By Hannah Kwaw-Yankson

Dandruff is a common scalp disorder; the shedding of dead skin cells from the scalp.

As skin cells die, a small amount of flaking is normal. However, if flaking is plenty, I will advise you see a skin specialist.

Dandruff often causes itching.

There is a difference between having a dry scalp and having dandruff. Having a dry scalp can cause you to have dandruff flakes and can also make your scalp itchy. Having dandruff on the other hand, a greater number of dead cells are being shed.

Dandruff can have several causes, including dry scalp, irregular shampooing, scrubbing excessively the scalp when  shampooing among others.

According to a similar Reader’s Digest article, How To Get Rid of Dandruff: 11 Natural Treatments by Alyssa Sung from the book, Extra Ordinary Uses For Ordinary Things, it is sometimes caused by psoriasis, eczema, dry scalp, or a skin condition called seborrheic dermatitis. It could also be caused by an overgrowth of a yeast-like fungus called malassezia and sensitivity to hair care products. Having known what dandruff is and its causes, let us zoom into its signs and symptoms.

The most obvious sign and symptom of dandruff are an itchy scalp and flakiness respectively.

Red and greasy patches of skin could also be signs and symptoms.

Many people have it that having dandruff means hair growth. This could be untrue. Dandruff come about as a result of dead skin cells warding off to make way for new ones. It thereafter makes the scalp itchy and scratching the scalp excessively leads to hair breakage or hair loss as hair follicles are averagely strong at this stage. This may be disputed by others as it is relative.

There are shampoos and conditioners that are exclusively for minimizing or curing dandruff.

Scientific studies or preferably, cosmetology proves that these shampoos and conditioners contain zinc pyrithione, which targets fungus and bacteria; ketoconazole, which also fights fungus; coal tar and selenium sulfide, which slow the growth of dandruff and die-off of skin cells on your scalp; and salicylic acid, which loosens flakes so they can be washed away. My elder sister who once preached the good news about natural hair to me uses GLYCO-LEMON anti-dandruff conditioner. You can get it at the nearest Drug Store or Cosmetics shops.

Can you see zinc pyrithione as part of the ingredients? It will amaze you how many times I walked into the bathroom to pick up this conditioner just to cross-check its ingredients if that element was truly it as I researched to write this article.

Have you tried the apple cider vinegar hair rinse? I must attest to the fact that it cleanses the hair reaching the scalp. The dead skin cells or flakes are most often on the scalp and rinsing your hair with apple cider vinegar will break up flakes on your scalp cleansing it.

The acidity of apple cider vinegar also changes the pH of your scalp, making it harder for yeast to grow on your scalp.

Mix a quarter cup apple cider vinegar with a quarter cup water in a spray bottle and spritz  solution on your scalp. Put on a shower cap or plastic bag and wrap your head in a towel and let sit for 15 minutes to an hour, then wash your hair as usual. Do this at least twice a week.

Dandruff relief may be no farther away from your kitchen. Massage 2 tablespoons lemon juice into your scalp and rinse with water. Then stir 1 teaspoon lemon juice into 1 cup warm water and rinse your hair with it. Repeat this daily until your dandruff is kicked out. Just like apple cider vinegar, the acidity of lemons and limes help balance the pH of your scalp  treating dandruff.

-Aloe Vera

-Coconut oil, olive oil, tea tree oil, argan as oil treatment

-Bentonite clay as it is a natural healing clay.

 Hannah Kwaw-Yankson is founder of naturallyhappykinkyhair, a proud African; Ghanaian who dedicates most of her free time to educating young African women on natural hair, lifestyle and health. She big chopped in 2014 and has since been using her natural hair journey and that of volunteers to achieve the fore-mentioned. She does this through writing of articles, hairstyles tutorials, DIYs just to mention a few.

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