Beauty & Grooming  Discussion Forum

Verne,
I live in USA & I am 33 years old female.I have dandruff problem specially in winter it worsens.I put oil twice a week & wash it with Ayur herbal shampoo(from indian store for mild shampoo).I have tried head & shoulder but no use.And also tried SelSum blue -which was ok ..but hair got dried out.Do you recomnd anything??.I got shoulder length currly , dry hair.I don't want to visit doc , since it is very expenssive here & no insurance covers it.
Thank you in advance.
Kala Sukesh. verneforchat replied. Well first the facts,
1 once you are affected by dandruff, it remains lifelong, it depends upon your hygiene, food habits, hair care for it to be reduced or it to recur.
2. there are types of dandruff, complications result in severe dandruff and you need a doc to handle that.
3. it is always better for someone to look at your scalp ( a professional ) to ascertain what kind of dandruff you are suffering, how much its affected your scalp, and how much its affecting your hair.
4. dandruff needs complex treatment, not expensive, and ultimately patience.
5. many things are used to evaluate the occurence of recurrence of dandruff, like nutrition, stress levels, water, hygiene, weather conditions, shampooes, care of hair , etc.
Now the treatment :
Since i am a doctor, i will not give you unsolicited professional advice, i will not list any drug names here, since its hazardous, anyone on this board can try taking it, and drugs dont suit all, cause dandruffs have variants.
Dandruff always worsens in winter, i have had a dandruff relapse only 3 days ago and i am looking forward to keeping it in check too.
Firstly, Apply warm oil, any kinds, to the scalp and massage the scalp, leave it on for 4-5 hours, not more, and definitely not leave it overnight. You can add a bit of onion juice to it too.
Secondly, always wash after you apply oil to your hair, always wash 2 times, and massage your scalp while you shampoo.
Thirdly, Selsun blue is fine, i am not in america, and therefore i have no idea what is on the market. But i recommend a medicated shampoo ( available only with pharmacists ) containing Zinc, or Ketaconzaole ( ketaconazole is your best option now ).
These shampooes do dry your hair, but we can counter that. Firstly you have to use these shampooes 2 times a week, apply 2 times during shampooing, first time you apply it , massage your scalp and rinse it off, the second tiem you leave it for 5 minutes ( only when you leave it for 5 minutes, will it affect your scalp ) then rinse it off. Make sure to use a good quality conditioner so that your hair isnt too dry. Avoid hair dryers.
Try using multivitamins. Avoid hair colours for now, hair sprays, gels, straighteners, in short , for now just dont treat your hair with anything, except anti dandruff shampooes, oil and conditioners. You can use leave - in conditioners too if your hair is too dry.
Lastly, i recommend good hygienic conditions for your head, like changing pillow covers often, when and if you travel in public transport, dont lean too much on the head covers. Avoid close contact with people suffering from dandruff.
If your scalp is itchy, and you find red blisters on your scalp, your dandruff has advanced, and we have to take it to a total professional level.
Skin the herbal shampoo for now, and follow only anti dandruff shampooes, and use them twice a week. Use conditioners definitely after shampooing to avoid dry hair.
Hope this helped.