Dandruff is a humiliating scalp issue that can hit people at any age, gender or hair type. Dandruff is a condition that includes a dry, itchy scalp that flakes off pieces of skin called dander. Dander and dead skin falling from the scalp onto everything, including your clothes, pillows and furniture is extremely embarrassing. The flakes of the dead skin are usually seen on the face, shoulders, and the forehead of a person, leaving them completely humiliated if in public. Treating dandruff can be a challenge for color-treated hair, because the chemicals in the shampoo may strip the dye right out of the hair.
There are some steps you can take to protect your hair color, while treating this embarrassing condition:
First, wet your entire head with luke warm water, then rub a good amount of olive oil to your hair and scalp. Massage it all through your head and hair. Make sure to be a little rough when rubbing the scalp with your fingers, to loosen all the flakes of skin. Cover with a nice shower cap and leave it in while you sleep. When you wake up, rinse your head with a good amount of warm water. Make sure that it is warm, because heat opens the pores on your head and more dead skin can come loose as you rinse.
Next, add a couple drops of tea tree oil to the roots of your hair and rub it in. Massage it softly to make sure you evenly coat the scalp. You can buy tea tree oil at most markets, it is a natural extract that extremely good for skin pH balancing. Once the pH balance of the scalp is restored the flaking would gradually decrease. Let the tea tree oil sit on your head for a few good minutes, then wash with warm water.
Make sure to towel dry your hair after washing. Blow-drying sometimes makes dandruff even worse because it can dry out the skin on your head even more, leading to scaling. Secure your hair tight in a dry towel to get rid of most of the moisture. Unwrap your hair and allow it to air dry the rest of the way.
There are many reasons dandruff shows up on different people. Even thought the main cause for dandruff is extreme dryness or oiliness of the head, the condition could also be caused by a bacteria or fungus. Oily dander is usually very tough to treat. People who have oily dandruff often feel a strange stickiness in their scalp. This is because the dander mixes with the excess sebum on the hair. Dry dander is a lot easier to cure and can be fixed with heat and massage oils and treatments for dry skin. If it is brought on by a strain of fungus or bacteria, it could be passed from person to person by sharing hair brushes or other personal items. Scaling of the scalp may cause a lot of itchiness. Sometimes the skin could get infected, which can cause this condition to become even more of a hassle.
But color-treated sufferers who don’t want to go through the hassle of using different oils in there hair are also in luck! Because there are a few products on the market specifically for this condition with color treated hair. Below is a list of some of them:
-Jason Natural Products Shampoo Tea Tree Oil Therapy (Calendula and Chamomile help prevent dryness and irritation. Safe for Color Treated Hair. NO Animal By-Products. NO Sodium Lauryl/Laureth Sulfates. Tea Tree Oil helps correct dry, itchy and flaky scalp)
-Selsun Blue, Itchy Dry Scalp (For relief and prevention of flaking and itching. Extra hydrating formula to help stop dry scalp itch. Healthier hair. Healthier scalp. 6 added moisturizers and conditioners. Safe for color treated hair!)
-Head & Shoulders Dry Scalp Care with Almond Oil (Gentle and pH balanced for everyday use even on permed or color treated hair)
-Beta Care Beta Med Shampoo, Dandruff and Seborrheic Dermatitis (Formulated with a mild and gentle shampoo base that will not dry out or damage the hair or scalp, nor will it damage color-treated or permed hair. Contains no color or dyes that may leave residue or discolor the hair, even grey or light-colored hair. 2% Pyrithione Zinc that is highly effective for controlling Seborrheic Dermatitis and dry skin. Zinc inhibits the growth of Tinea (a fungous infection) on the scalp)
Anna Leake is a health blogger that focuses on topics related to nutrition, fitness, and mental health. She was born in New York City but at age 6 moved to the Midwest where she spent her childhood exploring nature with friends and family. Anna graduated from University of Michigan-Ann Arbor with degrees in psychology & human development.
