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Dandruff will affect around half of us, and it can be a very embarrassing problem. Pityriasis capitis is the medical name for those pesky white and grey flakes that accumulate on the scalp. It can make the scalp a bit itchy, but besides making you feel self-conscious, it isn’t such a big problem. Dandruff treatment is easy, though. Eat carefully – and include plenty of vitamin B in your diet – and use a good dandruff shampoo, and your problem should all but disappear.

What causes dandruff?

There are two types of dandruff: oily dandruff and dry dandruff. With dry dandruff, oil glands on your scalp become plugged, which results in dry hair and dry flakes of dead skin. People with oily dandruff have overactive oil glands, which make the natural skin shedding process speed up. This leads to oily hair, as well as excessive flaking. Oily scalps can be attractive to mild fungal infections, and these can also lead to dandruff, making an antifungal shampoo with tea tree oil a good idea.

What to do

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Firstly, take care of your diet. Many people are deficient in B vitamins, found in cheese, milk, whole grains (trade that processed white bread in for rye or whole-wheat), and meat. Taking a vitamin B supplement is a good idea – and it could improve your energy levels and brain power too, while being one of many dandruff treatment options.

Then, you will need a good shampoo. Choose carefully, depending on whether your scalp is dry or oily. Again, tea tree oil is an ingredient to look for. Shampoos with tea tree oil are good for oily scalps. Also, you can look for a shampoo with salicylic acid, a natural exfoliant, which will help with that dead cell build-up. Also look out for shampoos with the following ingredients: pyrithione zinc, sulphur, selenium or sulphide. All of these have been known to help with dandruff.

Remember that not every dandruff treatment works for everyone, so don’t lose hope if the first shampoo you try doesn’t work for you. Eventually, you’re sure to find one that helps you with your dandruff. If after some trial and error it still doesn’t clear up, or if you’re not sure your problem is dandruff after all, a visit to your doctor is a good idea.

Tags: hair care, healthy hair