No, those aren’t snowflakes on your shoulders! You have a bad case of seasonal dandruff.
Dandruff is caused by an excess of malassezia fungus, which causes small, white, embarrassing flakes to fall from your scalp to your favorite black sweater for the whole world to see. Luckily, we have ten effective tips for fighting winter dandruff…
Try a New Shampoo
Oftentimes, scalp fungus will start to grow in excess due to hair products. If you’ve used the same shampoo for quite some time and started noticing dandruff, it may be worth switching to a different brand of shampoo, made with milder and sulfate free ingredients.
Switch to a Dandruff Shampoo
Regular old shampoo just won’t cut it in the face of dandruff. So call in the professional care of a dandruff shampoo, which contains fungal-fighting ingredients like zinc pyrithione, ketoconazole, coal tar, selenium sulfide, and salicylic acid. Just be sure to leave the shampoo on your scalp for at least 5-minutes after lathering so it can work it’s magic.
Give Your Scalp a Massage
One thing that banishes dandruff is a good massage. So be sure to give your scalp a nice rub down as you work shampoo through your locks in order to loosen and wash away dry skin. Finger contact with your scalp will also improve the effectiveness of the flake-fighting ingredients in dandruff shampoo.
Tea Tree Oil
Tree oil is a gentle and natural remedy for stubborn dandruff. Just add a few drops to your regular shampoo and massage directly into the scalp for a natural alternative to the harsh chemicals in dandruff shampoos and treatments.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Give those embarrassing flakes the rinse-off by rinsing your locks with a cup of apple cider vinegar in cold water following shampooing. If you can’t stand the smell of a rinse, massage 2 tablespoons of the vinegar directly to your scalp, let set for 3 minutes and rinse thoroughly.
Bask in Sunlight
Studies often link lack of sunlight with overgrowth of scalp fungus. So treat your scalp to some UV rays by getting outside in the sun for at least 30-minutes each day (when weather permits).
Plug in a Humidifier
During winter when moisture in the air is virtually non-existent, a case of dry, irritated scalp can be exacerbated by parched climates. However, plugging in a humidifier in the room where you sleep will add moisture back into the air—and your scalp.
