So how does dandruff shampoo work?

How does it get rid of the dandruff? Does it kind of ';eat it away'; or something?So how does dandruff shampoo work?
allie-o is right. It's a moisturizer...sort of like hand lotion, but for your scalp.So how does dandruff shampoo work?
1. Eat a healthy, balanced diet. As if you needed another reason to eat right, it turns out that a healthy diet may ward off the flakes. Make sure to get plenty of zinc, Omega-3 fatty acids, and B-vitamin, and avoid excessive yeast and sugar. Research suggests that dandruff is at least in part caused by a fungus that thrives in yeasty, fatty, sugary environments. Though this does not neccesarily directly affect the conditions of your skin, your overall health will help with how your body responds to the fungus causing the dandruff.


2. Don't worry, be happy. Stress challenges the body's defenses and encourages all sorts of ailments, including dandruff, so relax now and don't worry about wearing a black shirt tomorrow.


3. Limit your use of hair styling products. Hairspray, mousse, and gel may contribute to dandruff in some people. They may also cause excessive drying of the skin, which can cause flaking--or trigger allergic reactions. If you notice dandruff soon after you begin to use a new product, chances are the product is to blame. The exception to this would be using a therapeutic styling gel or spray formulated with Tea Tree Oil, (ex. brand name - FlakeFree therapeutic styling gel and spray).


4. Wash your hair regularly. Dandruff seems to thrive in oily hair, so regular shampooing can help you fight it off. If you already have dandruff, washing your hair may help you keep the symptoms (the flakes) under control until it goes away. Massage your scalp so that you clean your skin, as well as your hair. This is one time when the ';repeat'; directions in ';wash, rinse, and repeat'; may be useful. The first washing breaks up the waxy sebum, and the second washing helps rinse it all away.


5. Use a shampoo designed to treat dandruff. If dandruff persists despite regular shampooing, you may need something stronger. There are a variety of anti-dandruff shampoos available at your pharmacy or grocery store, and they usually work. Be sure to follow the instructions carefully, and make a little extra time to shower, as most of these recommend that you leave them in for 5-10 minutes and lather twice.


6. Be aware that there are different active ingredients in dandruff shampoos. If one does not work for you try another. Ketoconazole (brand name Nizoral) is extremely effective against certain types of dandruff that are caused by a fungus. 1% ketoconazole is available without prescription in the US, 2% requires a prescription. The 2% is available without a prescription in Canada.


7. Be patient. While anti-dandruff shampoos may produce results after a few uses, it can take a week or two to see the difference.


8. Switch it up. If one type of anti-dandruff shampoo doesn't seem to work, or if it works for a time but then doesn't, switch to a product with another active ingredient (the active ingredient will be labeled on the bottle).


9. See your doctor if the problem persists after more than a couple weeks of treatment. There are prescription shampoos available, and prescription steroid creams may also help.





* Another possible remedy consists of pouring a generous amount of table salt into your hand before showering and covering your scalp in it. Gently rub it in, covering your whole scalp. Rinse it out in the shower, and shampoo normally.


* It's best to get your vitamins from food, rather than nutritional supplements. A quick Internet search will turn up foods you can integrate into your diet that are rich in zinc, Omega-3s, and B-vitamins.


If anti-dandruff shampoos aren't working, or if you notice redness on the scalp or silvery or yellow flakes, you may not have dandruff at all. A number of other conditions can lead to flaking skin and itchy scalp. See your primary care physician or dermatologist.


A quick internet search will turn up all kinds of home remedies for dandruff. While some of these may indeed work, anti-dandruff shampoos are inexpensive enough to be adequate for most people.


Wear light-colored clothing (especially tops) while you have dandruff. Most people won't even notice.


If you have hay fever, eczema, or other skin or respiratory allergies, your dandruff may be caused in part by an allergic reaction. In this situation, you may find it helpful to shampoo LESS frequently, so the natural oils that protect your scalp aren't stripped away. Allergic people may also react to dandruff shampoos by generating MORE dandruff. If you think this may be the case for you, try washing your hair with conditioner only, or washing less frequently. CAUTION: Try this first during a vacation or a time when you will be less publicly visible, since your scalp will be very oily at first. It will take two weeks to a month for the balance of oils on your hair and scalp to adjust itself.


Rinsing your scalp with a rinse of 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar to 3/4 cup water may help the problem. The natural acids will help loosen any sebum (dead skin and oils) that clings to your scalp and flakes to form dandruff. Rinse thoroughly with WARM, not hot, water. If you don't rinse well, you will smell like vinegar. While apple cider vinegar is the gold standard of home remedies, white vinegar or lemon juice should work as well. Lemon juice may lighten dark hair.


Tea tree oil has antiseptic qualities that may help kill the fungus, and keep your scalp moisturized. You can buy a small bottle at many groceries and health food stores, and add 5-6 drops to your regular shampoo. Or just purchase a shampoo that contains tea tree oil.


Buy and use two or three different types of regular shampoo and don't use the same one two days in a row. This way build up is minimized. For some reason this gets rid of lesser cases of dandruff.


Plain old fashioned Listerine (the original amber formula) works wonders on dandruff! In fact, up until the 1980s, the label even mentioned that it was effective on infectious dandruff. Daily or several times a week, saturate a cotton ball with Listerine and swab over your scalp. It really works!


Leave-in treatments like Scalpicin may be useful for particularly itchy scalps.





Hope this was helpful ~~
The really strong dandruff shampoo has coal tar in it. I can only imagine how it works. Maybe the tar coats the scalp so no dandruff can escape. I'm not sure.
It really doesn't
my Herbal Essences ';no flakin way'; shampoo reduces dandruff. its more liquid-y than my previous herbal essences ';hello hydration'; stuff. dandruff is when your scalp flakes off little pieces of skin. so maybe it's too dry and dandruff reducing shampoo moisturizes not just the hair but the scalp
it moisturize the scalp
it moustrizez your scalp that way you dont get any MORE dandruff it doesnt eat away whats already there...


it prevents more from coming..
Dandruff is a mysterious ailment. Mysterious, because there is no commonly agreed upon theory about what actually causes this condition. Sure, you will read different things about its cause. It is estimated that as much as 97% of the population of the United States will at some point in their lives have a form of dandruff, but there is still a lack of total agreement about this condition....





This site explains it all....





http://www.coolnurse.com/dandruff.htm
it just helps ur hair get all of it out and stay out.


TRY HEAD AND SHOULDERS