Best solution for super dry, flaky scalp?

When I was a kid, my Mom would sometimes put warm olive oil on my scalp to prevent dryness. You heat it and then put it on your scalp, leave for a few minutes and then shampoo it out. To this day, the smell of hot olive oil brings me back there.

Forget natural, you need drugs. Nizoral shampoo prescription (generic is ketoconazole) would be best, but you can get it OTC. Let it sit on your head so it can kill the fungus for a few several minutes in shower before washing it out. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ketoconazole

Also, do not let your hair stay wet after exercising or bathing and never go to sleep with a wet head.

Pantene Pro-V makes this oil stuff to reduce the frizz in your hair. I rub a small amount into my scalp because the top of my head will sunburn easily and flake and it helps with the dry skin and itchy-ness. I highly recommend it. It could put more natural oils into your scalp too which might reduce your dandruff over time. I don’t have a lot of experience with dandruff or skin issues, but I do notice that it helps my skin from flaking so bad on the top of my head after a sunburn so it might help with dandruff. Good luck.

@JLeslie I think you just solved my dry scalp problem. I never use a hairdryer after I get out of the shower and sometimes go to bed with wet hair. I’m going to stop doing that immediately.

Neem.

@LeotCol If that doesn’t solve it, and some of the home remedies don’t work, get the drugs :). It is most likely a fungal infection. You might need to kill off what is there, and then going forward you can use better habits about drying your hair. If it is simply dry skin then maybe the home remedies will work? Good luck.

Try washing it every other day. Let it get a bit greasy!!

I think that is incorrect if you actually have dandruff, andnot dry skin. My memory is not perfect though, I think the fungus thrives in the oils produced by our bodies on our skin, so that would mean washing your hair daily is advised. But, I could be rememberring incorrectly. Maybe google “dandruff.”

Diet can effect this. A lot of “natural” products are less healthy for some people because of allergies. You are probably removing too much of your natural oil by washing too much or scrubbing too hard. Your skin will take care of itself, you just need to help it out a little with gentle scrubbing, good nutrition, a little sun, etc..

If you think you’ve got an infection or something like that, you shouldn’t be such a stickler about using only “natural” products. The problems that come from using the synthetic crap are from long term use, mostly. And there may be some drugs that can help. Get it checked out by a dermatologist if you can.

You shouldn’t need any product, natural or not, to keep your scalp healthy in the long term. Don’t build a dependence on one if you can help it.

I normally do go a day or two between washing my hair, and I’ve never had a problem with it before. Maybe it is the fungus thing? I don’t know. I’m going to try the olive oil thing, and then not scrubbing my scalp so hard… And I guess I wouldn’t mind using the drugs, I just try to seek natural first.

thanks y’all

First I would ask my doctor and let him suggest what to try that is natural, for your condition. I learned a long time ago, the hard way, to ask my doctor before ingesting or applying anything. Not that any of the suggestions would hurt, but you might waste your money.

T- gel shampoo

My daughter had a shampoo with tar in it! She also needed to brush her hair more. She would wake up, shake her head and put her hair in a ponytail!!

Try coconut oil also as a natural, healthy possible solution.

Dandruff may be due to an eczema-related condition rather than a fungal onfection. If regular dandruff shampoos don’t clear it up, try something that’s used to treat eczema. I don’t know what’s available in the US. Here in the UK, I use Oilatum. It’s the only thing that’s ever worked for me.

I’m having a really bad time of it this year too. I’m sure it’s a combination of what everyone here has said. It’s worse the first/second day after I wash my hair and then as the natural oils come back, it starts looking better. So, I think it’s more dry skin than fungal. Either way, my sister in law swears by Listerine mouthwash and not the green one, but the yellow, medicine smelling one. I’m going to try that next. I’m going to put it in a syringe and squirt in on my scalp. If it doesn’t help, I’m going to cut my hair short (it’s to the middle of my back right now) and do some hot oil treatments.

My daughter has a similar problem. It sounds as ithough you have a fungal infection.
We purchase Polytar for her, and it really does work.

@JLeslie Oh. I thought dandruff was from dry skin. Hopefully crazyzo didn’t take my advice. :)

@silverfly I don’t think you gave bad advice, I think it depends on what the problem really is. We are all hypothesizing.

Yeah, I agree. I think a combination of some of these different suggestions could be useful