your scalp.
There on, let it be as it is for 2-3 minutes and then you can use your normal shampoo.
For best results, try applying baking soda directly to wet hair and massaging it into your scalp. Let it sit for a minute or two, then continue shampooing your hair as usual.
4. Coconut oil for dandruff
Coconut oil for dandruff treatment is another powerful anti-dandruff treatment that you need to take notice of.
Why it is effective?
- It is an excellent and powerful moisturizer and hydrates your skin to discourage the growth of dandruff.
- It has been linked with strong anti-fungal anti-microbial properties which directly concern with the growth of dandruff and suppress eczema
5. Tea tree oil for dandruff
Tea tree oil is a very popular essential oil that comes from the Melaleuca alternifolia plant. Historically, people have been using tea tree oil to treat a number of skin & body conditions, such as acne, athlete’s foot, and dermatitis.
Why it is an effective anti-dandruff remedy?
Tea tree oil contains a compound called terpinen-4-ol, which is known for powerful antimicrobial properties. So tea tree oils having high concentrations of terpinen-4-ol may help treat dandruff by suppressing the growth of dandruff-causing fungi and bacteria on the scalp.
Research evidence:
A 2018 study examined the bacterial mix of 140 Indian women’s scalps and found that women with dandruff had more Staphylococcus epidermidis (S. epidermidis) bacteria than those without dandruff.
In another study i.e a review from 2017 examined the antimicrobial effects of various types of essential oils. The authors ended up concluding that the compounds in tea tree oil may effectively control S. epidermidis bacteria.
A bit of caution:
Applying tea tree oil directly on the scalp can cause inflammation or rashes, so people looking to use tea tree oil option to treat dandruff can start by adding a few drops of it to their regular hair shampoo.
Alternatively, shampoos containing tea tree oil are available in some drug stores and online.
6. Lemongrass oil for dandruff
Traditionally, people have been using lemongrass and lemongrass oil to treat various digestive issues, low blood pressure, and minimize stress.
Just like tea tree oil, Lemongrass oil also has strong antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties that may help significantly reduce dandruff symptoms.
Research evidence:
According to a small study conducted in 2015, hair tonics containing about 10 percent lemongrass oil significantly reduced dandruff up to 81 percent after two weeks of time.
However, just like tea tree oil, lemongrass oil may lead to irritation or allergic reactions if a person layers it directly on the skin.
To reduce the risk of any serious allergic reactions, people can dilute lemongrass oil with water or add up a few drops into their regular shampoo or conditioner.
5. Apple cider vinegar for dandruff
Like its long range of other health benefits, it can be used as an effective anti-dandruff strategy too.
- The high acidity level apple cider vinegar triggers the shedding and falling down of dead skin cells and thus preventing dandruff
- It is a great PH balance of the skin which easily fights off any sort of dandruff-causing fungus.
How to use it?
Don’t directly apply apple cider vinegar to your skin rather, add a few tablespoons of it to your daily shampoo or any other hair oil and then apply directly onto your hair and scalp.
If you’d like to give apple cider vinegar a try, add a few tablespoons to your shampoo or combine it with other essential oils and spray directly onto hair.
6. Controlling your stress levels can help dandruff
You might wonder, what the hell my stress levels have to do with dandruff. But to your surprise, there is definitely a link according to
While obviously there is no direct linkage between stress and dandruff, but what you need to know is that it can exacerbate symptoms like itching and dryness which directly relates to your dandruff on the head.
Moreover, a prolonged period of stress badly affects the activity level of your immune system which can diminish your body’s capacity to fight off new fungal infections and other related skin conditions which are directly responsible for promoting dandruff.
According to one study of Healthline which involved people suffering from dermatitis, more than 80% of people were found to have stressful life events.
How to control stress?
There are many easy to do stress control strategies like meditation, deep breathing aromatherapy and yoga which can be effective in getting your stress under control.
7. Try medication like Aspirin
A drug like aspirin could be another source of surprise for you as a home remedy for dandruff but it is actually true.
Like I have mentioned for a number of times, anything which fights off fungus is one of the best recipes for fighting dandruff and the same is true for Aspirin.
