Dandruff??

Hi Sarah,

I was wondering if you know of any particular nutrient that would help with dandruff?

Thank you,

Steven Lee

I had that problem a few months ago - what I did was make a mixture of coconut oil and tea tree oil, rubbed it into my scalp, let it sit for several minutes, and then rinsed and lightly shampooed the excess oil out. It only took about 3 or 4 days for the itching to stop, and eventually the flakes went away.

Hi Steven,

Dandruff is a yeast (candida) related condition so it would originate from an imbalanced gut believe it or not.

Coconut oil is highly antifungal so try rubbing in a TBL or so of coconut oil into your scalp and leave it in your hair as long as you can before shampooing out in the shower. This will really help a lot to bring things under control.

As a long term solution, look to examining your diet to eliminate processed foods, sugars, refined grains etc which candida in the gut thrive upon. The GAPS Diet is the all around best diet I've come across for rebalancing gut flora and healing/sealing the gut wall so candida doesn't get loose and get to other parts of the body.

I have heard that dandruff could be related to iodine deficiencies? Is this true?

I told my son to use baking soda at college for a deodorant. He then found out on his own that baking soda used as a shampoo gets rid of dandruff right now! He also uses it to clean his face. Awesome!!

I agree with Sarah that dandruff is an external sign of internal imbalance. I'd had dandruff on and off since teen years (over 20 years) and in the past 6 weeks that I've lead the charge of a candida cleanse for my family and myself, I finally no longer itch nor flake.

For a while before the cleanse, I was doing the coconut oil + tea tree oil + lavender oil scalp treatment at least once per week, but it kept coming back.

Good luck to you!

Also consider the benefits of black walnut husk

Use Aloe vera gel directly on the scalp and after 10 minutes wash your hair. It will help to open the pours of the hair, so the growth of the hair will be increase and also stop drandruff.

Rinsing with apple cider vinegar or even hydrogen peroxide really kicks dandruff.

I find, having dealt with it for years, that Apple Cider vinegar does work quick as true dandruff can (supposedly) only survive in basic/alkaline environment and the acid in the vinegar switches that up quick. I find that when I travel to places with more calcium and other minerals (certain places in south western ON particularly) in the water it gets much worse. This makes sense considering this theory given that calcium is alkaline and found in hard water causing the buildup on faucets found in these environments. Also supporting this theory is that lemon juice will also work.

Having said that, dandruff is often only part of the picture and tends to be coupled with regular old dry scalp which can be exacerbated by shampooing too often which you will do if you want to to treat with vinegar and not smell like it. The best cure for both is definitely coconut oil. I also use it a as moisturizer on my face and nothing, no expensive fancy or medicated cream works better for either in my experience. Massage the oil in gently exfoliating and if you can, leave it in for a while, even over night and wash it out the next day. I do it once or twice a week depending on the water I'm being exposed to at any given moment. I also don't use shampoo if I can help it and just condition and I find that helps to keep my scalp from drying out.

j

All the suggestions have been great, but one crucial element is left out that should be noted. Dandruff is usually caused by the very shampoo you're using (and ironically, especially dandruff shampoos which I've always found that make it worse!). That is, if it's a chemical laden one with sodium laureth sulfate, preservatives, fragrances, artificial food coloring, and petroleum products. First, that sort of shampoo strips the skin of the cuticle layer that protects us from bacteria and fungus. Then it is absorbed into our bloodstream, to cause a host of problems to our organs (especially the liver, which is trying to detoxify us every moment of the day). Same can be said, and probably especially so, for hair coloring, bleaching, perms, and all the rest. All those things dry out the scalp because they damage the cuticle, allowing pathogens to take over. Even with an unhealthy diet, if you at least have a healthy scalp, you're not likely to get dandruff. We have to watch what we put on our skin, on all parts of our bodies, not just inside.

Since I went no-poo my dandruff disappeared. Have no problems with it anymore. I only use water on my hair every morning now.

Adam Moore wrote:Since I went no-poo

No-poo?

Sorry, poo-less, or no shampoo. I stopped using shampoo or anything else on my hair. Paul talks about it on Podcast 240. It is amazing how well my hair does with nothing but water every morning. I used to have to use head and shoulders to help with the dandruff but it is all gone now.

Now that I re-read my post, no-poo does sound like a funny constipation problem. lol

Shampoo in general is to be avoided if you ask me. I condition, but don't shampoo and even then not all the time. At first my hair was quite oily/greasy at first but after a little while your scalp adapts back to producing less oil since your not stripping it off all the time. In general typical (SC johnson, etc.) products are terrible for sensitive skinned people, strip natural oils, and should just not be used..even worse are the products in hotels! yikes! Only to be used if I wish to flake apart into a million tiny pieces, shrivel up and die! Dandruff, exema, and other pharmacy bought skin treatment ointments and soaps I find only make it temporarily better, or straight up worse.

I maybe shampoo once a month or month and a half when my hair is short (3-5") and a bit more when my hair is longer. When I do I use just a little bit and if its not just some dr. bronner's its nature's gate or avalon organics...something that isn't full of perfumes and is nice 'n' gentle. Again, using a very small amount is key. My hair is really thick but neither gross and oily or dry. When I do get it cut in a salon..maybe once a year, the hairdressers can't help but tell me how amazingly healthy it is. I'm telling you..the fewer 'products' you use, the better off you're scalp and hair will be. Use Coconut oil instead!!!

