5 tips to prevent dandruff
- 14 min reading time
Dandruff - you can get rid of it with these tips! During a meeting, a night out with friends, or a date night, you really don’t want to keep checking if your shoulders are dandruff-free. And we definitely don’t want to avoid our favorite black sweater. For everyone on ‘team dandruff,’ unfortunately, this is the reality. Time for a solution to be rid of it forever! We have put together 5 tips & tricks on how you can get rid of dandruff:
TIP 1 - Use the right hair products
Perhaps the simplest (and most fun) tip: buy a new shampoo and conditioner! The right shampoo and conditioner are of course essential when fighting dandruff. Moreover, this can make all the difference. There are many different anti-dandruff shampoos, but a mild shampoo is also really a must. We explain why hair products can make a difference and which ones you should buy:
Which shampoo can I use against dandruff?
It’s better to leave the ‘regular’ shampoo on the shelf. If you suffer from dandruff, it means your scalp is unsettled, irritated, and out of balance. A shampoo can be the cause of this. A ‘regular’ shampoo usually contains sulfates. For some, this is an advantage; others should avoid them. Sulfates are generally harsh cleansers that dry out your scalp and can irritate a sensitive scalp. In short: avoid them! But which shampoo can you use against dandruff then?
It’s best to use a combination of an anti-dandruff shampoo and a mild shampoo. An anti-dandruff shampoo helps soothe your scalp to combat dryness and dandruff. It relieves itching on a sensitive scalp and works perfectly for an unsettled scalp. We have listed a number of anti-dandruff shampoos. Click on the product to learn more about it!
- NNeofollics Scalp Therapy Exfoliating Shampoo - 250ml - The anti-dandruff shampoo from Neofollics: the brand against scalp problems.
- Schwarzkopf Scalp Care Anti-Dandruff Shampoo - 200ml - Our best-selling anti-dandruff shampoo
- Wella Invigo Clean Scalp Anti-Dandruff Shampoo - The perfect anti-dandruff shampoo for our curly hair
- Wella Clean Scalp Anti-Dandruff Shampoo - 250ml - An anti-dandruff shampoo mWith Zinc Pyrithione
A mild shampoo is a shampoo without sulfates, parabens, or silicones. A mild shampoo has a great balance between cleaning your hair and preserving the ‘good’ oils. This way, your scalp is well cleaned, the good oils stay in place, and your scalp remains well balanced. Perfect! We are fans of the Maria Nila Head & Heal Shampoo, a nourishing shampoo especially for the sensitive scalp.
Which conditioner can I use against dandruff?
We recommend that you always use a conditioner after using shampoo. Shampoo opens your hair cuticles to properly clean your hair. A conditioner ensures that the cuticles close again. This keeps your hair nice and strong and healthy. If you don’t use a conditioner, the cuticles remain open, causing your hair to damage faster, and of course, we don’t want that! A conditioner cannot actively help to eliminate dandruff, but it does help keep your hair healthy after using anti-dandruff shampoo or mild shampoo. We recommend the matching conditioner for the Maria Nila Head & Heal Shampoo, namely the Maria Nila Head & Heal Conditioner. But of course, you can also choose another conditioner. Read tip 2 to learn how to best use an anti-dandruff shampoo, mild shampoo, and conditioner together!
Is there also a natural and safe Scalp Care Shampoo that is not aggressive but still effective?
You have already tried everything, including aggressive variants, and you really don’t know anymore. Then that is the right moment to try the Super Leaves Scalp Care. Why are we enthusiastic about this? It is EWG CERTIFIED:
- Contains only natural and safe ingredients
- You can keep using it forever
This shampoo is based on Black Willow Bark and Aspen, which contains salicylic acid among other things. It is effective but not harmful to your scalp or your hormonal balance. Furthermore, it contains no other hormone disruptors or carcinogenic substances. It is truly safe, effective, and nourishing for your scalp.
TIP 2 - Your new hair routine to combat dandruff
You only need to make a few adjustments and you’ll shine like never before! To start, you should have purchased a new shampoo(s) and conditioner. You get rid of dandruff by restoring balance to your scalp. To start, you don’t need to wash your hair every day. Your hair and scalp also need time to absorb the ingredients of hair products. Showering too often and too much is just a bit too much for your scalp and hair. Say hello to your new hair routine:
At first, you can use the anti-dandruff shampoo every other day (or every two days, whatever you prefer) when washing; the mild shampoo stays out for now. Let the anti-dandruff shampoo sit for five to ten minutes and then rinse it out well. The reason it needs to sit for so long is because it contains ingredients that need to penetrate the scalp. It would be a shame if you rinse it out immediately, then you will notice little difference. Always use conditioner on the lengths and ends after shampooing.
