Dandruff - Causes and Natural Remedies

There are two types of the itchy, flaky scalp disorder known as dandruff, and each type has its different causes. Internal dandruff can be caused by anything from an imbalance of the hormones to stress, with a whole bunch of possible causes in between - improper hygiene, bad health, allergies to food like nuts, shellfish, chocolate or dairy products, too much fat and sugars, or simply genetics. External dandruff, on the other hand, is easier to pinpoint as it comes from factors outside of the body - cold weather, dry heating or air conditioning, excessive use of hair styling products, not washing the hair properly after use of such products or not rinsing out shampoo well enough, or heating products such as hair dryers and curling irons.

Fortunately, there are quite a few ways you can treat dandruff, whether you have the internal or external form of the disorder. If you have a genetic predisposition to it or is something to do with your hormone levels, it may be harder or impossible to get rid of fully, but you can still keep it manageable. Below are a list of natural ways you can combat dandruff.

- Don't use hot water to wash your hair. Instead, try washing and rinsing your hair with cooler water, as cold water closes the pores, soothes flakiness, and doesn't strip the natural oils your scalp produces to keep your skin from drying out, like hot water does.

- As far as heat goes, blow-drying and curling irons may also cause or exacerbate the problem. If you curl your hair a lot, try not to do it as much or even eliminate it until you get control of the dandruff. As far as blow-drying goes, try not to do it when you can instead let your hair air-dry. In the times you feel you need to use the dryer, make sure to hold it high above and out from your head. Too much heat and too often can dry out the scalp.

- Shampoo daily. Even though this may not be the best thing to do for your hair in general, shampooing or at least rinsing your hair with water each day will help eliminate an overabundance of oils that can lead to dandruff.

- Stay away from styling products, like gels, hair sprays, putty, etc. that contain alcohol - such products tend to build up easily and an alcohol base will definitely contribute to drying out the scalp. If you use such products a lot, you should definitely shampoo your hair often and make sure you properly wash the stuff out.

- Cut or lower your intake of sugar. Sometimes high levels of sugar can contribute to internal dandruff, as it can cause a B vitamin deficiency. The best thing to do in this scenario is to either inhibit how much sugars you consume or take a B vitamin to make up for it - preferably, you can even do both if this is what seems to be the cause of your dandruff.

- Add more essential fatty acids to your diet, especially if you try to stay away from fats. The omega-3 and omega-6 are fatty acids that are essential for your health, and if you have a lack of them in your diet it can lead to many problems, including dry skin and flaky scalp. Eggs and fish can be great natural sources, but if that's difficult to incorporate into your diet you can simply take a vitamin as a substitute.

- Vitamin E oil is a good way to soothe an itchy scalp, and it can also help to reduce flakes and scales, as the E vitamin is wonderful for the skin in general.

- Coconut oil is also a great natural way to soothe and reduce dandruff. Simply rub some into the roots of your hair each day, and you will probably start to notice a significant difference in your problem within just a few days.

- Apple cider vinegar is a really popular natural remedy when it comes to dandruff and scaly, flaky skin in general. It provides the balance between acid and alkaline that is needed for the skin to function well. Add half the amount of water to the amount of vinegar you're using, and simply rub it on the scalp.