If dandruff shampoo doesn’t help, Dr. Robinson suggests visiting a healthcare provider like a board-certified dermatologist for medicated shampoo and topicals. “I will often treat my patients with dandruff and seborrheic dermatitis, a more severe form of dandruff, with prescription topical anti-inflammatory solutions and prescription shampoos to gain control,” she says.
Dr. King agrees, adding she may prescribe dandruff treatments like a topical cortisone for the scalp and affected areas.
What ingredients fight dandruff?
“For dryness and flaking caused by seborrheic dermatitis, dandruff shampoos, which include ingredients such as ketoconazole, selenium sulfide, salicylic acid, or zinc pyrithione, can be a big help,” says Iris Rubin, MD, board-certified dermatologist and founder of Seen Hair Care.
Dr. King adds you’ll want to look for the below antifungal ingredients to fight the overproduction of Malassezia.
- Selenium sulfide: antifungal properties and can decrease irritation and itching.
- Pyrithione zinc: antimicrobial and antifungal properties, also helpful inflammation and itchy scalp.
- Salicylic acid: Helps to reduce scaling on the scalp.
- Ketoconazole: antifungal with mild anti-inflammatory properties.
- Coal tar: suppresses fungus, decreases inflammation, may reduce sebum production.
- Tea tree oil: antibacterial, antifungal, and anti-inflammatory properties.
Home remedies for dandruff
Coconut oil
Did you know coconut oil has great benefits for both scalp and hair health? It’s also a common ingredient in anti-dandruff shampoos like Jupiter Balancing Shampoo, RE-fresh Scalp Care Anti-Dandruff Shampoo, and Dove Beauty Dermacare Anti-Dandruff Shampoo. “It helps reduce frizz, heal breakage, protects bacteria from damaging your scalp, increases shine, and reduces dandruff and dryness,” says Noah Gratch, MD, FAAD, a board-certified dermatologist at MDCS Dermatology.
However, those with oily scalps should be careful. “Coconut oil is comedogenic so it may exacerbate acne breakouts and clogged pores,” says Blair Murphy-Rose, MD, FAAD, board-certified dermatologist at Laser & Skin Surgery Center of New York. “Despite antimicrobial properties, the occlusive properties of coconut oil may cause or worsen dandruff on the scalp.”
Apple cider vinegar
Apple cider vinegar has anti-inflammatory benefits which can reduce itchiness and overall improve scalp health. According to Adam Bennett, a certified trichologist at IHS Hair Replacement in London, it “boasts natural acidity that balances the scalp’s pH levels, creating an optimal environment for healthy hair growth while warding off dandruff and itchiness.”
Celebrity hairstylist and Pura D’Or partner Clyde Haygood adds: “Not only does ACV clarify the hair to get rid of any residual product buildup in our strands; it helps promote a healthy scalp because it has antibacterial and antifungal properties. It clarifies the scalp to help achieve proper pH balance therefore reducing flakes.”
While dandruff can cause a dry scalp and a dry scalp can come with a lot of dandruff symptoms, the conditions are not one and the same. A dry scalp can also result from other common skin conditions like contact dermatitis or an allergic reaction to hair care products. To find the definitive cause, you should seek medical advice. “If you’re unsure whether your dry, itchy scalp is due to dry skin, seborrheic dermatitis, or contact dermatitis, it’s best to schedule an appointment with a dermatologist,” says Dr. Rubin.