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We also consulted four board-certified dermatologists for their expert opinions to narrow down the best anti-dandruff shampoos for a variety of needs. We included a range of products that are suitable for a variety of hair types, including color-treated and curly hair, at all price points. All of our picks are available OTC without a prescription and can be purchased online from a range of retailers.
Best drugstore dandruff shampoo: Head & Shoulders
Head & Shoulders has been one of the most well-recognized brands of dandruff shampoo for decades. For multi-symptom relief and prescription strength, we chose Head & Shoulders Clinical Strength Dandruff Defense Shampoo as our best overall. This formula treats existing dandruff and helps prevent recurrences with the active ingredient selenium sulfide when used as directed. "I use it about once a week with my regular conditioner and my scalp and hair always look, feel and smell great." Dandruff is primarily depicted as white flakes or scales around the scalp, but this condition can also be very itchy. For cases of dandruff accompanied by itchiness and conditions like seborrheic dermatitis and psoriasis, dermatologists recommend therapeutic shampoos formulated with coal tar.
As I Am Dry & Itchy Scalp Care Dandruff Shampoo
Namely, if you have natural or curly hair, you may find that some anti-dandruff shampoos are too drying to use every time you wash your hair. It’s pH-balancing, vegan, silicone-, sulfate-, palm-, and plastic-free, and is the equivalent of two to three bottles of shampoo. It does not contain active ingredients such as ketoconazole, pyrithione zinc, or salicylic acid though, so it’s not as effective on moderate to severe dandruff. This wallet-friendly shampoo from Head & Shoulders is a classic for a reason—it treats dandruff and helps ease itching and irritation. The brand offers a handful of formulations, including Itchy Scalp Care, Supreme Nourish & Smooth, Tea Tree Oil, and Clinical Strength, which all suit various hair types and scalp needs.
OUAI Anti-Dandruff Shampoo
Unfortunately, it’s impossible to completely cure dandruff — or other manifestations of seborrheic dermatitis. These relatively large, sometimes oily flakes are believed to be mainly caused by an inflammatory reaction to yeast on our skin. To treat the condition, you need to target this yeast and inflammation. Dr. Chris Adigun, a board-certified dermatologist in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, walks us through how to do just that. Both dermatologists advise regular washing as soon as you start to notice flakes as a good first step to taking care of your scalp.
Re-Fresh Anti-Dandruff Shampoo Coconut & Soothe
Furthermore, it's gentle and safe to use on colored hair — important to be aware of as some dandruff ingredients (such as coal tar) may cause temporary discoloration. This anti-dandruff shampoo is a highly potent treatment that helps prevent seborrheic dermatitis, dandruff, and other scalp-related issues. The first indication of dandruff usually occurs when you run your hands through your hair and catch sight of white flakes on your top, like an unwanted dusting of snow. This is called seborrheic dermatitis, but when it's localized on the scalp, we call it dandruff." Dandruff is limited to the scalp and typically presents itself as loose, white scales or plaques, as Dr. Prather explained, but it can evolve into seborrheic dermatitis. The latter can affect other seborrheic areas (like your face, chest, and back à la fungal acne) and manifests as yellow, greasy scales coupled with redness, itching, and irritation.
L’Oréal Paris EverPure Scalp Care + Detox Sulfate-Free Shampoo
So whenever my scalp acne is the main character, I just suds up with this 2 percent salicylic acid shampoo that breaks down excess oil and dissolves any pore-clogging dead skin cells and flakes on my scalp. After a month of once-weekly use, I had fewer bumps on my scalp, and I felt like I didn’t need to wash my hair as frequently—a dream for anyone with greasy scalp IMO. If you're trying to grow your hair really long or repair damage, try a dandruff shampoo like this pick from Oribe. It's full of proteins to help strengthen and repair my hair, along with salicylic acid to chemically exfoliate my scalp to eliminate flakes and break down any excess oils or product buildup. The best dandruff shampoos will eliminate buildup after the first use while continuously soothing the scalp over time. If you've been dealing with dandruff for months, consider speaking with an expert to figure out your scalp health, and give your shampoo or dandruff treatment a few uses to re-balance your head.
Isispharma ILCAPIL KR Anti-Dandruff Shampoo is a gentle shampoo that reduces oil secretion with salicylic acid and niacinamide while battling dandruff with piroctone olamine and zinc PCA. This cocktail of ingredients fight dandruff like a pro, but might be better suited for oily scalp. First, the Lab evaluates product claims and formulas, and then they label-mask the chosen products and distribute them to testers across the country.

Oway Moisturizing Hair Bath
Dandruff is a milder form of a common condition called seborrheic dermatitis. This condition also manifests as scaly patches on the skin and arises in areas of the body that produce lots of oil. Dandruff is a common scalp condition in which small pieces of dry skin flake off of the scalp.
