Are you tired of constantly suffering from dandruff? Don’t fret, for you are not alone. Regardless of what season it is, dandruff has become a common hair problem in today’s time.
When it comes to combating a flaky scalp, natural ingredients are everyone’s primary approach. However, if your dandruff is severe then considering an anti-dandruff shampoo and lotion is important. There are various over-the-counter (OTC) shampoos and other topical agents that are infused with essential oils to cure dandruff.
Essential oils are the natural extracts from plants that possess anti-fungal, anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial properties to manage scalps infections, majorly dandruff. They are widely accepted as an all-natural dandruff treatment to eliminate flakes and greasy hair. However, for these to perform wonders; it is essential investing in a good anti-dandruff shampoo, lotion that is formulated with these oils.
Let us first briefly acknowledge what is dandruff and what are its causes before digging into the benefits of essential oils.
What is dandruff?
Dandruff is a chronic condition that mainly affects your scalp. However, it can spread to any hair-bearing area such as eyebrows, beard, etc. It is characterized by an appearance of dead skin cells on your scalp which tantalizes you to itch often. It can also lead to hair loss, premature hair greying, acne, and irritation on your skin.
Dandruff is identified by one or more of these symptoms:
- Itchy
- White flakes visible on clothes.
- A facial rash over eyebrows, nose, ears or beard.
- Chest rashes with dry flakes and red spots.
What are the causes of dandruff?
- Fungus
Dandruff itself is not a fungus but is caused by the presence of a yeast-like fungus known as Malassezia Globosa. This fungus feeds on the natural oil of your scalp, known as sebum, leaving your scalp dry, inflamed, red and itchy. This causes the cells of your skin to group together, forming flakes that are associated with dandruff.
- Irritated and oily skin
Dirty hair doesn’t cause dandruff. However, if you don’t wash your hair regularly, the oily build-up contributes to the appearance of flakes. Irritated and oily skin provokes your skin cells to assemble, which is one of the root causes of dandruff. Frequent washing with an anti-dandruff shampoo at least twice a week is an essential step towards dandruff-free scalp.
- An unhealthy diet
What we put into our bodies reflects through our hair and skin. Meals those are high in sugar and ‘bad’ fats along with processed food lead to a spike in insulin. An increase in insulin leads to stimulation of hormone surges that can give rise to oil on your scalp. It not only builds dandruff, but also worsens it up. Regular consumption of healthy meals ensures a healthy scalp. It is advisable to avoid eating out regularly and provide nourishment to your scalp through nutritional meals.
- Emotional or mental stress
It is important to avoid any kind of stress for the health of your hair and body. It can make your scalp weak while aggravating your dandruff. If you are often under emotional or mental stress, then you are most likely to itch over and over. Scratching your scalp makes it drier and itchier. So, do your scalp a favour and stay stress-free.
Essential oils for treating dandruff
In this new era, the importance of essential oils is increasing progressively. The reason behind this is that they help to rebalance the pH levels, thereby maintaining healthy scalp conditions. Let us have a look at the various essential oils known to cure dandruff:
1. Tea Tree Oil
Tea tree oil is one of the best essential oil, which greets us with an assortment of wonderful benefits. It possesses anti-microbial and anti-fungal properties, which assists in fighting fungus and eradicate dandruff, without making your scalp dry. It encourages moisturization and clears blocked pores which put a hinder to any possibility of dryness on your scalp.
One of the main symptoms of dandruff is that it causes itchiness. Dandruff fungus, bacteria or any allergic reaction is the reason behind an itchy scalp. The anti-inflammatory property of Tea tree oil lends a soothing and healthy effect on your scalp that wards off any itchiness or irritation.
Additional benefits of tea tree oil
- Cleans any grime or dead skin cells from the scalp.
- Controls excess oil production.
- Facilitates hair growth.
- Treats head lice.
2. Jojoba oil
Jojoba oil is extracted from the seeds of the Jojoba plant. It contains fatty acids such as Omega 6 and 9, as well as docosanol, which provides powerful anti-microbial and anti-fungal properties to Jojoba Oil that helps diminish fungus present on your scalp. Its anti-inflammatory property combats any irritation and provides a soothing effect to your scalp.
Additional benefits of jojoba oil
- Seals moisture in your tresses.
- Maintain the pH balance.
- Encourages hair growth.
- Provides deep hydration.
3. Fenugreek Oil
Fenugreek oil is a one-stop solution when it comes to killing bacteria or fungi present on your scalp. It has anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties that eliminate dead cells and excess oil off your scalp. The anti-bacterial properties of fenugreek oil work as an antiseptic solution for any irritation or redness of the scalp. The carbohydrates present in fenugreek oil provide nourishment to the roots and strands of your hair, which leads to a decrease in chances of hair fall due to dandruff.
Additional benefits of fenugreek oil
- Improves blood circulation of the scalp.
- Controls hair loss.
- Helps to deal with premature balding and split ends.
4. Sage oil
Sage oil is well suited for all hair types. It contains chemical constituents such as camphor, cineole, α-pinene etc., which provides anti-microbial, anti-fungal and anti-inflammatory agents.
Sage oil helps to keep dandruff at bay by clarifying accumulated environmental pollutants and any products residue present on your scalp. It also assists in limiting the sebum production of your scalp as well as cures any scalp infection.
Additional benefits of sage oil
- Reverses premature balding
- Help to soothe dryness or irritation of the scalp
- Promotes hair health
Quick ways to cure dandruff
There are plenty of things to deal with daily which might leave you with little to no time to pamper ourselves let alone try out a new remedy, but don’t let that deter from trying out a few easy time-saving solutions. Let us find out how we can control and cure dandruff with these easy tips.
- Anti-dandruff shampoo
The first and foremost step to get rid of dandruff is to switch from regular shampoo to an anti-dandruff shampoo. If your dandruff is caused by fungal infection or skin irritation then this step is sufficient to fix your problem. Some of the best ingredients to look for in an anti-dandruff shampoo include Piroctone Olamine, Salvia Officinalis (Sage) etc. It helps to target and heal itchiness while regulating sebum production.
- Hair lotion
Anti-dandruff shampoos work well on dandruff and should be an integral part of your hair care regimen. However, you might have noticed red inflammation on your scalp or stubborn deposits of flakes which are left behind even after shampooing. This is where the need arises for an anti-dandruff lotion to tackle this concern.
To clear the stubborn dandruff deposits, application of a pre-wash anti-recurrence dandruff lotion is considered effective. Not only does it help to remove dandruff from its roots, but also visibly decreases the chances of any recurring dandruff.
- Improve hair care habits
If you desire for dandruff free and healthy tresses, then it calls for a definite change in your hair care habits. You can practice this by maintaining a hair care regimen and following it religiously. Besides that, avoid harsh chemicals and heat-induced styling products & machines. Looking after not just your hair health, but also your scalp’s hygiene is highly essential. A clean scalp will encourage good cell turnover and promote a healthy environment for dandruff free scalp and optimal hair growth. These will help you keep at bay any possibility of dandruff reoccurrence.
Battling with dandruff can be hard. Not only it makes you feel insecure, but affects your social life as well. However, with the progression of cosmeceutical industry it has become possible to combine active natural ingredients with scientific research, resulting in miraculous topical agents.
Enriched with essential oils and natural ingredients these not only focus on the targeted issue but also restores the original pH balance of your hair through anti-dandruff shampoos, lotions etc. The quintessential approach in your quest to dandruff free hair should be to not stress over a few flakes, rather inculcate a healthy hair care regimen and being consistent with it.
