Flaky scalp or dandruff is a condition in which excessive scaling of the dead skin on the scalp occurs. It is marked by white and small to yellow, greasy and large flakes of skin that may arise around the hairline, on the eyebrows, scalp, nose, or ears. Dandruff develops when skin cells are created and die off rapidly. It has no known cause. Certain individuals are born with overactive sebaceous glands while others inherently have an excess amount of fungus that plays a huge role in the development of dandruff. Other factors that may contribute to dandruff include the time of the year, stress, yeast infections, use of strong shampoos, profuse sweating, food allergies, and hereditary factors.

Conventional treatments revolve around medicated shampoos that stabilize the growth of dandruff. However, if you want a more natural approach, there are some alternative approaches that may help. They include:

• Herbal Medicine – Before shampooing, aloe vera combined with rosemary oil and nettle tea may be rubbed on the scalp to prevent infection and flaking. Tea tree oil may also be used produce the same results. Use olive oil to lubricate your scalp if you have a dry scalp. Use apple cider vinegar, cedarwood or diluted lemon juice and massage it on your scalp if it is oily. If you have a greasy scalp, you can try to blend 2 drops of sandalwood oil, 4 drops of geranium oil, and 4 drops of lavender oil into a carrier oil and apply and massage it your scalp a few times a week.
• Exercise – Dandruff can be aggravated by stress. To relieve stress, you need to exercise at least once a day.
• Diet – One of the side effects of food allergies is dandruff. If other remedies are not working for you, try excluding seafood, spicy foods, too much sugar, dairy products, and fatty foods from you meal. Slowly reintroduce them in order to identify the foods that trigger your allergy. You can also control dandruff by taking vitamin B1 (thiamine), vitamin B12, dandelion extract, evening primrose oil, vitamin B3 (niacin) and other vitamin supplements. They all help cure dandruff by facilitating the ability of the body to break down fatty acids. Vital to dandruff cure are essential fatty acids as they help with the oil balance of the scalp. Also eat lots of fresh vegetable and fruits and foods that are rich in zinc and vitamin B.

Psoriasis That Occurs in the Hair

People with this kind of problem may think that they have a severe case of dandruff. Dandruff and psoriasis in the hair are two different things. In the latter, there may be severe itching or scaling that comes with soreness, tightness, or dryness. Around the affected site, the hair may thin around a bit. Psoriasis shows signs that include several red patches with sharp margins and silvery scales that are obvious. Never attempt to pick the scabs or scratch the scalp as this can damage the hair follicles and result in irreversible hair loss. Do not use chemical treatments and hair dyes. For psoriasis, lots of medications are available but so do effective natural remedies that are as effective. They can include:

Homeopathy:

• Chrysarobimum – for scaly and dry scaly eruptions, particularly around the ears and eyes.
• Berberis aquifolium – scaly, tough, and pimply skin that has eruptions on the scalp extending to the neck and face.
• Arsenicum iodatum – for itchy, scaly, dry with easily peeled off scales.
• Borax – For psoriasis that does not worsen in cold weather and unhealthy skin.
• Arsenicum album – for psoriasis accompanied with burning and itching, and aggravates when scratched or during cold weather.
• Petroleum – for thickened, rough skin that can crack, and for psoriasis that’s aggravated in winter.

Neem Oil – Has more than 140 essential ingredients. It moisturizes and softens cracked, dry skin and treats itchiness and irritation. It has a steroid-like effect that directly soothes and irritations. Neem oil stimulates and strongly supports the natural immunity and health of the skin. It has powerful antibacterial properties that can help prevent or treat infections. It also stimulates and supports the immune system. It is often sold in the form of neem lotion, shampoo, or soap.

Herbal medicine – This type of treatment uses natural diuretics and blood-cleansing remedies such as yellow dock, red clover, burdock, nettles, cleavers, and figwort. The process of detoxification can be enhanced with herbs for the liver like Oregon grape root. To alleviate itching, chickweed and other remedies can be used.

Diet

Recommended foods for dandruff

• Foods rich in zinc and vitamin E
• Linseed oil
• Lecithin
• Cod liver oil

Your meals should include poultry, lamb, fish, and low fat dairy products. Omega- 3 fatty acids that essential for healthy scalp and skin can be found in high amounts in fish. The only red meat that can be allowed when you have psoriasis is lamb as it can be easily digested and is good source of protein. Psoriasis sufferers can also get their protein from lean poultry.

If you suffer from severe dandruff, you should avoid alcohol at all times. Avoid foods belonging to the nightshade family (such as paprika, white potatoes, eggplant, tobacco, and tomatoes). Too much body acidity can cause psoriasis so it’s important to drink lots of pure water and eat alkaline foods.