Home Remedies For Dandruff In Kids And Adults

Home remedies for dandruff in kids and adults. There are many shampoo specially formulated to reduce dandruff. But, these may not be sufficient. Some people want home remedies for dandruff which naturally treat this condition and give you a clean scalp. These are some simple and quick to perform home remedies for dandruff.

We all know how frustrating dandruff can be, especially in winters when it turns huge. People who suffer from extensive dandruff often avoid wearing black and shiny clothing which reveals dandruff flakes. They are often disappointing by this. Despite common beliefs, it is not a sign of poor hygiene.

In fact, dandruff in most cases is natural. In some cases, dandruff is caused by infestation by a fungus calle Malassezia globosa. That is why many anti dandruff products contain anti-fungals. However, non severe cases of dandruff can be quickly eliminated in a few washes using home remedies.

The symptoms of dandruff condition can extend way beyond excessive flaking. People experience itching, dryness, tingling sensation and frizzy hair. If dandruff is itched severely, it can lead to inflammation and sometimes small wounds in scalp, which is not good as it leads to hair loss.

The sole aim if home remedies is to kick dandruff out and give you well managed hair.

dandruff - dead skin cell flakes
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Natural home remedies for dandruff that work brilliantly


1. Lemon juice
 It is really simple to apply. Juice out few lemons. Mix it in water. Use lesser water because it is just to dilute the lemon juice as it is quite acidic ( pH approx to 2 ). Now, massage this onto the scalp. Keep it there for a few minutes ( 3 minutes for mild dandruff and 10 minutes for severe dandruff ). Rinse it off. Afterwards, comb the hair working the scalp nicely. It reduces all the flaky deposit on the scalp.

Lemon is a powerful exfoliant. It takes away any shedding of dead skin cells on scalp which contribute to dandruff. 
However, lemon may not be able to prevent dandruff. So, it needs to be applied periodically.
How often should I apply lemon juice to my hair to keep dandruff away ? 
I would say once every fortnight is pretty much it. But, if you can do it once a week, then it is better. 
Avoid applying lemon juice on scalp very frequently, like every day because it has a strong drying effect on skin. Natural oils too are stripped away and hair may look lifeless.

lemon juice for dandruff
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2. Apply any hair oil regularly 
Not many people would emphasize this but hair oil rejuvenates scalp skin as well. Get a healthy and natural oil for your hair. A hair oil not only makes the hair shafts shine, it helps the scalp to regularly release out dandruff. So, remember to put oil in your hair on a regular basis.
You can try these hair oils which have been used for centuries by people of different civilizations.

Amla ( Indian Gooseberry ) Oil - very rich in Vitamin C
Almond oil
Jojoba Oil
Coconut Oil
Avocado Oil

avocado oil as hair oil for dandruff
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3. Olive oil 
It is a nice remedy for dandruff . Dab some olive oil onto the scalp and massage the scalp gently. Wash it off after a few minutes. This reduces dandruff. A better way to use olive oil is in a shower cap.



" Please do not use pure olive oil as a hair oil as it is very viscous oil. It can lead to hair fall. "

olive oil for dandruff
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3. Aloe Vera juice
The juice of Aloe Vera plant is very soothing and heals the skin. Apply it on the scalp in small quantity only, avoiding hair shafts. Keep it for some time and feel the soothing effect it provides. Sometimes, due to dandruff or itching, we may scratch our head hard and damage the skin. Aloe Vera heals that too, thus reducing redness and itching.


Why aren't we using just the Aloe Vera gel instead ?
Well, the gel is very sticky and it can stick very hard on to hair shafts in some people. If you have used it before and it can be removed, then it should work as well. The juice is less sticky and equally effective.

aloe vera for dandruff
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4. Rubbing salt on the scalp 
Take some common salt and sprinkle it on the scalp. Now, rub the scalp with your fingers. This way, salt works as abrasive agent. It rubs off the dead skin and makes scalp cleaner. Shake head to remove the salt and take bath in warm water.

"Sugar can also be used in place of salt. Go with smaller sugar cubes as they work better ."




5. Butter Or Mayonnaise 
Butter is a champion remedy for dandruff. Take ample amount of butter and rub it on hair. It can be applied to hair shafts as well. Wear a shower cap on your head and keep the butter on for about 1 hour. Then wash it off with plain water.
Butter moisturizes hair brilliantly and makes them look lustrous. It dissolves the dandruff and eliminates most of the flakiness. It is a very effective home remedy for dandruff on all kinds of hair, even for women.


butter for dandruff
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6. Vinegar wash
Applying white vinegar is a home remedy for dandruff that works nicely. Vinegar washes hair quite well and also the scalp. Its effect is somewhat like lemons. You can add 1 cup vinegar to a bucket of water and immerse your scalp into it. Wait for 5 minutes and the rinse hair with plain water. Or you can let it stay that way if you do not have any issue with a vinegar smell.