Note: never use the shampoo on the scalp!
After 1-2 weeks, you can slowly start adding the mild shampoo to your hair routine. For example, if you wash your hair 3 times a week with the anti-dandruff shampoo, you now use the mild shampoo once. So: 2x the anti-dandruff shampoo and 1x the mild shampoo. The goal is to gradually replace the anti-dandruff shampoo more and more with the mild shampoo, so that eventually you no longer need to use the anti-dandruff shampoo. It may be that you still use the anti-dandruff shampoo once every two weeks for a while, but the mild shampoo is really key! If you wonder why you can’t just always use an anti-dandruff shampoo: these are not great for your hair. A mild shampoo takes a little better care of your hair. Also, you don’t want your scalp to get used to the anti-dandruff shampoo; you prevent this by alternating it well with a mild shampoo.
TIP 3 - Choose your miracle cure against dandruff
It certainly doesn't hurt to give your scalp some extra attention. A supple, calm scalp is exactly what you want. We have listed a number of wonderful products:
Neofollics Scalp Therapy Nourishing Scalp Mask
This is a very effective mask for improving the scalp. It not only fights dandruff but also itching and flakes. The mask contains ingredients with antifungal, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial effects. A lovely, soothing mask for anyone who wants to improve the condition of their scalp. This mask perfectly complements the Neofollics Scalp Therapy Exfoliating Shampoo.
Schwarzkopf Scalp Care Anti-Dandruff Serum
This is an anti-dandruff serum that perfectly complements the Schwarzkopf Scalp Genesis Anti-Dandruff Shampoo. The serum rebalances the scalp and prevents the formation of new flakes. Use the serum, for example, once a week or every two weeks after washing your hair with the shampoo. Apply it in sections on the scalp and gently massage it in. Your scalp is nourished with essential nutrients!
Wella Invigo Balance Senso Calm Sensitive Hair Mask
This mask complements the Wella Anti-Dandruff Shampoo and breathes new life into your scalp. The mask mainly focuses on de-stressing and calming the sensitive scalp. It is a nourishing, refreshing formula that restores your scalp. Use the mask after shampooing on towel-dried hair. Leave it on for about 5 minutes and then rinse thoroughly.
TIP 4 - This is what you should avoid to prevent dandruff
Avoiding a few things can already work wonders for the condition of your scalp. Take a look at these seven tips:
1. Wrong shampoo
What you want to avoid is a dry scalp. Shampoos for, for example, an oily scalp are better left on the shelf. Your scalp will actually produce more sebum in response to drying out. So choose a nourishing, gentle and mild shampoo.
2. Build-up
Make sure to rinse hair products thoroughly during showering. If product residues remain in your hair, they can build up over time. This causes irritation and itching.
3. Scratching
This is an absolute no-go! It causes a chain reaction that brings you back to square one: scratching stimulates the scalp, causing it to produce more sebum to ‘repair’ itself, which releases more sebum and skin flakes. Result: more dandruff. Give your scalp time to heal, and the itching will decrease. You can reduce itching by using one of the soothing products from tip 3.
4. Hot showers
Lukewarm water works wonders for your hair. First, it closes your hair cuticles, keeping your hair strong. Water that’s too hot dries out your skin, including your scalp. We probably don’t need to explain what a dry scalp causes… So it’s best to avoid using a hairdryer :)
5. Dirty brush
Keep your brush, straighteners, and pillowcase clean. This prevents old sebum, oil, styling residues, etc. from getting back into your hair. We recommend cleaning your brush every 1-2 weeks.
6. Chemical treatments
Your scalp has given you a sign that it’s not in the best condition. You might want to postpone dyeing, bleaching, or perming your hair for now!
7. Too many styling products
Gel, hairspray, masks—excessive use of these products clogs your scalp, resulting in dandruff. Reduce usage so dead skin cells don’t accumulate. Is styling your hair something you really can’t give up? Then always use a heat protector!
