The chilly winter days are not actually friendly with your skin or hairs and as the winter sets in, most of us find that the old problem of dandruff is back. Winter is the time when the air becomes dry and devoid of moisture, causing dryness of the skin as well as of the scalp. During winter the scalp gets dry and flaky, which makes the perfect bed for dandruff to set in.
Dandruff causes scalp irritation and itching and it invites all the other scalp and hair problems. In addition to that, dandruff can work as a primary cause of hair fall, and hence, you really cannot compromise with dandruff.
Washing your hairs daily or using those wet packs on hairs during winter can be difficult, but to keep your hairs safe from dandruff you have to accept those little difficulties. Here are some effective homemade treatments that can prevent dandruff during winter.
Multani mitti for dandruff in winter
Multani mitti is a natural home remedy that helps to straighten hair health and give dandruff free, soft, silky, and shiny hair. For making this remedy ready take multani mitti in a bowl add water to make a thick paste. Add a half piece of lemon juice in it. Apply this mask in your hair and scalp. Wait for 20 minutes then rinse off with cold water.
Orange peel mask for dandruff in winter days
Here is another remedy that helps to treat dandruff. Take orange peel in your grinder to make a fine paste. Add some lemon juice. Mix them well. Apply this orange peel mask to your hair and wait for half hour. Wash your hair thoroughly with mild shampoo. Repeat it three times a week for the better result.
Cedar wood oil for dandruff
Cedar wood oil is high in anti-seborrhea properties that can deal with dandruff and scalp inflammation as well. Take 50 ml carrier oil, seven drops of cedar wood essential oil, 10 drops of juniper essential oil, and the same quantity of cypress oil. Mix all the ingredients in a bowl.
Massage gently to the scalp and leave for 20 minutes. Wash your hair with mild shampoo. Take the same quantity of oils to add with two cups of water for the final rinse.
Olive oil for dandruff in cold days
Olive oil has the components that help to moisturize the scalp to prevent the flaking. It also has the healing properties that can make your scalp and hair healthy. Take a little quantity of lukewarm olive oil to massage your scalp gently before going to bed or before 20 minutes of taking a bath to notice the better result.
Hot oil treatment to fight winter dandruff
The scalp dryness during winter stimulates dandruff to a great extent. So, keeping your scalp and hairs well moisturized during the winter months is surely an effective prevention of dandruff.
Heat a steel container in flame and after removing it from the flame, pour one spoon of olive oil, 1 spoon of coconut oil and 1 spoon of almond oil in it. Mix the three well and massage your scalp and hairs thoroughly with this oil mixture before going to bed at night.
Wash off with a mild shampoo in the morning. Follow this treatment every alternate day and dandruff will stay away. You can also take the same treatment with any of the above mentioned oils, instead of an oil mixture.
Tea tree oil with carrier oil for dandruff
Tea tree oil has natural anti fungal and anti-microbial properties and hence can be very effective to treat and prevent dandruff.
However, never use tea tree oil directly onto your scalp; mix it with a carrier oil, like coconut oil or evening primrose carrier oil in 1:2 proportions before massaging your scalp with the oil mixture. Take the massage before going to bed at night and wash off in the morning with a mild cleanser.
Aloe Vera and lemon
Another effective home remedy of winter dandruff can be prepared with Aloe Vera pulp and lemon juice. Aloe Vera has natural moisturizing properties which can effectively prevent scalp dryness and the lemon juice is a powerful agent with anti-bacterial and anti fungal properties.
Collect 2 spoons of fresh pulp from few Aloe Vera leaves and add 1 spoon of lemon juice to it. Mix the ingredients well and massage the mixture onto your scalp. Leave on for 30 minutes and wash off with plain water or a mild cleanser.
Baking soda to clear winter dandruff
Baking soda can work as a great clarifying shampoo for your scalp. It can clear off any buildup on the scalp that can block the pores and invite dandruff during winter. Baking Soda can also work effectively, if you already have dandruff on your scalp.