7. Apple Cider Vinegar
This is a much better home remedy for dandruff than plain vinegar. That is because of the nutrition provided by raw, unfiltered apple cider vinegar. Numerous women , particularly in North America use apple cider vinegar as a natural hair conditioner for keeping hair clean and looking gorgeous.




8. Fenugreek wash
Fenugreek is an additive in food. Soak some fenugreek seeds in water. Next morning, make a paste of these wet seeds, mix in some amount of water and apply onto the scalp.Wash after few minutes. This is a traditional Indian remedy for dandruff.
Fenugreek seeds or "methi ( Indian ) " helps in hair fall , dandruff, hair graying and dryness.




9. Eggs
 Make a paste of one egg in a utensil. Shake it nicely. Now, apply it to wet hair. Egg may not smell nice in hair, but it is a worthwhile treatment for many hair conditions. Let it stay that way for some minutes, like half and hour or so. Then, wash it off in cold water and then in hot water. One will find that it leaves the scalp and hair healthier with much less dandruff.

egg for dandruff
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10. Shampoo Twice in the Shower
Yeah, you heard it right, shampoo two times in each hair wash. But, do not shampoo everyday. Most anti dandruff shampoo are much more effective if they are given a second chance at the dandruff.
However, too much shampooing is quite harmful for hair, leaving it frizzy and lifeless. So, shampoo less frequently but when you do, make sure you do it twice. 




11. Oil of Bergamot
This essential oil of citrus fruit Bergamot is excellent in reducing dandruff. One should use only a few drops of this oil in a shampoo and then rinse it off.
Plus it leaves your hair smelling the best they possibly can. Bergamot has a brilliant smell. So, be ready to be complemented on your hair aroma.

bergamot oil for dandruff
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11. Indian gooseberry paste ( Amla )
This small fruit is dried and turned into a paste which can be applied to the scalp. It promotes hair growth and clears dandruff efficiently.
Amla is given prominent status in Ayurveda for its miraculous properties. It is one of the finest prevention remedy for premature hair graying. Its paste eliminates dandruff completely, leaving not a single flake.
You can either get fresh amla fruits or you can it in powder form.

Indian gooseberry ( amla ) for danduff
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12. Egg Oil ( Powerful ! )
This is somewhat unheard of product. Egg oil is an oily product extracted from egg yolks. It is a moisturizer which repairs damage to scalp skin. It is an incredible natural remedy for dandruff and many other skin conditions like hemorrhoids, eczema.




13. Thyme Tea Wash
Prepare a mild thyme tea by putting thyme in ample amount of water and boiling it once. Let the water aquire some color and aroma of thyme. Strain out the tea and let it cool a bit. Use this tea to wash hair. It can help with dandruff. Thyme also imparts a wonderful aroma to hair.



14. Apples
Apples are plenty and they can be used for curing dandruff naturally. You need just 1 apple for a single treatment of dandruff.





15. Get Some Wind
Take some time out of your busy schedule to enjoy mild or strong soothing breeze. Natural air is a healer. It prevents pathogens from staying on skin. It blows away dandruff and itching is considerably reduced. It would make you feel much better.

Similarly, sunshine also helps in killing certain skin infections.

wind for dandruff
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Home remedies for severe dandruff
An event of bad dandruff is generally an infestation of a fungus. There are some powerful dandruff remedies against all types of fungus.



To reduce itching due to dandruff, one can use arnica montana oil. Arnica is a famous flowering herb which has been used since ages for many conditions in Europe. 

Herbal remedies for dandruff

Ancient Egyptian remedy for this condition is to use sesame oil. It is not difficult to procure this oil.
Ayurvedic remedy for dandruff is to apply a paste or reetha or "soapnuts ". This is actually a berry which is excellent for hair and scalp health.

Pet dandruff 
if you dog, puppy, cat or kitten suffers from dandruff, then it can be treated easily using a hair spray which has apple cider vinegar and lemon in it. Just add juice of 1 lemon and few tablespoons of ACV to a bottle of water and make the hair spray.
If they do not like it, make them bathe with this water.

Staying healthy and exercising daily improves blood flow throughout the body, which also helps in reducing dandruff formation in people who recurrently face this condition. Taking fish oil also seems to help some people with hair and dandruff issues.
The above mentioned dandruff remedies can also be used for dandruff on other areas, like eyebrows, armpits, chest, groin and shins.