What is dandruff and how is it treated? - Medical Xpress
What is dandruff and how is it treated?.
Posted: Mon, 18 Dec 2023 08:00:00 GMT [source]
You may need to try more than one product to find the routine that works for you. Certain ingredients may work well for some people, but not so well for others. If you have mild to moderate dandruff, treating it with over-the-counter (OTC) shampoos can often help keep flakes, itching, and irritation at bay. Applying a solid shampoo isn’t much different from using a regular shampoo, according to our experts. First, ensure your hair is very wet before applying the product, and you’ll need to wet the bar as well. Then, either rub the bar directly onto your hair or lather it in your hands.
Dr. Behnam typically prescribes an anti-fungal shampoo, such as ketoconazole, to be used on the affected area. The trick to using an anti-fungal shampoo is to leave it on the affected area for about 5 to 10 minutes in the shower, and then wash it off. In most cases, patients just use the shampoo just for a minute, but this is not sufficient. Never leave the shampoo on the skin overnight, as this will burn the skin.
“Hydrating oils protect the hair, while zinc pyrithione addresses flaking and itch.” Pair it with the line’s conditioner or opt for the co-wash. New York City dermatologist Francesca Fusco, M.D., says her #1 anti-dandruff shampoo recommendation is this drugstore buy from Dove. Made with nourishing sweet almond oil, vitamin E and aloe, it also contains the anti-dandruff active ingredient pyrithione zinc in a 1% concentration. "It helps get rid of flakes, irritation, hydrates a dry and/or itchy scalp and can be used every single day," she notes, though some users reported that it wasn't strong enough to help with their dandruff. To ensure you get the most out of the product, make sure you suds with it routinely, because "consistency is critically important when using dandruff shampoo," Dr. Fusco says. While most anti-dandruff shampoos are powered by ingredients like pyrithione zinc, ketoconazole, and coal tar, this takes a different approach.
This Shampoo With Over 68K 5-Star Reviews Is a ‘Game-Changer’ for Eliminating Dandruff—& It’s Less Than $16 on Sale - SheKnows
This Shampoo With Over 68K 5-Star Reviews Is a ‘Game-Changer’ for Eliminating Dandruff—& It’s Less Than $16 on Sale.
Posted: Thu, 21 Mar 2024 07:00:00 GMT [source]
This is a great starting point as a first attempt to treat dandruff at home. Gentle enough for any hair type, this antidandruff shampoo from Dove is an affordable option. Not only can it rid the scalp of visible flakes, but it helps to smooths strands for less frizzy hair. Each bottle is formulated with active pyrithione zinc to hydrate and soothe a dry and itchy scalp. All of these ingredients are considered extremely effective as far as eliminating dandruff goes, but you may need to adjust how you use them depending on your hair type.
This antidandruff shampoo combines biotin and other nourishing ingredients with 3% salicylic acid to help fight dandruff flakes as well as strengthen and moisturize the hair. The brand has a slew of different antidandruff products formulated for different needs like hair damage repair, frizz, strengthening, curls, and detox. For this list, we aimed to select dandruff shampoos at various price points while keeping all hair types in mind. Much like your hair type and texture, you’ll also want to factor in your current scalp condition — dry, oily, sensitive and more, says Jordan. Many shampoo bars will clearly label what scalp type they’re most suitable for and how they can improve your scalp health, according to our experts.. This deep-cleaning shampoo from Maple Holistics is great for those who have dandruff due to an oily scalp and it has over 9,600 five-star reviews to back up the brand’s claims.
Those with oily skin also tend to have an oily scalp, making them more likely to develop dandruff and acne around the hairline because the Malassezia yeast can contribute to both issues, says Jones. This effective formula is scented with the brand’s signature “Melrose” fragrance, with notes of bergamot, lychee, cedarwood, and white musk. The shampoo is formulated with apple cider vinegar to exfoliate away buildup, flakes, and residue, and it uses hydrolyzed keratin to soften, smooth, and add shine. Dandruff shampoo works in a few ways, depending on the active ingredients.
Researchers found that 75% of them preferred the ZPT-containing shampoo because it resulted in less frizz and flyaways compared with the ketoconazole shampoo. If you have hair prone to flyaways, you may wish to try a ZPT-containing product. We also recommend 15 products worth trying and explain why we like them.
"Shampoos like this that contain salicylic acid help address dandruff by clearing the scalp of excess oil and dead skin cells, which helps lessen symptoms like itching and flaking," says Dr. Camp. Conditioning after using an anti-dandruff shampoo is especially crucial to counteract any dehydrating effects from the strong active ingredients. “Using a regular conditioner with a scalp-treatment shampoo could wash away up to 70% of the flake-fighting active ingredient,” says Rolanda Wilkerson, Ph.D., principal scientist at P&G Beauty. Use your anti-dandruff shampoo with its matching conditioner, one that contains the same active ingredient if possible.