Years ago, my scalp suffered from excessive dryness. The condition was aggravated by my lifestyle. I remained indoors for most of the twenty-four hours in a day, either at work in an air-conditioned (hence, dry) office, or inside my air-conditioned house or air-conditioned car. The dandruff problem was such that a shake of the head caused a snowstorm. The resulting itching from dry skin led to scratching, and scratching led to bleeding, followed by infections.
I tried remedies, such as using anti-dandruff shampoo and even applying a solution of 5% apple vinegar to my scalp after a shower. These remedies helped, but came with disadvantages. Apple vinegar makes one smell like a pickle! I soon abandoned that approach. I went to the doctor to ask for a remedy, and she prescribed a $35 bottle of medicinal shampoo, whose active ingredient was no different than the one found in Selsun Blue. She admitted as much, and suggested that I might save money by buying Selsun Blue. I tried the shampoo for a few months, but it was no cure.
Shampoos are designed to harm hair and cause skin irritation. The manufacturers insert industrial solvents into the shampoo because they are cheap and cause an immediate change in hair color and texture. However, these products can cause a wide variety of dermatological problems.
The actual solution to dandruff is to stop washing hair on a daily basis, as I had been doing. Oil in hair, known as sebum, serves a protective function. Removing it is counter-productive. Frequent hair-washing results in dryer hair and skin, dandruff, and itching. It is also a needless expense. I even noticed that my hair fell out in response to certain shampoos. The loss of hair was of particular concern, because I would prefer not to go bald any sooner than necessary.
Since my hair is naturally oily, I wash mine about once every 1-2 weeks*, depending upon need, using a single application of mild anti-dandruff shampoo, a generic store-brand. I like to see the words "mild" and "gentle" on a shampoo bottle, or even "for dry hair," as I assume that will be milder. I avoid anything marked "for oily hair," because that is likely to contain harsh and irritating solvents. My hair looks great, I don't suffer from dandruff, and my scalp never itches. I am also keeping more of my hair on my head rather than shedding. Why second-guess nature?
* Someone with dry hair should only wash their hair once a month, if that.
1 comment:
I recently suffered from the same problem. For months. It was extremely embarrassing and the itching was unbearable! I tried several popular remedies but none helped. I was really at my wits end. I finally discovered Neutrogena T/Gel shampoo which consists mostly of tar. After one or two shampoos, my dandruff was finally cured! I was so happy.
I have to reapply twice a week or so but it's worth it. I will combine with less hair washing until the problem completely disappears.
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