One of the most common remedies found on the internet for curing dandruff is oil. When people say don’t believe everything that you read on the internet, seriously don’t. Unknown to most people, oil should definitely not be your go-to solution for dandruff. It’s just going to exacerbate the problem further. Read on to know why.
Why dandruff is not caused by dryness?
Contrary to popular belief, dandruff is NOT caused by dryness. While on one hand, dry skin can be cured by a moisturizer. On the other hand, dandruff can’t be cured by oil. Your scalp becomes flaky due to the production of excess oil. Dandruff is caused by the overgrowth of a harmless yeast, in many people the yeast tends to feed on the excess oil and dead skin cells which leads to shedding and clumping of skin cells into flakes.
The yeast that causes dandruff feasts on the saturated fatty acids found in oils like coconut and olive. A study revealed that researchers who wanted to grow this yeast used olive oil for fulfilling their purpose.
Why oil is not the solution to dandruff?
Oil is an age old remedy used for all types of hair conditions, but using it for dandruff may worsen the situation. Usually, people apply oil with the perception that it will remove the white flakes. This isn’t the case. The yeast that causes dandruff feasts on the saturated fatty acids found in oils like coconut and olive. A study revealed that researchers who wanted to grow this yeast used olive oil for fulfilling their purpose. So applying oil on an infected scalp may accelerate the hair fall process. Also, having oil in your hair for a long period of time can make it lose its shine.
On the other hand, mineral oil like baby oil can be used to treat dandruff as its petroleum based and does not contain saturated fatty acids. This makes it difficult for the yeast to digest this oil.
Alternate remedies to get rid of dandruff
Aspirin contains salicylic acid, a common ingredient in most of the anti-dandruff treatments and shampoos. So it’s effective for curing dandruff. Crush two tablets of the medicine into a fine powder. Add the powder to your shampoo each time you wash your hair. Keep the mixture on for a few minutes and rinse well. Wash once more with plain shampoo to get all the medicine out of your hair.
Tea tree oil is yet another cure and an exception when it comes to treating dandruff. Although an oil, it’s not known whether the source is saturated fat or mineral oil based. It is not used in full concentration which makes it an effective anti-dandruff remedy. Used in a variety of ant-dandruff shampoos, it’s bound to cure your dandruff. Just add a few drops to your regular shampoo and see it work its magic.
Lemon is the best known treatment to control dandruff. Due to its acidic properties, it balances the PH level of the scalp and becomes an ideal solution to curing dandruff. Lemon is also known to cut grease and oil so it works perfectly against the flakes. Simply apply some lemon juice to your scalp and let it sit for 30-40 minutes. Rinse with water. Follow this up with a lemon water rinse (Equal proportions of lemon juice and water). Repeat this routine daily until your dandruff disappears
(ETimes)