An acid named Salicylic acid is a major component of aspirin and no doubt it has strong anti-inflammatory, antifungal, and antibacterial properties.
Also, by virtue of these properties, it helps you fight against dandruff and other skin concerns by scaling, flaking and loosening of skin which can be removed by then easily.
That’s why if you have carefully read the common ingredients of a common shampoo, you would find salicylic acid mentioned there. Salicylic acid works by helping get rid of scaly skin and loosening flakes so that they can be removed.
According to a study lasting for 4 weeks, in Healthline, those people who were using a shampoo containing salicylic acid in it were more effective in dealing with the severity of skin scaling and hence dandruff than other shampoos that contain other than salicylic acid.
How to use it?
To use it as an effective anti-dandruff treatment, crush two simple tablets of aspirin and add the resulting powder to your shampoo and then wash your hair normally.
8. Try out Zinc for dandruff
Zinc is a very important mineral that helps maintains the healthy body’s immune system and promotes cell growth. We get zinc from animal proteins, nuts, and whole grains.
Research evidence:
According to a study by the NIH, severe zinc deficiencies have been linked with hair loss, diarrhea, impotence, and skin lesions.
IN another comprehensive review from 2016 found zinc deficiency as a potent contributing factor for seborrheic dermatitis and dandruff.
That’s why many dandruff shampoos contain zinc pyrithione because it simply prevents fungal growth and removes away excess skin cells from the scalp.
9. Include a lot of vitamins & minerals in diet
Food actually has dominant effects on the body. Food may not be the root cause of dandruff, but it may make any problematic symptoms worse.
While there is currently little research on how food aggravates dandruff. However, a growing body of research is supporting an association between diet and inflammatory skin disorders, such as seborrheic dermatitis.
So since fruits and vegetables contain a lot of essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that may significantly help reduce inflammation.
Research evidence:
According to an observational study involving 4,379 people found that people who reported eating a lot more fruits & vegetables were less likely to have seborrheic dermatitis.
The results also found that typical Western diets may actually increase the risk of seborrheic dermatitis in females.
Moreover, a 2018 review found that a biotin deficiency could lead to several skin disorders like seborrheic dermatitis. Biotin or also called vitamin B7, plays a crucial role in supporting healthy hair, nails, and skin.
These are biotin-rich foods include:
- liver
- egg yolks
- nuts
- salmon
- nutritional yeast
10. Include a lot of Probiotics in your diet
What are Probiotics anyway?
They are a type of beneficial bacteria that are good for your health.There are many potential probiotic benefits, including protection against allergies, lower cholesterol levels and increased weight loss.
Moreover, probiotics can also boost your immune function, which could aid the body fight against the fungal infections that cause dandruff. In fact, one study found that taking probiotics regularly for 56 days significantly minimized the dandruff severity in 60 people.
Furthermore, probiotics have also been shown to suppress the symptoms of skin conditions like eczema and dermatitis, especially in infants and children.
While probiotics are readily available in supplement form for a quick and convenient dose. However, they are more commonly found in many types of fermented foods, such as kombucha, kimchi, tempeh, sauerkraut, and natto.
Dandruff prevention: How to keep it permanently away?
Follow the below tips to effectively fight dandruff before it reaches you. They say, prevention is better than cure and this is true for dandruff too.
- Don’t try to scratch your scalp while you are applying shampoo. Rather a gentle massage it with your shampoo
- Try to wash your hair at least thrice a week minimum and rinse out all the shampoo in your hair by proper squeezing your hair. After that brush your hair gently and do it regularly to avoid getting debris stuck into your hair.
- Avoid any such harsh chemicals which are common in hair coloring products and easily strip off useful bacteria from your scalp which fight dandruff causing yeasts.
- Always be moderate in your use of hair products like gels, sprays which can gradually build up in your scalp to cause dandruff. Rather make a habit to use more and more natural products for your hair.
- Always sun protect yourself wherever you are. UV rays of the sun can damage both the skin of the scalp and your body which can indirectly lead to dandruff. For that, use a broad SPF to take care of most of the sun damage.
- If you are a dry skin person, you can try sleeping with a humidifier in your room to keep your scalp from extremely drying up
