Tired of dusting white flakes off your favorite shirt? Luckily, there are plenty of products that target dry scalps at the root. But before we jump into the various ways to treat dryness, lets get one thing clear: Dry scalp and dandruff are not the same thing.
Though many of the symptoms are similar (namely itchiness and flakiness), the causes are different. Dandruff, also known as seborrheic dermatitis, can be brought on by a number of factors such as an overgrowth of fungus on the scalp or a skin condition like psoriasis or eczema, whereas a dry scalp is just, well, dry skin thats typically brought on by environmental factors like a change in seasons or a reaction to a new product.
That said, we culled a comprehensive shopping guide that troubleshoots for both issues, so youll get some much-needed relief either way. From soothing shampoos to purifying scrubs, here are 18 dry scalp treatments that actually work.
RELATED: The 5 Best Eczema Shampoos to Treat an Itchy Scalp
Treat this leave-in lotion as the final step of your haircare routine. The lightweight formula is packed with nourishing ingredients like sunflower seed oil and panthenol to give your roots a boost of moisture without weighing them down. The calming, beachy scent is a nice bonus.
Buy it ($8)
Does one actually need a scalp scrub? Why yes, it turns out we do. This one has a whipped texture that lathers nicely as you massage it into your scalp. With Himalayan pink salt, cold-pressed moringa oil and unfiltered rosehip oil (this is GP, after all), it makes our hair feel shiny and new.
Buy it ($42)
This soothing solution uses Binchotan charcoal, witch hazel and biotin to target dry, itchy scalps at the root and promote a healthier head of hairall while delivering a refreshing tingle. Use it after shampooing as a leave-in or as a pre-bedtime treatment if you prefer morning showers.
Story continues
Buy it ($32)
I like this shampoo because it's a mild, pH-balanced formulation with pyrithione zinc that can decrease yeast on the skin without causing irritation, shares Dr. Hadley King, a board-certified dermatologist in New York City.
$12 at Amazon
It can be tricky to find a powerful anti-dandruff formula that wont strip color-treated hair. Luckily, this conditioner gets the job doneand then somethanks to a blend of zinc pyrithione and botanical ingredients like coconut oil, vitamins and antioxidants in the formula.
Buy it ($31)
Another favorite of Dr. Kings, the RE-fresh Anti-Dandruff Shampoo contains apple cider vinegar and salicylic acid to exfoliate and offer anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties, as well as moisturizing ingredients that keep the scalp and hair from getting dried out, she explains.
Buy it ($7)
Though its not specified as a dandruff shampoo, it has many dandruff fighting ingredients like apple cider vinegar to remove extra buildup and castor oil to quell inflammation. Add soothing ingredients like aloe vera and hydrating shea butter and its easy to see why this shampoo has a cult following. Plus, the sulfate-free formula is gentle on color.
Buy it ($12)
This anti-fungal formula uses vitamins A, B12 and C to fortify your strands and soothe any inflammation that accompanies your dandruff. (Note: As with any dandruff shampoo, you want to massage it gently into your scalp and let it sit for a couple of minutes so the active ingredients can do their job before rinsing.)
$26 at Amazon
Seborrheic dermatitis can affect other parts of your body from your head to your face, upper chest, upper back, armpits and groin. So, if youre experiencing flakes on multiple areas, you may want to try this soap. Formulated with two percent pyrithione zinc and other skin-soothing ingredients like oatmeal and olive oil, its also fragrance-free, making it a better pick for those with sensitive skin. To use, create a lather using warm water, gently massaging it into any affected areas for at least 30 seconds before rinsing thoroughly.
Buy it ($8)
When your facial skin is dry, you use an exfoliator to help scrub away the dead skin cells, so it makes sense to add the same step to your hair care routine. This apricot-seed-filled scrub gently remove flakes, buildup and excess oils, leaving behind nothing but a refreshing tingle.
Buy it ($13)
Fast absorbing yet still ultra-nourishing, this blend of rosemary, peppermint and jojoba oils supports natural blood circulation to help hair growth while combating dryness, breakage and flaking. We're also fans of the cooling sensation it leaves behind.
Buy it ($13)
Get instant and lasting relief with this lightweight leave-in. Apply it to freshly washed hair, using the pointed nozzle to distribute the formula evenly; style or let dry as usual. Hyaluronic acid and vitamin B3 deliver rich hydration, while soothing any itching or irritation.