I'm also curious what no-poo means but I'm hoping it has something to do with not having an actual bathroom as opposed to forgoing the activity itself.. :/

Jay Peters wrote:I find, having dealt with it for years, that Apple Cider vinegar does work quick as true dandruff can (supposedly) only survive in basic/alkaline environment and the acid in the vinegar switches that up quick.

My experience concurs 100%. ACV is fantastic for the scalp. I dont use any shampoo anymore. Just wash and scrub with water, then scrub with ACV and dont rinse it out. Leaves you smelling nice an apple-y. I used to apply oil to my scalp, but with just the ACV and no shampoo, my hair and scalp are nice and moist without any oil. So yes, Apple Cider Vinegar is fantastic, especially the raw, homemade stuff.

So yes, Apple Cider Vinegar is fantastic, especially the raw, homemade stuff.

At the risk of hijacking this thread in praise of ACV I have to say I unfortunately don't have the means to make it yet, but it is THE BEST. I probably use a few litres a year of the unpasteurized over the counter stuff. It tastes good, is great for the skin, and anytime I think I might be coming down with something I sip about an ounce or ounce and half and then from time to time, mostly in winter I take it as a preventative measure as well. I haven't been sick in probably two years. I actually love how it feels permeating (burning) through my body after drinking some straight down!!

I cringe when I see people suggesting aloe vera somewhere sensitive like the scalp or scar tissue. It's because when I used it I come up in a rash. So just a reminder people - when using something new people test it first for reactions!

My skin is messed up by a chromosomal abnormality, but still.

I am no-poo btw and have been for over a year. It hasnt cured my dandruff, which seems to only go from mild to bad and never away all the time. I am mostly paleo but I know I still have gut issues.

I used to use ACV but changed to using Kombucha. I was making plenty of Kombucha anyway so I though why not? I just let the Kombucha get much more acidic than what I would drink. I figure it is better than the ACV that I was buying at the store because it is not pasturized. Plus it's basically free.

Adam - I just came back to this thread to post and it turns out you beat me to it by about a year! Strong Kombucha is great for dandruff, and other things it turns out. Since adding to this thread 2 years ago I've gone fully product-less (about a year and a half) ; that is no poo, no conditioner, no styling product...though I would consider use and oil/beeswax based styling wax if I DIY'd it...been thinking of it, just haven't gotten around to that yet because it turns out it isn't very important to me! Also, my hair has just enough natural oil to stay pretty well in place, look good, and feel soft (the GF loves it).

Anywayyy... A few months ago...I'll guess 6, I accidentally let a batch of Kombucha go for about 16-18 days before bottling. I now (cheekily) refer to this product as 'Medicinal Strength Kombucha' and on top of using it on my hair and scalp I also use it topically on other areas of of my skin that are acting up (basically flaking, as one of my eyebrows sometimes does, and inside the folds(?) of my ears)...it does wonders in conjunction with a bit of coconut oil. This combo as a skin treatment for what dermatologists blanket label dermatitis or eczema works much better than any over the counter moisturizer or prescription cortisone cream IMHO which all seem to just make the flakes sticky and oily as opposed to keeping them in check...not to mention it pretty much all contains creepy stuff. My GF's homemade moisturizer works, but this 1-2 punch works better.

I find this strong Kombucha product, watered down (1 to 2 parts water, 1 part Kombucha or sometimes full strength, depending) with a drop or two of some essential oils (clove and bergamot, or rosewood) per litre is far easier on my scalp than ACV was. As much as ACV is great (the non pasteurized organic stuff...the heinz stuff is like paint thinner) I think repeated use stripped oils from my hair and scalp and help to cause dry scalp, often mistaken for dandruff, requiring me to use it basically everyday and oil my hair slightly after each use. Now with the Kombucha my hair is softer and my scalp stays flake free pretty much all the time plus I don't need to regularly oil it.

Even with this method I did experience a flare up at the onset of winter this year and expect the same for Spring. Swing seasons in Eastern Canada are damp. When this happens I take an evening I won't be heading anywhere and massage coconut oil into my scalp, sleep on it, and rinse with ACV or full strength Medicinal 'Bucha. My hair will be a bit oily for a couple days but its worth it. Problem was solved in one application/rinse this year and Winter thus far has been breezy and flake free; very rare for me given I often grab a shower and don't have time to dry my hair before the tuque goes on to leave the house. A hair dryer, as much as I dislike it, can also help on the cool setting but can dry you out too. I believe damp is an ally to dandruff.

Finally, something else I've observed over the past 12 months - Hot showers destroy my skin. This includes, and is most noticeable on the scalp. I haven't run anything beyond lukewarm water over my head in 8 ish months and it is amazing the difference it makes. Again, I still think that the Kombucha is part of the equation being more gentle than ACV but the no hot water rule is I believe what is saving me through 'hat season'.

So there you have it..I've converted! After years of using ACV I've moved on and believe to be in a better place than I have been in years with respect to this issue. Also, Kombucha is MUCH cheaper. Saving the ACV for treating colds, sore throats etc. and for cooking will probably saved me close to 60$/ year at current Organic Unpasteurized ACV prices in the city.

to sum up : ACV works, but Bucha seems to work better in my experience. Dry scalp is often mistaken for dandruff and can, and as in my case come as a result of treating it. Avoid Hot water, steam rooms, and commercial hair products to keep from drying your scalp out.

j