Dandruff

[wahmof9]

I have a friend who just found out that she is pregnant and is getting rid of all her medicated shampoos.

I know I have read many ways here to treat dandruff naturally but I can't remember where? The thought of having to "retrace" my steps is daunting.

Can some of you help? Thank you so much.

[Aditi]

I haven't tried this method yet but one of my classmate had a BIG problem of dandruff for a long time, she used everything to cure it but it failed. Once she rubbed lemon on her scalp by reading about it in one of the magazines and then WO washed her hair and it totally solved her dandruff problem.

[Leneveu]

ACV works for me - dabbed (pure) on to the scalp with cotton wool before washing (ideally left on for a little while). It dissolves any existing flakes, and prevents new ones for a few days afterwards.

[wahmof9]

Thank you very much!

[wahmof9]

Any more ideas?

[sagebabies]

I started having dandruff problems this pregnancy and nothing would help. Then I started using Chagrin Valley's Neem and Tea Tree shampoo bars along with an apple cider vinegar rinse and the problem literally went away over night. I also stopped putting conditioner right on my scalp and that seemed to help a lot as well.

[SHELIAANN1969]

I have used Tea Tree Oil, I take my shampoo (maybe an ounce) put it in a squirt bottle/sport bottle/any bottle type container, shake, add a few drops of Tea Tree oil and apply to scalp allowing to sit a few minutes.

I don't know the risks of using Tea tree Oil while pregnant though, she may want to research that.

I have also used Grandpas Pine tar shampoo, they make it in soap bars too and I have added pine tar (straight pine tar, it can be bought in a tack shop, it's used on horses hooves) and I add a tablespoon into some hot water in a pan/pot on the stove so it will melt down, then I allow it to cool and add that to the sports bottle with some shampoo and use on scalp allowing to sit 5 minutes before rinsing.

Pine tar STINKS, seriously, but it worked for me.

I also quit using sulphates and conditioners with artificial fragrances. I now use only conditioners that use Essential Oils as a fragrance.

She can oil the scalp with coconut/jojoba/oil a few hours or the night before washing.

I would suggest checking out the essential oil reactions on women who are pregnant before using them though, you never know what kind of side effects there may be.

But oils are great and to stop using sulphate shampoo can never hurt. :D

[Spike]

Oiling and Dairy Whip took care of my dandruff.

I heavily oil my scalp once a week, letting the oil sit for at least an hour before washing. I'm currently using Nighblooming's concoction, for what it's worth.

Another thought--most dandruff shampoos rely on some concentration of salicylic acid. That's aspirin (not ibuprofen (Tylenol), not naproxen sodium (Aleve), but good old aspirin). Maybe 2 tablets dissolved in 4 oz. water, apply to scalp as part of rinsing?

And Google is my friend; I should learn to ask it first. 10 aspirin tablets to 3/4 cup of water, dissolve tablets, massage liquid into scalp, rinse.

[milemma]

I like anti dandruff lotions with herbs and essential oils, I don't know if you have this in your country: rené furterer products. Great products, the anti dandruff lotion has been the only one to help my itchy scalp !

[Unnamed]

I'll give another vote to vinegar. I got rid of flakes one time when the got quit bad (they had started up due to a CO experiment over a year previous!), with a 1:1 mix of vinegar and water, dabbed directly on the scalp. I used just plain white vinegar instead of ACV like the other poster, and also did let it sit for a bit (30-60 minutes? been a while since I had done this) before washing.

[euphrasyne]

I have had very good luck with diluted white vinegar.