What Causes Dandruff? Are There Natural Remedies Worth Trying?

Do you dare wear that black shirt? If you have never had dandruff then you may not understand that question, but for the majority of us that have suffered from this at some point or another, read on. Dandruff is a mostly embarrassing condition marked by itchy, flaking skin on the scalp. The causes of dandruff have been attributed to dry skin, oily skin, shampooing too often, not shampooing often enough, poor diet, stress, and the use of too many styling products. The real culprit may actually be a yeast-like fungus called Malassezia, also known as pityrosporum. Malassezia lives on the scalps of most healthy adults with no problems, but it can get out of control (due to hormone imbalance, stress, suppressed immune system, illness, or increased oil production) and cause mild inflammation, which increases cell turnover. As the cells fall off, they clump together with oil from the hair, making them appear white and flaky.

Most people tend to use over-the-counter (OTC) dandruff shampoos to treat the condition. Unfortunately, these shampoos are usually addressing the problem on the surface of the scalp and not the cause. This is why signs and symptoms may disappear, but tend to quickly reappear. Some ingredients in these shampoos can even be more harmful. The shampoos containing tars literally burn the dead, flaky skin of scalp. This explains why it is a temporary fix and not a solution to the problem. Silicone is another common ingredient because it is an artificial shine enhancer. A side effect of silicone is that it clogs the hair follicle and tightens the pore, which will eventually kill the follicle.

Sometimes simple lifestyle changes may help the situation. The first step is to learn how to manage stress. Stress affects your overall health and may actually trigger or exaggerate dandruff symptoms. If you tend to have an oily scalp, daily shampooing may help. Cutting back on styling products will help as well because they can build up on the hair and scalp making them oilier. Another step may be to eat a healthy diet. A whole foods diet rich in vitamins and minerals may actually help prevent dandruff. Of course none of these suggestions help the immediate problem, but they are good preventative measures as well as complementary to any at home remedy chosen.

Let's look at some natural at home remedies for dandruff. At the top of this list is tea tree oil. Tea tree oil has been used for centuries as an antiseptic, antibiotic and antifungal agent. Today there are many shampoos made with tea tree oil, but you may simply choose to add a few drops to your current shampoo. Another common remedy can be found in apple cider vinegar. Mixing ¼ cup apple cider vinegar with ¼ cup water and spraying on hair and scalp can accomplish this home remedy. Wrap head in a towel, leave on for one hour, and then remove towel and wash hair. Grapefruit seed extract can be added to shampoo as well to help. Flaxseed oil or vitamin E oil can be applied to scalp nightly to sooth and nourish the scalp. Be sure to lay a towel over your pillow and simply wash out in the morning.

These home remedies may not make the symptoms disappear as quickly as the OTC dandruff shampoos, but they will actually help instead of simply masking the problem.

"Dandruff." Mayo Clinic

Cathy Wong, "Natural Remedies for Dandruff." About.com

Christin Coulter, "Control Dandruff Naturally." Ezine @rticles

"Natural Dandruff Treatment." Naturalhealthnbeauty.com