HELP!! I'm embarassed to say I have dandruff. What am I doing wrong?

I'm eating healthier but damnit, I can't get rid of it. I tried using those Tar based shampoos but that stuff could gag an elephant.

Anyone have suggestions that work?

Or if you want to avoid the copay, switch shampoos. Try an antidandruff shampoo with an anti-fungal in it, like Nizoral or Selsun.

:scared:

No fear! No shame! No cooties!

My dandruff/dry scalp condition is so bad I had to get one of those little keyboard vacuum thingies. Flakes everywhere.:silly:

well you're not alone. And I do know this - I'm a clean person, I've been eating healthy now for about 6-8 months (lost some weight) and I shower daily. So where this mess came from I have no fricking idea.

I've use Head & Shoulders in the past but hated the smell (it was the non-tar type). Gonna start using it again daily to see if it fixes the issue. If I still have it after a week or so I'll head to the doctors.

My husband dealt with very light dandruff for years, always used the dandruff type shampoos. His turned out to be psoriasis. We had no idea until he developed a spot on his knee and went to see the Dr. for that. My oldest son has it too, dealt with dandruff for years and just in the last 6 months got his diagnosis.

that should solve the problem.

If you don't like the mentholated version they have a moisturizing version. Also, you can use it every other day and use something normal( and less expensive) in between.

Pantene has a decent dandruff conditioning shampoo that is cheaper and seems to work very well too.

When I was young, I had bad dandruff and T-Gel was the only shampoo that worked on it. Now Head and Shoulders (the all natural kind with the translucent bottle) works really well. If you're concerned about the smell of T-Gel, use it in conjunction with another, more pleasantly fragrant shampoo.

It works very well.

H&S tends to sting my scalp, though.

I haven't had a problem in a while, though. I wash my hair every other day now. It seems that part of the problem is getting the scalp excessively dry.

as do most other anti-dandruff shampoos.

Would you really want me advising you on medical issues?? :rofl:

OTOH, if you let me through your state w/o any tolls,...

:D

The thing that has worked the best is "Scalp Benefits" shampoo and conditioner by Aveda. I'll warn you that it's expensive, $12 per bottle. But I thought it was worth its weight in gold for how much it helped my scalp. It takes a few weeks to fully take effect, but I highly recommend it. You can also only buy it at Aveda stores and salons.

I swear by it. And it's 7-8 a bottle which I consider too expensive at that price.

:rofl:

That's cheap compared to the stuff I use.

But I like Aveda products - I'll have to check it out

Smells good and seems to work on my light to moderate dandruff at least. :/

Also, I've heard that if your diet doesn't have enough fat, that can lead to dry flaky skin, which I think might also include your scalp?

So, maybe an Rx of a pint of "Cherry Garcia" once a week would be worth a go?

Doesn't only get rid of greys, but it's a natural antifungal and makes your scalp healthy, too. Try the FAQs or forum here.

Otherwise, you might try a nice tea tree oil shampoo/conditioner.

As soon as I lost mine?
No more dandruff.
Go shave.
;-)

Dandruff is a yeast infection of the scalp. The scalp gets irritated by harsh shampoos (like tar-based and anti-dandruff) and stiff brushes just add to the problem.

Use baby shampoo and a soft brush or comb until the problem goes away.

I imagine several different things could be the problem.
One possibility is a fatty acid deficiency. If that is your case, you might want to try taking Fish oils every day for a month or so and see if there is an improvement. This diet supplement can't hurt you and could help.

It's being touted as the cure for everything from autism to zoophobia.

while increasing Omega 6 oils.
Grass fed cattle have a more healthful balance of these omega oils than feedlot cattle.
Fish oil is naturally high in Omega 3s and help to restore balance in these oils.

it didn't just flake off, it practically peeled off! Now, after i shampoo/condition I rinse with vinegar. Problem disappeared. So does the smell after it dries, but if it bothers you, wash after the rinse with just a bit of shampoo.

I think out of my very few posts here in all my years on DU, vinegar has been the answer to a lot of things. IT is great stuff, it just smells bad!

so it would help an itchy scalp.

I use Renpure... it's amazing and dosen't have a bunch of chemicals.

http://renpure.com/

not anymore-try Pert plus dandruff shampoo....the stuff worked wonders! Don't use the tar shampoos or the heavily medicated ones, since all they do is dry out your hair more

but it's nothing to be embarrassed about

First, make sure you're rinsing the shampoo and conditioner thoroughly from your hair. Sometimes what looks like dandruff is actually product build up.

Second, invest in a clarifying shampoo - they clean built up product that can't be rinsed out.

Third, determine if you are suffering from dry scalp. If so, do a deep conditioning treatment - apply conditioner, cover with plastic cap, leave for 15 minutes to an hour.

Fourth, determine if your hair is oily. If so, then either invest in a light spray-on conditioner or at least only apply conditioner to the ends of your hair before rinsing.

Fifth, massage your scalp when you are washing it. This means moving the scalp itself with the pads of your fingers in circular motions.

If none of these things work, purchase the appropriate Nioxin products:

http://www.nioxin.com/

If your flaking is actually scaling and you are seeing dry patches around the edges of your scalp line you might have psoriasis or eczema. Nioxin will work on these problems but it's always a good idea to see a dermatologist if your flakes begin to hurt, itch or bleed.

If you can see a dermatologist that would be best
http://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/understanding-dandruff-treatment

:D

It really does help though. the baking soda that is. the vinegar. I have no idea........

1. stop washing your hair. Allow the natural oils to stay in your scalp.

2. use a dandruff shampoo. At the risk of sounding like an ad, I find Head and Shoulders to be very effective.

I had never had a flake in my life until one year when my family and I lived just outside of Toronto (my hometown is Laval, Quebec). The water was so hard that my entire family had a dandruff problem that year. Everyone we knew seemed to have visible dandruff, too - and everyone whore white shirts!

Then dad got his old posting back and we moved back to Laval - the flakes stopped. No flakes now that we're in the States, either. It was just that one year, and it was just because of the water.

A lot of times, it's really just the water.

I was using Head & Shoulders every day for years, then one day it simply didn't work anymore. Selsun Blue twice a week does the trick. It's the Dandruff Mutilator!

I had a bout of dandruff problem a couple years ago, and someone here mentioned Nizoral - the stuff works miracles. It was gone in days.

Also, hot water will dehydrate skin. Should use only warm water - whether showering, washing your face, or washing your hair.

And, making sure that YOU are hydrated will also help the skin cells not to dry out so much.