Bye, Bye Dandruff! – Our Aloe Vera Anti-Dandruff Shampoo Recipe

Seeing those awful little white flakes on your head and shoulders? You’re not alone. Dandruff is a common problem for both men and women. While you’ll find plenty of products on department store shelves claiming they hold the solution, most conventional anti-dandruff shampoos contain ingredients that can be dangerous to your health. What’s more, many anti-dandruff shampoos are needlessly expensive, especially when you consider how easy it is to treat those bothersome flakes with plain old Aloe Vera gel. Here’s how.

What Causes Dandruff?

There are several different reasons why you might be dealing with dandruff. One of the most common is simply having dry skin. If you notice dandruff flakes on your shoulders, check in with the skin on your legs and arms. If you notice dryness there, it’s likely that your scalp is dry as well, leading to small flakes of dead skin. On the other end of the spectrum is irritated, oily skin (also known as seborrheic dermatitis). This common cause of dandruff occurs when the skin becomes red, greasy, and scaly. This condition tends to cause dandruff that is more stubborn than the flakes caused by dry skin, and it’s much more likely to last over the long term.

Finally, your dandruff might be caused by a fungus called malassezia, a yeast-like organism that grows on most adult scalps. While many people aren’t affected by this fungus, some find that it irritates their scalps, causing more skin cells to grow. This rapid growth leads to rapid loss of extra cells, which fall off and look white and flaky in your hair.

Treating Dandruff with Aloe Vera

Earth’s Daughter’s Aloe Vera Gel is an effective ingredient in homemade dandruff remedies. Its moisturizing abilities help to keep dry scalps happy, it helps to heal and soothe irritated skin, and its antifungal properties may even help to keep malassezia under control. Here are a few of our favorite ways to use aloe vera to fight those itchy flakes:

• Aloe Vera Gel: Use Aloe Vera gel on its own for a simple, safe, and effective way to moisturize and soothe an itchy, flaky scalp. Squeeze a small amount of gel into your hands, then work it into your scalp. Add more gel as needed until you cover your scalp completely. Allow the gel to sit for about 45 minutes, then rinse it out with cool water. You can use this treatment up to three times a week to keep moderate dandruff at bay.
• Aloe Vera and Lemon: We love adding lemon to our dandruff remedies because its acidity helps to manage the scalp’s pH. Squeeze all of the juice out of half a lemon, then add a third of a cup of aloe vera juice. Apply a very small amount to your scalp. If you notice a stinging sensation (rare, but possible), add a tablespoon of yogurt to the mixture. Apply all over your scalp, allow it to sit for an hour, then wash it away with a mild shampoo.
• Aloe Vera and Tea Tree Oil: Tea tree oil is full of anti-fungal properties that can help keep stubborn dandruff at bay. Add a few drops of oil to a dollop of aloe (please don’t use this potent oil on its own), work the mixture into your hair, allow it to sit for a few minutes, then wash it out with a mild shampoo.

Dandruff is a pain, but getting rid of it may be simpler than you think. Aloe Vera gel is a mild and effective solution to those annoying flakes.