This clarifying agent simply cleans off your scalp from anything foreign. Take two spoons of baking soda in your hands and rub them gently onto your scalp. Leave on for 3 minutes and wash off thoroughly with mild warm water. No need to use a shampoo.
Ginger juice
Ginger has natural anti-microbial and anti fungal properties and it can work wonders in curing not only dandruff in winter but also many other scalp conditions. Prepare fresh ginger juice by grating 2 inch ginger and apply the juice thoroughly onto your scalp with a cotton ball.
Leave on for 30 minutes and then wash off with a mild shampoo. Ginger can cure as well as prevent dandruff, so taking this treatment twice in a month during winter can be an effective prevention from dandruff.
Fenugreek seeds and apple cider vinegar
Fenugreek seeds can be effective to increase blood circulation in the scalp and when combined with Apple Cider Vinegar it can work as an effective remedy to prevent dandruff during winter. Soak 2 tablespoon of fenugreek seeds in fresh water overnight. In the morning grind them and mix them with 1 spoon of ACV.
Apply this paste onto your scalp and let it set on for 30 minutes. Wash off with a mild hair cleanser. Repeat this treatment twice a week if you already have dandruff, otherwise using this treatment twice a month can be sufficient to prevent dandruff.
Neem leaves with coconut oil
Neem leaves have great anti-bacterial and anti fungal properties and they can work as one of the most effective remedies for treating dandruff at home.
How to do
Simply soak a handful of neem leaves in lightly warm water for 10 minutes and then grind them to form a smooth paste, adding the same water. Now mix 1 spoon coconut oil with this paste and apply it directly onto your scalp.
You can also skip the coconut oil if you like to. Let the pack set on your scalp for 30 minutes but do not let it get dry. Wash off with plain water if you have not used the oil, otherwise use a mild hair cleanser.
Thyme concoction
Thyme leaves have natural properties to fight any kind of infections. Boil 4 tablespoon of dried thyme leaves in 2 cups of water, till the water gets half. Now strain the leaves after the concoction has cooled. Massage this thyme concoction onto your clean and damp scalp and leave on.
Thyme concoction is not sticky and you need not to wash it off. This treatment can be highly effective to prevent dandruff in chilled weather from coming back.
Yogurt and basil leaves
Yogurt can provide moisture to your scalp preventing dryness. In addition to that it also helps in maintaining the natural balance of the scalp and nourishes your hairs. Basil leaves on the other hand has anti fungal properties and they soothes the scalp.
How to do
Make a paste of 15-20 clean and fresh basil leaves. Mix this paste with two tablespoons of yogurt and apply this pack onto your scalp. Leave on for 40 minutes and wash off with a mild hair cleanser. Repeat this treatment once in a week for the best results.
Rosemary oil to fight dandruff during winter
Rosemary essential oil can also be effective to prevent dandruff in cold season due to its natural antibacterial properties.
How to do
Mix. 8-10 drops of rosemary essential oil in 18-20 drops of any type of carrier oil and massage your scalp with this mixture. Wash off in the morning with a mild cleanser. Alternatively, you can also prepare a concoction of rosemary leaves by boiling 4 tablespoons of the herb in 2 cups of water for 10 minutes. Strain the leaves and massage the solution onto your scalp and leave on.
Garlic and honey
Garlic can be a great remedy to fight dandruff during winter. Honey also has natural anti- bacterial and moisturizing properties that can help in dandruff prevention.
How to do
Mix 1 teaspoon of garlic paste with 1 tablespoon of honey and massage your scalp with this mixture. Wash off with a cleanser after 30 minutes.
Here are some hair care tips that can help you to prevent dandruff during winter. Keep these tips in mind and follow any of the suitable anti-dandruff treatments religiously from the above list to ensure that dandruff do not get back,
- During winter your scalp is already dry, hence using a SIS or SLEs filled shampoo will make it even drier triggering dandruff and scalp itching. So, opt for a natural and mild hair cleanser or SIS free shampoos during winter and use it more often.