TIP 5 - Healthy scalp starts from within
Healthy from the inside means healthy on the outside! Nutrition is incredibly important for the health of your scalp, which is the foundation. For a healthy scalp, sufficient nutrients must be present. Ensure a good balance of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. Broccoli, kale, lettuce, endive, in other words green leafy vegetables, are great for skin and hair. Additionally, for dandruff, omega fatty acids can be helpful; you mainly find these in fish, nuts, and Brussels sprouts. It's better to avoid sugars and fast carbohydrates, as they increase inflammation sensitivity. Finally, drinking enough water is always good; it helps to properly clear waste products from your body!
Are you curious about the causes of dandruff? What exactly is it and how does it develop? We have researched this to describe the five tips above for you. So if you’re curious, keep reading!
What is dandruff?
Dandruff is a condition where too many skin flakes detach from the scalp and remain in the hair. They are small, white skin flakes that stick to your hair roots or fall from your hair. It’s harmless and not contagious. But it can be very annoying, as it looks somewhat unkempt and can cause itching and irritation. The medical term for dandruff is "pityriasis capitis." Dandruff is sometimes seen as a mild form of eczema, especially related to heat.
What does dandruff look like?
With dandruff, old skin flakes clump together, making them visible as small, white flakes. These flakes, also called skin flakes, stick to the hair roots or hair lengths. But they can also fall from your hair onto your shoulders.
How does dandruff develop?
The cells of your scalp continuously renew themselves; this is a very normal process. This keeps your scalp nice and healthy. With dandruff, your scalp is actually working overtime; the scalp cells renew twice as fast as normal. Old cells detach from the scalp, causing skin flakes. This happens because the scalp is very dry, for example due to the wrong shampoo or dry air. In this case, you have dandruff caused by a dry scalp.
Dandruff often comes with oily hair. The sebaceous glands work harder to keep the scalp healthy. Sebaceous glands provide a protective layer on your scalp to keep it healthy. Due to the extra sebum produced, the flakes stick together more, which can cause itching.
How do you prevent dandruff or skin flakes?
You won’t get dandruff if your scalp is in good condition. Above, we have listed five tips on how to get rid of dandruff, and also how to prevent it. For convenience, we’ll summarize them here:
- Use a mild shampoo and conditioner
- Avoid shampoos with sulfates, silicones, and/or parabens
- Apply the right hair routine
- Rinse hair products thoroughly
- Give your scalp a treatment now and then to keep it supple and healthy
- Avoid scratching
- Don't shower with hot water, but with lukewarm water
- Regularly clean your hairbrush, straightener, and pillowcase
- Eat enough omega fats
- Avoid chemical treatments
- Do not use too many styling products
How do you remove scalp flakes?
Unless you have endless time, it’s impossible to pick scalp flakes out of your hair one by one. Washing with an anti-dandruff shampoo is the only remedy to remove dandruff from your hair. If you mainly suffer from dandruff and it doesn’t bother you much otherwise, it’s recommended to use the shampoo from Attitude. The Super Leaves Scalp Care. Why Attitude? This brand stands for safety. Everything they develop is based on natural ingredients, they have everything tested by independent scientists, dermatologically tested, and they are officially EWG CERTIFIED. Want to know more about this brand? Then we recommend visiting the Attitude page.
Does an anti-dandruff shampoo really help against dandruff?
Absolutely! With dandruff, your scalp produces new skin cells faster, causing old cells to shed more quickly and flakes to form. An anti-dandruff shampoo contains zinc pyrithione or salicylic acid, which reduces skin cell production and has an antibacterial effect.
Can I always use an anti-dandruff shampoo?
An anti-dandruff shampoo mainly focuses on restoring your scalp, which makes sense! But whether your hair itself also looks better… it probably needs a slightly milder product. Also, your scalp can get used to a shampoo, which eventually reduces its effect. That’s why we recommend combining an anti-dandruff shampoo with a mild shampoo over time.
Where can I ask my question about dandruff or skin flakes?
Do you want to know more about hair and scalp problems? Then go to our product page about scalp problems! Do you still have extra questions or just want to brainstorm with an expert? Then our friendly team is ready for you! Feel free to contact us, because we are happy to help you! Send your question to info@haarspullen.nl and we will try to respond as soon as possible. You can also call us. We are available Monday through Friday, from 09:00 to 17:00. Happy haircare!
