Dandruff
Dandruff: the shampoos that clear it and how to use them
Updated 12 October 2026
Dandruff is caused by a yeast that lives on every scalp. In some people it irritates the skin, which then sheds faster as white or yellow flakes, often with itching.
It is not caused by dirty hair, and it does not go away for good. The right shampoo keeps it under control.
Ingredients that work
- Ketoconazole: the strongest against the yeast.
- Zinc pyrithione and piroctone olamine: good for regular use.
- Selenium sulfide: strong, can dry the hair.
- Salicylic acid or coal tar: for thick, stuck-on flakes.
How to use an anti-dandruff shampoo
Massage it into the scalp, not the hair lengths, and leave it on for three to five minutes before rinsing. Use it two or three times a week for four weeks, then once a week to keep flakes away. Use a mild shampoo on the other days.
If one ingredient stops working, switch to another; rotating two works well for many people.
Habits that help
- Do not leave hair oil on overnight for days; the yeast feeds on it.
- Wash after heavy sweating or a helmet day.
- Dandruff on the eyebrows or sides of the nose is the same condition; the same shampoo, used as a face wash for a minute and kept well away from the eyes, helps.
