Welcome back to The Gentleman's Gazette!
In today's video, we talk about how to get rid of dandruff.
First of all, I discuss what it is, what causes it and most importantly, how you can treat
it.
So, what
is dandruff?
It technically is the shedding of the skin as it dies from your scalp.
Dandruff can cause redness, irritation and itching on your scalp and it looks very unfavorable.
Sometimes, it can even make people self-conscious especially if you wear a nice, dark suit because
it really highlights the white dandruff.
So what exactly causes dandruff in the first place?
It could be things like psoriasis, eczema, sensitive skin, dry skin, a fungus or maybe,
you wash your hair too often or maybe not enough.
Fortunately, most of the time, these things are treatable with over the counter drugstore
products.
Now, I'm not an M.D. and I'm not going to tell you exactly what you can do, it's just
experience that I've had, that I want to pass on so you can get rid of your dandruff.
When in doubt, always consult your dermatologist.
Especially, if you have conditions like eczema or psoriasis.
So, how can you tell if you have dandruff?
First of all, it's very easy because you see white skin flakes.
Sometimes, it can also be your product.
For example.
if you have a gel, they like to flake a lot and it may look like dandruff but it's a little
more translucent and it's usually water soluble.
On the other hand, it's very difficult to get rid of dandruff because there are little
flakes and it's best to have someone look at your scalp and see whether it's dry skin
or just hair product.
Dandruff starts at the hair root and you can see it throughout the hair, but it's a very
good indicator and if you have something at your hair root that's loose skin, it's dandruff.
If you use a product like minoxidil against hair loss, that can be the cause of dandruff
as well so take a look at the products you take and see if that could have an effect
on your dandruff.
How to get rid of dandruff?
Honestly, it really depends.
Personally, I've had dandruff in the past.
It's not a big deal but it's important to understand that a different cause requires
a different treatment.
In the beginning, you don't know what that cause is so you just start with one product
and one active ingredient against dandruff.
Then, you take the shampoo and you use it for three weeks every single day, once a day.
If you can see no improvements, switch to the next product with a different active ingredient.
Now, simply repeat the process as needed until you get rid of it.
In my experience, it usually takes about 2 or 3 different products but you know, maybe
for you, you have to take 5 or 6 different ones and that's a time span of 12 to 15 weeks
but eventually, you will get rid of it.
Once you determine what works for you, it pays to always have a bottle on hand and to
use it regularly, especially if you see that it comes back, make sure you use it.
Some people also use an anti-dandruff shampoo continuously just to make sure it never resurfaces.
What you do is really up to you and you have to figure out what works and what doesn't.
In terms of active ingredients, there's really a bunch of different ones on the market.
Active ingredients against dandruff include Ketoconazole, selenium disulfide, cold tar,
egg oil, tea tree oil or even apple cider vinegar.
Now let's focus on some that I know work.
The most popular is Head and Shoulders and it uses pyrithione zinc as an active ingredient
so I can only see good things about it.
Obviously, it doesn't have the most high-end ingredients and so there are many other options.
Another option is Nizoral.
It's active ingredient is Ketoconazole and it's particularly good if you have dry scalp
skin or a fungus because it kills bacteria and it really actively fights dandruff.
If you really have persistent dandruff, you may want to try cold tar product such as the
one from Neutrogena, t-gel.
I must warn you, it really smells bad, it slows down renewal of the skin cells which
you can actively help to prevent dandruff.
If you want something that smells good and is more natural, try a shampoo with tea tree
oil, I used the one from Pete and Pedro and when you smell it, it's just really pleasant.
Tea tree oil works best for medium to light dandruff, it's a natural product, it's also
used for acne and other things that are related to skin care so it's a very mild and healthy
product.
If you suffer from very light dandruff that is caused by dry skin, I suggest you try the
Aveda shampoo because it moisturizes your skin and helps your hair follicles to grow
and it keeps dandruff at bay.
For a more comprehensive list on anti-dandruff shampoos, please check out our in depth guide
on our website, here.
So what if you have dandruff?
Here are a few tips to keep in mind.
You got to be patient, it's not going to go overnight but if you consistently use a shampoo
and try the routine, it'll vanish, I promise.
Also, avoid scratching your scalp because it just makes it worse and you can see it
all over.
When I have dandruff, I try to avoid dark jackets because you could very easily see
the dandruff.
Also, I would suggest, getting a clothes brish where you can always get rid of everything
before you go out so, you get confident and not self-conscious.
Now, go check again the website.