This article was medically reviewed by Luba Lee, FNP-BC, MS and by wikiHow staff writer, Christopher M. Osborne, PhD. Luba Lee, FNP-BC is a Board-Certified Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) and educator in Tennessee with over a decade of clinical experience. Luba has certifications in Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS), Emergency Medicine, Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS), Team Building, and Critical Care Nursing. She received her Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) from the University of Tennessee in 2006.
There are 12 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page.
wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. This article received 14 testimonials and 80% of readers who voted found it helpful, earning it our reader-approved status.
This article has been viewed 1,978,954 times.
Dandruff is an annoyance that we all have to deal with at least sometimes, but it’s also usually very treatable. To help you out, this article starts by listing proven treatments—including seeing your doctor about really stubborn dandruff. It then lists some home remedies that may help treat dandruff, and finishes up with some lifestyle changes that might help prevent dandruff. If dandruff keeps you from wearing your favorite black top, declare war on those pesky little flakes!
Here are 13 proven ways to treat dandruff and prevent it from coming back.
Steps
Expert Q&A
-
QuestionCan using coconut oil help to get rid of my dandruff?Luba Lee, FNP-BC, MSLuba Lee, FNP-BC is a Board-Certified Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) and educator in Tennessee with over a decade of clinical experience. Luba has certifications in Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS), Emergency Medicine, Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS), Team Building, and Critical Care Nursing. She received her Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) from the University of Tennessee in 2006.
Board-Certified Family Nurse PractitionerYou can use coconut oil instead of mineral oil to help prevent and treat dandruff. -
QuestionAfter I shower my dandruff is wet on my scalp. Is this normal?Luba Lee, FNP-BC, MSLuba Lee, FNP-BC is a Board-Certified Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) and educator in Tennessee with over a decade of clinical experience. Luba has certifications in Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS), Emergency Medicine, Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS), Team Building, and Critical Care Nursing. She received her Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) from the University of Tennessee in 2006.
Board-Certified Family Nurse PractitionerTry to massage your scalp well and rinse your hair thoroughly to prevent dandruff attaching to your scalp and hair. See the strategies in this article on how to loosen and remove large amounts of dandruff flakes from your scalp and hair.
References
- ↑ http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Dandruff/Pages/Treatment.aspx
- ↑ http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Dandruff/Pages/Treatment.aspx
- ↑ https://www.aafp.org/afp/2000/0501/p2703.html
- ↑ https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/dandruff/
- ↑ https://www.aafp.org/afp/2000/0501/p2703.html
- ↑ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/14717453/
- ↑ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15663338/
- ↑ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17336466/
- ↑ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22991095/
- ↑ https://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/features/natural-fixes
- ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2887514/
- ↑ https://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/features/natural-fixes
- ↑ https://uhs.umich.edu/dandruff
- ↑ https://www.self.com/story/dandruff-myths
- ↑ https://uhs.umich.edu/dandruff
- ↑ https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/dandruff/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20353854
- ↑ https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/dandruff/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20353854
About This Article
To prevent and treat dandruff, massage a natural oil into your scalp, like coconut oil or olive oil, and leave it in overnight. You can also try washing your hair with a handful of baking soda instead of shampoo, which can help with dandruff. To prevent your scalp from becoming flaky, rinse it with diluted apple cider vinegar over a sink or tub. If home remedies aren't cutting it, pick up a bottle of dandruff shampoo and some medicated dandruff creams at the store. To learn how to prevent dandruff through diet, scroll down!