Dandruff is probably the world’s most common hair problem. It consists of loose white flakes which fall off and noticed on the shoulders and back. Sometimes the flakes may be yellowish in color. Mild dandruff can be accompanied by itching. The scales along with oily secretions tend to adhere to the scalp which commonly refer as ‘sticky dandruff ‘. In winter due to lack of moisture, the scalp may become dry and flaky. This kind of dandruff is loose kind which does not stick to the scalp.
Tips to remove dandruff
1) Take healthy and balanced diet. It may ward off the flakes. Take plenty of zinc, omega -3 fatty acids, vitamin –B, E and avoid excessive yeast and sugar.
2) Wash your hair regularly. Dandruff seems to be in oily hair, so regular shampooing the hair to get rid of dandruff. Massage your scalp so that you clean the skin as well as the hair.
3) Always be in a cheerful mood. Stress challenges the body’s defenses and encourages all sorts of ailments including dandruff so relax now.
4) Limit the use of hair styling products .Hairspray, gel, mousse contribute to dandruff. These cause excessive drying of the skin which can cause flaking or trigger allergic reactions.
5) Managing stress can reduce the risk of getting dandruff .Stress have an adverse effect on the health and can increase the risk of becoming ill. Stress can trigger dandruff or make existing dandruff worse.
6) Hot oil therapy is useful for the prevention and control of dandruff. It relieves the dryness of the scalp and prevents clogging of the pores of the scalp.
7) The hair should be washed at least three times a week using less shampoo and rinse well with water. Apply two tablespoon vinegar on the scalp and massage it lightly into the scalp.
8) Improper and irregular brushing of hair can cause dandruff. When you brush your hair you can shed dead skin on top of the head. When you do not brush the hair, there is no way for the dead skin to leave the scalp area.
9) There is certain types of illness such as weak immunity, people recuperating from heart strokes, people affected by Parkinson’s disease and seborrheic dermatitis cause increased risk of dandruff.
10) People with dry skin aggravated dandruff during summers when the skin gets drier.
Natural way to cure dandruff
1)Grind one tablespoon of fenugreek seeds (methi) coarsely and soak in two cups of cool water. Leave it overnight. Strain and use the water as a last rinse.
2) Use neem leaves to four to five cups of hot water. Keep it overnight. Next morning strain the liquid and use to rinse the hair. It relieves itching and keeps the scalp healthy and free from infections. It is useful in preventing dandruff. Neem leaves are an excellent antibiotic, anti bacterial and antifungal agent.
3) Use henna treatments weekly which help to restore normal balance and prevent from dandruff. They are helpful to take care of hair. Apply henna on the hair and wash off after an hour. This not only helps you to remove dandruff but condition the hair, adding strength and shine to the hair.
4) Yogurt when applied on the scalp act as soothing agent. It prevents the aggravation of scaling on the scalp. Pepper is an antifungal agent. Grind finely about 2 teaspoons of black pepper. Add this powder to a cup of curd. Mix them thoroughly and apply all over the scalp. Leave the scalp for about an hour and rinse off.
5) Olive oil is an excellent moisturizer. Olive oil has natural clarifying properties. Massage warm olive oil onto the scalp in gentle circular motions at night .Keep the olive oil overnight and cleanse with mild shampoo in the morning. This is an excellent home remedy for dandruff.
6) Lemon juice has anti fungal properties. Mix coconut oil and lemon juice. Apply this mixture gently on the scalp and leave for 20 minutes to half an hour. Wash off the mixture with shampoo. Treat regularly to get rid of dandruff using lemon.
7) Baking soda is also beneficial to clarify the scalp and helps to clear off the flakes on the scalp. Add one teaspoon of baking soda to shampoo and wash the hair to see stubborn flakes hiding in the strands of hair are removed by baking soda.
8) Aloe Vera repair raw broken skin on the scalp. It has antibacterial and antifungal properties .It acts like a clarifying agent on the scalp and keeps dandruff out. Apply aloe vera gel directly on the scalp. Leave it a quarter an hour and wash it off. It cleans up the scalp and also soothes and heals the scalp.
9) Squeeze out the juice from a fresh apple. Add two tablespoon of this juice to equal amount of water and apply it on the scalp. Leave this juice for 10 minutes and wash it with shampoo. Apple has an enzyme called phenolase which help to fight dead skin accumulation that can clog the hair roots.
10) Garlic has antibiotic properties which help in killing bacteria present on the scalp .This help to fight dandruff. Mash garlic and make it paste. Apply it on the scalp and leave it for half an hour.
