Dry flakes of skin on your pillow are not the nicest thing to be confronted with as you wake. Nor is spotting white dots all over your black shirt when you're out socialising.We all lose dead skin cells everyday - it's the way of the human body. Dandruff is caused by a fungus, and occurs when skin cells clump together to form white flakes. This is more likely to happen if the scalp is too dry or oily. Instigators of dandruff include poor diet (particularly a lack of essential fatty acids and vitamin B), too much alcohol, stress and changes in climate. Reducing sugar and yeast from the diet will help as will probiotics and drinking your 2L of water each day.
Dandruff seems to be as common as flu, which explains why there are so many anti-dandruff shampoos available on the supermarket shelves. But take care when selecting the right remedy for you. Many dandruff shampoos have anti-flaking agents like coal tar, salicylic acid and zinc pyrithizone, which can have side effects. Salicylic is poisonous if swallowed and coal tar is a known carcinogen.
To rid yourself of a dry scalp without exposing yourself to nasty chemicals use a good natural shampoo that targets dandruff and make sure you're getting enough of the right nutrients to work the flakes from the inside out.
Some good natural shampoos include:
• Cornflower Shampoo for dandruff by Lavera,
• Rosemary Shampoo and Conditioner for itchy scalps by Green People,
• Intensive Care Dry Scalp Shampoo by Barefoot Botanicals,
• Gentle Herb Shampoo by Essential Care, and
• Gentle Wash and Shampoo by Essential Care for Baby.