Buy it ($34)
Gently massage this luxe shampoo into your roots to produce a delicate lather. The signature ingredient, bee propolis, has antiseptic properties to help prevent further scalp conditions, while treating any existing flakes and dryness.
Buy it ($46)
Admittedly, Scalp 18 is a funny-sounding name for a shampoo, but the fans of this coal and tar-infused formula swear by its dandruff clearing prowess. It also includes jojoba oil, which is known for its hydrating and anti-bacterial properties, as well as argan oil to soothe any irritation on your scalp. The end result? Flake-free, soft hair thats easier to style and manage.
Buy it ($16)
Safe for color or keratin treatments, this shampoo pulls out the big guns. It uses active plant concentrates to not only calm an itchy scalp but also prevent bacteria growth that can further aggravate the situation. We're also partial to the refreshing scent and generous lather it provides.
Buy it ($42)
Swap in this scrub every third shampoo to keep any pesky flakes away. Made with ultra-fine Himalayan salt crystals that don't feel too scratchy against your skin and Abyssinia oil to strengthen your strands, it swiftly clears up any residue, so all you're left with is a super clean head of hair (and extra volume).
Buy it ($25)
RELATED: 10 Color-Preserving Hair Products (That Are Stylist-Approved)
This kit is great for people who have a sensitive and flaky scalp. It contains aloe to soothe any irritation. The three-part system includes a shampoo, conditioner (that you use on both the scalp and lengths of your hair) and a leave-in serum.
Buy it ($46)
If youve ever tried an apple cider vinegar rinse, this scrub is sort of like that, but you wont smell like salad dressing for the rest of the day. Its formulated with ACV to clarify and balance the scalp pH and sea salt to gently exfoliate and remove any buildup thats sitting on the surface. (Rest assured, it wont strip out color in the process.)
Buy it ($38)
RELATED: How Often Should You Wash Your Hair, Really? A Celeb Hairstylist Weighs In
Follow this link:
Looking for a Dry Scalp Treatment? Here are 18 Soothing Options - Yahoo Lifestyle
- Retrospective analysis of 397 DABE | CCID - Dove Medical Press - December 3rd, 2023 [December 3rd, 2023]
- Derm In The News: November 26-December 2 - Dermatology Times - December 3rd, 2023 [December 3rd, 2023]
- When is the Best Time to Try Alternative Treatments for Eczema? - National Eczema Association - September 23rd, 2023 [September 23rd, 2023]
- How Eczema Negatively Impacted the Way She Talked to Herself - National Eczema Association - September 23rd, 2023 [September 23rd, 2023]
- Colloidal Oatmeal Effective in Improving Atopic Dermatitis in Black ... - Dermatology Times - September 23rd, 2023 [September 23rd, 2023]
- Combination Treatments in HS Require Further Review - Dermatology Times - September 23rd, 2023 [September 23rd, 2023]
- Addressing Misconceptions, Concerns Around Biosimilar Use - Dermatology Times - September 23rd, 2023 [September 23rd, 2023]
- Native American and Indigenous Communities Face Dermatologic ... - Dermatology Times - September 23rd, 2023 [September 23rd, 2023]
- Microwave Therapy Successful for Treating Warts in Children - Dermatology Times - September 23rd, 2023 [September 23rd, 2023]
- 9 Best Antifungal Body Washes Review - The Jerusalem Post - September 23rd, 2023 [September 23rd, 2023]
- Patients With Severe Psoriasis Have Higher Risk of Heart Disease ... - AJMC.com Managed Markets Network - September 23rd, 2023 [September 23rd, 2023]
- Swimming and skin: What to know if a child has eczema - Harvard Health - May 20th, 2023 [May 20th, 2023]
- Experts demand traffic-light labels to show strength of eczema cream - Daily Mail - May 20th, 2023 [May 20th, 2023]
- Its mosquito season. Here are tips for treating bites, preventing them in the first place - Yahoo News - May 20th, 2023 [May 20th, 2023]
