Dandruff
 

Does anyone have a favorite dandruff treatment?

I had been using Head & Shoulders, but have switched to Nizoral AD (non-prescription strength). So far the switch seems to have helped, but I am hoping others can help steer me in the right direction for any better shampoos or treatments.

I always used to have problems before I kept my hair cut really short. Nothing really worked all that well other than actually getting a prescription filled from a Doctor. It seemed to do the job pretty well. If I remember it was based almost off a tar-like substance and would hurt if it was on for too long.

I have pretty brutal dandruff as a result of my skin condition (psoriasis). I find, at least for myself, the only way to entirely clear it up if it gets out of hand is to shave my head down to something like a 1. Then I just coat my scalp in the lotion I use (clobex with zinc) and it goes away within a week.

Some people say that full spectrum light, like the kind used for SAD, is another means of healing your skin.

I use some Curel healing moisturizer or something like that. Put it on for 30-60 minutes before taking a shower. You can also put a rowel on your pillow and sleep with it on all night.

I also use a conditioner on my hair and try to keep the humidity up in my house during the winter.

You have to watch out for shampoos that do more harm than good as well.

I use both of these 2x a week each. Both are coal tar based....

I've been using H&S for years. Before that, killer dandruff. Now, none. Other people aren't so lucky, of course. I've actually wondered if I really still 'need' the H&S, but am too lazy/set in my ways to experiment.

I'd say keep using it. Why take the risk of messing up a good system?

I've never had dandruff problems, but people that I know who have used Head and Shoulders or Selsum Blue. The only thing that I've heard that is bad is the suave dandruff shampoo, but then again it's suave which is cheapo stuff.

Head and Shoulders irritates my skin because of the harsh detergents in it; if it irritates my skin, it can't be good for my scalp, right? This is true for a lot of shampoos. I use Neutrogena T-Sal for my dandruff, because I can't stand the smell of the coal tar shampoos. Yuck. I like to smell my hair too much as a nervous habit; I tried the coat tar shampoos in high school and regretted it almost immediately. The T-Sal works okay; I've been meaning to try the Nizoral, actually, because I've heard it's as close to a prescription as I can get. The most successful treatment I've had for my dandruff was prescription shampoo.

I also keep my hair above shoulder-length; that seems to make a difference. The shorter my hair is, the better condition my scalp is in. I'm prone to cradlecap if my hair is too long. I don't wash my hair too much, either. I have coarse, frizzy hair, and so it's really best for both my hair and scalp if I don't overstress them with too much washing. I wash twice a week.

Depends on the cause. Often time dandruff is caused by overactive oil glands in the scalp, and the best treatment is washing daily and not using hair products that trap the oil. Dandruff caused by fungus usually requires both medication (I like Selson Blue AND Neutrogena T-Gel at the same time) and more active care, which means make sure your head remains dry. Please, don't use dandruff shampoo for more than maybe 3 days in a row, because it really, really drys out your hair and scalp. I'd strongly suggest using a dandruff conditioner after a dandruff shampoo.


Cynth, are you still rocking the ponytail?

I have dry scalp, skin and hair generally. In my teens I used Nizoral for my dry scalp and it worked for a short while. Then it stopped working and all the things I tried were useless. The best treatment I have found was several years ago, with a dermatologist who actually knew what he was talking about. Within 2 weeks of using the shampoo he prescribed my scalp was perfect. Unfortunately, the shampoo he prescribed is from a portuguese brand, so I doubt you can get it in the US. It's called Trikare. I say it's miraculous. Now I hardly remember ever having had any trouble.

Neutrogena T Gel clears it up quickly for me when I occasionally have a dandruff flare-up.

Yes, still very long hair. I don't wash my hair daily it's not as healthy when I do that to it. I don't put any product in my hair except when I have interviews and special presentations.

I actually quite bad eczema and when it gets bad it can be very bad, and dandruff flare ups happen. Otherwise, it's wash the hair every few days to keep the hair ends healthy.