An anti-dandruff shampoo with a proven active ingredient - zinc pyrithione, ketoconazole, selenium sulfide, coal tar, or salicylic acid - used as directed for at least a month, massaged into the scalp and left on a few minutes before rinsing.
Rotate two shampoos with different actives if one stops working, then maintain once or twice weekly. Mild dandruff sometimes settles just by shampooing more often, since oil feeds the yeast. See a doctor if a proper month has not helped, the scalp is very red, weeping, or crusty, or flaking spreads to face or ears - that pattern can be seborrheic dermatitis or psoriasis needing prescription treatment. Pymander is a free AI doctor, 24/7 by text, and can help you tell them apart.
What to do
Common questions
How do you treat dandruff?
Dandruff - flaky, sometimes itchy scalp, not a hygiene problem but a reaction to a yeast that lives on everyone's scalp - is treated with the right shampoo, used properly. Look for one of the proven active ingredients: zinc pyrithione, ketoconazole, selenium sulfide, coal tar, or salicylic acid. Use it as directed - typically at least a month, massaged into the scalp and left for a few minutes before rinsing, not washed straight off. Practical tips dermatologists give: rotate between two shampoos with different active ingredients if one loses its punch, and once controlled, maintain with the medicated shampoo once or twice a week alongside your normal one. Mild dandruff sometimes settles just by shampooing more often, since oil buildup feeds the yeast. See a pharmacist first, then a doctor if a month of proper anti-dandruff shampoo has not helped, the scalp is very red, weeping, or crusty, or the flaking extends to the face or ears - that pattern can be seborrheic dermatitis or psoriasis and needs prescription treatment. Pymander is a free AI doctor, 24/7 by text, that can help you tell dandruff from other scalp conditions.