- Try to keep your hairs away from stylish chemicals during winter. These chemicals can dry out your hairs and scalp more during winter causing a number of hair problems, including dandruff.
- If you prefer wearing hats or caps during winter, always make sure that you dry up the sweat formed in your scalp as soon as you remove the cap.
- Instead of using hot water for washing your hair, use lukewarm water during winter. Hot water can reap off the scalp and hairs from moisture causing more dryness.
Maintain the right hygiene to keep dandruff away this winter
While the right scalp and hair care is necessary in order to prevent dandruff during winter, maintaining the best hygiene and cleanliness of the scalp and hairs is also vital in order to get effective results.
No matter, how effective a home treatment you are following to prevent dandruff, but unless you are maintaining the right hygiene, dandruff will surely get back in a few weeks. To prevent dandruff during winter, apart from following the home treatments and tips mentioned above also keep the following in mind.
- Make sure that your bathing towel is clean enough. You should wash your towel that you use to dry up your head, regularly and let it get dry under the sun or under steam. Towels often work as a major source of infection for scalp and hence ensuring that your towel is actually clean is vital. Also make sure that you are not sharing your towel with anyone else.
- The combs and hair brushes often become a common source of dandruff infection for the scalp. It is important that you clean your hair brush regularly. It is best if you can wash your hair comb or brush with an anti dandruff shampoo.
- Prepare a light solution with an SIS/SLEs added anti dandruff shampoo. Soak your hair brush in this solution for 15 minutes and then wash off with plenty of water. This will clear your brush from any infections. Do not share your hair brush with anyone.
- The pillow you use and the pillow towel also need to be completely free from dandruff infections. So, wash your pillow towel and pillow cover routinely. Make sure that your pillow is not being used by anyone else.
Maintaining these basic hair hygiene rules might seem like the easiest thing, but in reality, these easy things can be a lot helpful to prevent dandruff and to make the anti-dandruff home treatments actually effective.
Table salt
People have tried variety of ways to remove dandruff. Some are successful but most of them are not. But few tit bits can actually work here. Table salt that you consume with food will be a wonderful remedy here.
Take 2 spoons of salt in your palm and apply it over your scalp. Now massage it gently so that the dead cell layer is easily removed. Once you have a feeling that the dead skin layer is loosed, apply a mild shampoo to wash it over.
Avoid alcohol rich styling product
These days’ people are using variety of serums and hair fluids. They don’t know which are good for hair and which are not. UN-knowingly they start harming their hair. This can also be a reason of dandruff over your scalp layer.
From now, if you want to stay away from dandruff, just read the ingredients list of the product that you are going to buy for your hair. Further, it will be better to avoid the heat based styles. Those hot air can make your scalp dry and can give rise to flaky skin.
Meditation for stress free
Stress sometimes can be one of the reasons behind the dandruff problem. People are too unhappy with the workload faced in their office. Also the financial pressure at home becomes another important reason.
You can now try out ways to do stress yourself. One of the ways of doing this will be through the process of meditation. You must do meditation once everyday early in the morning to stay away from such issues. You must try this right away.
Turmeric and oats
It is quite easy to get oats at home as people are adopting the healthy substitutes these days. Turmeric at the same time is antiseptic product available in the lap of nature. Dandruff normally is a type of unhealthy skin condition which is quite equal to wounds. To avail this remedy, you have to take 2-3 spoons of Oatmeal. Also add a pinch of turmeric with coconut oil.
Mix all the ingredients well and apply over your hair. Use your fingertips to slowly remove the dead skin layer. But do it very slow. Do not hurt your skin at all. This will be a wonderful remedy to remove the dandruff from the skin layer. Keep this for 20 minutes. Use a mild shampoo to wash it away.
