Giving Dandruff the Shake – Tips For Great Hair

No matter whether you have long hair or short hair, straight or curly, flat or voluminous, there’s a good chance that one adjective you never want used to describe your hair is flaky. Dandruff is a very common problem among adults and children, and although we don’t want to admit it, many people have no idea how to really treat the problem when it arises. Untreated dandruff can flake out onto clothes during the day, making it look like you’re a piece of furniture in need of a good dusting. If you want to stop this problem once and for all, keep these hair beauty tips in mind.

In order to make progress toward treating your dandruff once and for all, it’s important that you take the time to really understand what it causing the flakes to form in the first place. Chances are that even though the dandruff makes you feel dirty, you’re probably a very clean person, washing your hair and body on a regular basis. It’s not your cleanliness that’s causing the dandruff, rather an imbalance between your scalp and the skin’s natural tendency to shed on a regular basis.

Although it’s not a regular beauty or skin care topic, it’s important for you to know that every person’s scalp is home to microorganisms like bacteria and fungi that feed off of the sebaceous oils that our skin produces. When these microorganisms proliferate on our scalps, it can irritate the sensitive skin of the head, causing it to shed itself much faster than it normally would. This shedding skin flakes off an gradually works its way from the hair’s roots all the way out into the open, where a stiff breeze or running your fingers through your hair will knock it loose for all the world to see.

There are plenty of beauty products available in the stores for dealing with dandruff. Most are special shampoos and conditioners that use zinc pyrithione, selenium sulfide, salicylic acid or ketoconazole to try to sooth the irritation that’s causing the flakes. However, it’s possible for your scalp to build up immunity to the shampoos if you use the same brand for too long. You can also try home remedies like applying vinegar and water solutions to your scalp before you go to bed, being sure to wrap you head in a large towel so that you don’t pickle your pillowcase.