- How new EU incentives will help all patients get the best treatments - Euronews - May 20th, 2023 [May 20th, 2023]
- Consistent Use of Ceramide-Containing Products Combined With ... - Dermatology Times - May 20th, 2023 [May 20th, 2023]
- The Best Swimming Skin and Hair Products | livestrong - Livestrong - May 20th, 2023 [May 20th, 2023]
- These 13 Household Items Contain Smells That Are Harmful To ... - Rock 92.9 - May 20th, 2023 [May 20th, 2023]
- FDA Approves First Pill to Treat Moderate-to-Severe Crohn Disease - HealthDay News - May 20th, 2023 [May 20th, 2023]
- Feds investigating eczema cream after two Oregon babies found with high levels of lead in blood - OregonLive - January 27th, 2023 [January 27th, 2023]
- Heres how to treat eczema and other skin conditions for cold weather - The Hindu - January 27th, 2023 [January 27th, 2023]
- Atopic eczema - NHS - November 23rd, 2022 [November 23rd, 2022]
- Seborrheic dermatitis - Symptoms and causes - Mayo Clinic - November 23rd, 2022 [November 23rd, 2022]
- Oatmeal skincare is the perfect solution for sensitive skin (+ best products to try) - Lifestyle Asia Singapore - November 23rd, 2022 [November 23rd, 2022]
- Eczema - StatPearls - NCBI Bookshelf - October 21st, 2022 [October 21st, 2022]
- Cold, dry weather can trigger eczema - how to reduce damage to the skin this winter - Express - October 21st, 2022 [October 21st, 2022]
- Eczema on lips nhs - kved.erxe.de - August 29th, 2022 [August 29th, 2022]
- xrfkc.vitalhaskap.pl - August 29th, 2022 [August 29th, 2022]
- Atopic eczema and alopecia areata - cyasn.kugel-lernfoerderung.de - August 29th, 2022 [August 29th, 2022]
- north shore zipline oahu - owk.tophouse.shop - August 29th, 2022 [August 29th, 2022]
- nak stock - vbi.maxense.shop - August 29th, 2022 [August 29th, 2022]
- Atopic eczema and alopecia areata - zayqif.hydra-market.shop - August 29th, 2022 [August 29th, 2022]
- fort worth map with zip codes - prxrzj.rids-gear.shop - August 29th, 2022 [August 29th, 2022]
- Ear Eczema: Symptoms, Causes, and Treatments - Healthgrades - August 29th, 2022 [August 29th, 2022]
- The Mutha Body Oil Is Worth the Splurge, Especially If You Have Sensitive Skin - POPSUGAR - August 29th, 2022 [August 29th, 2022]
- Are You Allergic to Your Beauty Products? A Patch Test Might Tell You - Allure - August 29th, 2022 [August 29th, 2022]
- Stinky sweat turns out to have a surprising health benefit : Goats and Soda - NPR - August 29th, 2022 [August 29th, 2022]
- Makeup for Eczema-Prone Skin: Considerations, Products, and Tips - Healthline - July 13th, 2022 [July 13th, 2022]
- Eczema Vaccinatum: Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Treatment - Healthline - July 13th, 2022 [July 13th, 2022]
- What Is Topical Steroid Withdrawal in Atopic Dermatitis Treatment? - Everyday Health - July 13th, 2022 [July 13th, 2022]
- A new 'cure for eczema' pill has been signed off but who is allowed to take it? - Cosmopolitan UK - July 13th, 2022 [July 13th, 2022]
- What Causes Dandruff And How To Get Rid Of It, According To A Dermatologist - Fatherly - July 13th, 2022 [July 13th, 2022]
- Allergies on the rise due to climate change - BusinessWorld Online - July 13th, 2022 [July 13th, 2022]
- Cryotherapy Treatment: Uses and Benefits - newschannelnebraska.com - July 13th, 2022 [July 13th, 2022]
- Mutations of Filaggrin Leading to Eggs & Milk Allergies - Physician's Weekly - June 18th, 2022 [June 18th, 2022]
- How AI & the Pandemic Are Changing the Skin & Hair Clinic Experience - The Quint FIT - June 18th, 2022 [June 18th, 2022]
- How to treat your childs dry skin in winter - Lowvelder - June 15th, 2022 [June 15th, 2022]
- Topical steroid: Types, uses, side effects and treatment as revealed by doctors - Hindustan Times - June 15th, 2022 [June 15th, 2022]
- Psoriasis in the Belly Button: Symptoms, Causes, and Treatment - Healthline - June 15th, 2022 [June 15th, 2022]
