“Not shampooing enough will only make your dandruff worse — it causes more oil and dead skin cells to accumulate on your scalp, which the yeast and fungi just continue to feed on,” warns Beverly Hills dermatologist Stuart H.
Dandruff
Going a long time without washing your hair can cause a buildup of a yeast-like fungus called Malassezia on your scalp. Over time, this leads to a layer of dead skin cells that shed from your head in the form of oily, yellow-ish dandruff flakes.
Cold showers are better than warm for the hair, particularly in winter. Hot air can make your hair frizzy, less shiny, and unhealthy. Cold water can work against fungi-causing dandruff effectively and help keep away from it.
The frequency of shampooing necessary to control dandruff varies from person to person. Some need to shampoo twice a week, others more frequently, even daily. Many people forget that the scalp as well as the hair needs to be shampooed.
Washing Hair 3 Times A Week Can Treat Dandruff
It needs to be exclusive too. If you're switching between an anti-dandruff shampoo and an ordinary cosmetic shampoo, or even using a cosmetic conditioner, it won't be as effective.
“If you have oily scalp, then daily washing is needed,” she explains. “Sometimes, people think they have dry scalp because they have dandruff, but in those situations, more frequent washing is also helpful.”
Wet hair may lead to heat loss, meaning it may worsen dandruff. Hair breakage: According to a 2017 study , genetic and hormonal changes are significant factors in hair loss. However, the environment and excessive grooming may also play a part, such as going outside with wet hair.
Dandruff is very often related to scalp infection with yeast (fungal) organisms, which is why anti-dandruff shampoos, such as Nizoral, contain anti-fungal agents. When dandruff is persistent, it is usually a sign of yeast-overgrowth elsewhere in the body, particularly the gastrointestinal tract.
You can use a scalp brush as often as you like - although we would recommend once a week. Whilst scalp exfoliation is great for reducing dandruff and soothing itchy skin, you don't want to over-exfoliate and irritate your scalp even more.
If you get dandruff, brushing will help to massage away those dead skin cells. I would always recommend that people with dandruff brush and wash their hair every day.
If you assume your dandruff is due to a dry scalp, it might be tempting to cut back on washing it so often. But whether the cause is dryness or oiliness, you should actually be washing your hair pretty regularly to rinse away the flakes and any buildup of debris on your scalp.
Baking soda
Skip the shampoo and go right to rinsing. Baking soda reduces overactive fungi that can cause dandruff. Your hair may get dried out at first, but after a few weeks, your scalp will start producing natural oils, leaving your hair softer and free of flakes.
Dandruff is not caused by poor hygiene, although it may be more obvious if you do not wash your hair regularly. Stress and cold weather may also make dandruff worse.
I found that showering once a day was enough for me, but you might want to shower twice, especially if you've been sweaty throughout the day — never, NEVER go to bed without showering if you've been sweaty, that will just make tomorrow's dandruff even worse. Don't go overboard either.
Thankfully stress itself is not a direct cause of dandruff. The ever-present microbe on your scalp, Malassezia Globosa, is the true culprit. However, dandruff and stress are not completely unrelated as the symptoms of stress have been shown to significantly aggravate a dandruff problem.
The most common mistake that people with a flaky scalp make is scratching their scalp vigorously. The temporary relief is sure to aggravate the condition more, with the possibility of a scalp infection. Resist the temptation, no matter how itchy it gets.
While dry skin accompanies dry-looking hair, dandruff isn't related to your skin type – so you can have either greasy hair or dry hair with a flakey scalp. This is an important distinction, because dandruff is not treated in the same way as a dry flakey scalp.
It can take several weeks for dandruff to stop, so don't jump to conclusions about shampoos in the first week or two. If you don't see any improvement after about a month, it's worth using another shampoo or moving on to another dandruff treatment.
Scratching can disrupt the oil layer and add fungus to the scalp. Both of these are factors in dandruff and can trigger flaking. The skin sheds to get rid of the irritant or foreign object, and scratching just adds more of that.