A common symptom of dandruff is an itchy scalp. Many people cannot control the urge to scratch their scalp because it helps them feel temporary relief and some people scratch their scalps in order to remove dandruff. Removing flakes from the scalp has to be done gently using the balls of your fingers and lightly massaging your scalp. You have to use products with ingredients that combat itch and help flakes peel off the hair and scalp easily.
One way to remove flakes without scratching is to soften flakes using a pre-shampoo method with oils. It is important to understand that oils should be applied to your scalp as a pre-shampoo treatment and that you should not be used to grease your scalp in between shampoos to reduce flakes and itch. When your scalp starts flaking and feeling itchy it is a sign that you need to shampoo again. If you don’t have time to shampoo right away, try an on the spot anti-itch treatment to soothe your scalp like Kera Care Dry & Itchy Scalp Anti-Dandruff Spot Itch Lotion. You can carry this product with you on the go to help you not scratch your scalp and use it as often as needed throughout the day.
Pre-shampoo treatments
Jane Carter Scalp Renew has peppermint oil to stimulate hair growth and soothe itching, tea tree oil for its antibacterial properties, and sweet orange oil to reduce inflammation. According to Organic Facts, sweet orange oil “can help people avoid both septic, fungal infections and tetanus as they inhibit microbial growth and disinfect the wounds.” Sweet orange oil is significant for those who scratch their scalps, leaving cuts or bruises on their scalp, which can cause infection. Apply Jane Carter Scalp Renew to your scalp and sit under a steamer, hooded dryer, heat cap, or use a plastic cap with a hot towel wrapped around your head for 20 min.
If you like to feel a scrubbing sensation on your scalp, try Paul Mitchell Tea Tree Hair and Scalp Treatment. Apply to your scalp in small sections and massage the product in for 3- 5 min. This product is relaxing and invigorates your scalp because it has micro beads that remove scalp buildup, combat itch, and soften flakes. It is formulated with tea tree oil, shea butter, and jojoba oil, which moisturize the scalp and rosemary oil to stimulate hair growth and reduce dandruff.
Scalp exfoliating
Exfoliating the scalp is another technique you can use to remove flakes easily. Your scalp is an extension of your face and should be treated with the same care. It is very important to remove buildup off of the scalp in a way that is gentle and maintains the normal pH of the scalp.
Your dandruff could be made worse by high alkaline shampoos. Your scalp may be flaking because of dandruff mixed with calcium buildup. The mineral calcium can buildup on our hair and scalp flake off, and resemble dandruff. You can use Malibu C Scalp Therapy, which removes calcium buildup. With the ingredient Disodium EDTA, which has chelating purposes that removes hard water buildup from the hair and scalp. Vitamin C in Malibu C Scalp Therapy helps with skin renewal and protecting skin cells from damage. Glucose is the first ingredient which helps to remove dead skin cells.
For a deep cleaning of the scalp try Scalpure. Scalpure is clay with burdock root extract created for your face and scalp that gently removes impurities without stripping too much of the skin’s natural oils. What is great about Scalpure is that you can use it as often as every other day.
Scalpure has manuka oil, which has higher anti-bacterial, anti-fungal properties than tea tree oil and is an anti-inflammatory, according to Manukaoil.com. All these components reduce the urge to scratch and create a healthy scalp environment.
Tone Your Scalp to Reduce Itching
To avoid scratching your scalp, try this DIY scalp toner that will reduce itching and sooth your scalp. Phillipkingsley.com states that you can “shake together an antibacterial mouthwash of your choice with an equal quantity of witch hazel. Wash your hair and towel dry it. Apply some of the mixture all over your scalp in 1-inch partings from ear to ear. Rub in lightly with your fingertips and leave on. Style and blow-dry your hair as usual.”
Use a Scalp Lotion after Shampooing To Sooth the Scalp
Rene Furterer Astera Leave in Soothing Freshness Serum can be used after shampooing your hair to calm down scalp irritation with ingredients such as mint and eucalyptus. Rene Furterer Astera Leave in Soothing Freshness Serum is formulated with the amino acid glycine, which reduces itch and vitamin B3, E, and F, which restore skin cells.
Pictured above: shower cap from Upper Canada Soap, Jane Carter Scalp Renew and Kera Care Dry & Itchy Scalp Anti-Dandruff Spot Itch Lotion.
