Dry Scalp Remedies

If you avoid wearing dark shirts or jackets because white flakes on your shoulders make you look like you just walked in from a snowstorm-even in the middle of July-take heart; dry scalp remedies, including anti-dandruff shampoos, natural remedies and lifestyle changes could not only solve your wardrobe issue, but also reduce or eliminate scaling, itching and other dry-scalp problems.

One proven dry-scalp remedy, according to the Mayo Clinic, is washing your hair with an anti-dandruff, medicated hair wash that contains zinc pyrithione. Because zinc pyrithione is both an antibacterial and antifungal agent, shampoos that contains zinc pyrithione can be an effective dry-scalp remedy.

When using an anti-dandruff shampoo, WebMD recommends lathering and rinsing your hair twice. On the second lathering round, allow the medicated shampoo to coat your dry scalp for about five minutes, then rub it just hard enough to loosen dry skin cells before rinsing your hair and scalp clean.

In addition to regular use of a good anti-dandruff shampoo, some health experts also recommend using natural dry-scalp remedies to prevent and treat problems associated with dry scalp.

Oprah protégé Dr. Mehmet Oz suggests green tea as a dry-scalp remedy. Apply strong green tea directly onto your scalp, but for obvious reasons, Dr. Oz cautions the tea should be allowed to cool before it's applied.

Natural health guru Andrew Weil, M.D. suggests taking a daily dose of 500 mg of a dietary supplement that contains gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) as a dry-scalp remedy. Two popular GLA supplements are black currant oil and evening primrose oil, natural ingredients that support the growth of healthy skin and hair. Weil advises people with dry-scalp problems to follow this regimen for about two months, then cut the dose by half.

Pharmacist and natural health author Suzy Cohen's natural dry-scalp remedy is to rub two equal parts of apple cider vinegar and lime juice into the scalp for three minutes, then shampooing and rinsing as usual. Cohen says that coconut oil can also be an effective remedy for dry-scalp problems, but this natural ingredient needs to be rubbed into the scalp for about five minutes.

A dry-scalp remedy that is perhaps a bit more "out of the bottle" is to manage your stress level. According to the Mayo Clinic, using natural behavior techniques, such as self-hypnosis or yoga, could be an effective treatment for reducing or eliminating dry scalp problems, since stress can trigger dandruff.

Ultimately, health experts recommend trying different dry-scalp remedies, including anti-dandruff shampoos and natural remedies, until you find the dry-scalp remedy, or combination of treatments, that works best for you.

Sources:
http://www.mayoclinic.com
http://www.webmd.com
http://www.drweil.com
http://ask.doctoroz.com
http://dearpharmacist.com