- In his last days, my father asked for Yiddish music - Forward - June 15th, 2022 [June 15th, 2022]
- Throwing away the water after cooking rice? Know how it could benefit your skin and hair - Times Now - June 15th, 2022 [June 15th, 2022]
- Family 'devastated and numb' as boy, 9, dies a day after breaking his arm - Coventry Live - June 15th, 2022 [June 15th, 2022]
- Happy Cappy Not Just For Babies; Everyone With Sensitive Skin Can Benefit - Pediatric Shampoo Granted Trademark in New Campaign: 'No Scalp Left... - June 15th, 2022 [June 15th, 2022]
- Eczema on black skin: Pictures, symptoms, and treatment - June 11th, 2022 [June 11th, 2022]
- Eczema on the Ears or Eyebrows: How to Cope - Everyday Health - June 11th, 2022 [June 11th, 2022]
- What People With Eczema Need to Know About Self-Screening for Skin Cancer - National Eczema Association - June 11th, 2022 [June 11th, 2022]
- How to protect children with eczema from scratching until they bleed - Channel NewsAsia - June 11th, 2022 [June 11th, 2022]
- Autism, allergies and other diseases and disorders afflicted baby boomers, too - PolitiFact - June 11th, 2022 [June 11th, 2022]
- Is saltwater good for the skin? What to know Beaufort South Carolina The Island News - The Island News - June 11th, 2022 [June 11th, 2022]
- What's trending? The most-read stories on APAC beauty market and consumer insights - CosmeticsDesign-Asia.com - June 11th, 2022 [June 11th, 2022]
- Canada to require a warning be printed on every cigarette - Coventry Live - June 11th, 2022 [June 11th, 2022]
- Holistic Acne Treatments That Are Better Than What You've Been Doing - The List - June 11th, 2022 [June 11th, 2022]
- Almirall: Eight out of Ten Patients Maintained Skin Clearance at One Year in Lebrikizumab Atopic Dermatitis Monotherapy Trials - PR Newswire UK - June 7th, 2022 [June 7th, 2022]
- Woman left balding and bedbound by chronic eczema clears the condition with a 9 face cream - The Independent - June 7th, 2022 [June 7th, 2022]
- Poll: Six in 10 people would eat food that has fallen on the floor - Coventry Live - June 7th, 2022 [June 7th, 2022]
- The itch that rashes: Treating and understanding eczema - El Paso Inc. - June 5th, 2022 [June 5th, 2022]
- Celebrities With Eczema Speak Out - Everyday Health - June 5th, 2022 [June 5th, 2022]
- Lotion, Cream, Gel, and Ointment Similarly Effective for Childhood Eczema - HealthDay News - June 5th, 2022 [June 5th, 2022]
- Antibiotics Given Before C-sections Are Not Linked to Asthma, Eczema in Young Children - Pharmacy Times - June 5th, 2022 [June 5th, 2022]
- Eczema Skin-Care Products Market Size, Scope and Forecast | Alliance Pharma Plc., Bausch Health Companies Inc., Bayer AG., AbbVie Inc., Eli Lilly and... - June 5th, 2022 [June 5th, 2022]
- What are the benefits of ceramides for the skin? - Medical News Today - June 5th, 2022 [June 5th, 2022]
- Some Allergies Associated With Lower Risk of SARS-CoV-2 Infection - Smithsonian Magazine - June 5th, 2022 [June 5th, 2022]
- The CDC is sending monkeypox vaccines to people at high risk in a race to prevent the spread - CNBC - June 5th, 2022 [June 5th, 2022]
- Missing Sikeston teen may be heading to Kansas City area - KMBC Kansas City - June 5th, 2022 [June 5th, 2022]
- Should you cleanse or exfoliate first? What to know - Medical News Today - June 5th, 2022 [June 5th, 2022]
- Dry Skin: Eczema, Itchy Skin, Causes, Treatments, Relief, Types - May 17th, 2022 [May 17th, 2022]
- Foods to Eat and Foods to Avoid If You Have Eczema - The Beet - May 17th, 2022 [May 17th, 2022]
- 3 Women With Eczema Describe the Ways They Combat Nighttime Flare-Ups - Verve Times - May 17th, 2022 [May 17th, 2022]
- The Challenges of Parenting a Child With Eczema - Verve Times - May 17th, 2022 [May 17th, 2022]
- Manuka Honey Benefits for Skin: Benefits, Masks, and More - Greatist - May 17th, 2022 [May 17th, 2022]