Let’s talk about something icky
I’ve had dandruff before, and I’m not afraid to admit it. Key word: “had.”
Sometimes it's just a scratch. But then it becomes a constant itch.
And BOOM! It’s dandruff.
She hides behind your makeshift bangs like a curtain until it's call time. You reach to scratch, and flakes fall like an early snowfall on Thanksgiving.
Malassezia is the reason for your dandruff, embarrassment, and overall scalp issues. Classified as a fungus, Malassezia is yeast-like and sits atop your head organically. Similar to other fungi like Candida, Malassezia can cause itchiness and burning, which, if treated correctly, can go away.
I vaguely remember having dandruff in high school. But not enough for it to be a problem. For me, dandruff wasn’t a problem because the buildup I had in school, I’d probably play with when I was bored in science class. For me, dandruff didn’t really start until I turned 21.
It was small at first, it always is. Just a little bit where my front curls are. Easily removable and not at all prominent. Then one day, it got worse and more noticeable. A mix of environment, climate, stress, and products all culminating into a disastrous hair faux pas.
As a man who has had a yeast infection before (don’t ask), I understood that much like that fungal infection, dandruff is its own sort of fungal infection as well. One that needs to be treated to get better. Unfortunately, people at times don’t see it that way. They see it as something they can push through, making it liveable.
Your scalp has a natural oil, sebum, that helps keep your hair healthy. When there is an overproduction of sebum, and malassezia starts to feed on it, dead skin cells are left behind alongside inflammation, leading to dandruff in full form.
Though this process is unequivocally natural and tends to be the same across the board for all living humans, hair types still play a pivotal role in this. Meaning, I know how to treat this issue on curly and afro hair, a type that leans towards a drier hair texture and scalp, unlike those of a White, Latin, or Asian background who experience a wetter, oilier scalp with straighter hair.
Nonetheless, here are my tips and step-by-step guide to healing your scalp and getting rid of your dandruff:
Stop picking at your hair and scalp
For the love of god, please, I beg. Without this step, don’t even bother to try to continue the journey.
I, as much as the next person, understand the unbelievable itch and burn that your scalp is going through. It's a simultaneous urge and stimulation, both physically and emotionally. It feels so good, but it's oh so bad.
I used to itch and itch, creating sore spots on my head, which eventually led to scabs. You’re scalp needs room to breathe, and you may be spreading malassezia alongside other bacteria, which will not help end your dandruff debacle.
This is a healing process, which will take time.
Thoroughly wash your scalp, then start with Tea Tree Oil.
I, of course, washed my hair and at times my scalp, fighting through the pain of the shampoo glazing over my scabs. I didn’t understand the importance of a thorough scalp cleanse until I got my haircut. The women at the salon thoroughly got in there; it felt like a 2-in-1 spa day and cut. I now mimic their techniques in the shower to ensure I’m stripping away any old oils that need to disappear.
Once I step out of the shower, I start off with Pharm to Table’s Tea Tree Scalp Relief Leave-in Treatment.
Tea tree oil carries anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory properties. This, as a beginner product, will soothe your head as well as begin the healing process while the pores of your scalp are still open from your shower.
After you have started with tea tree oil on your scalp, feel free to continue with your regularly scheduled hair routine and products. Feel free as well to use whatever tea tree product you think suits you best. I got my product recommended through r/Blackhair.
MCT oil is the key
There are so many ways to fight a fungal infection. What you need at the end of the day is something anti-microbial and anti-fungal. A lot of recommendations and forums will lead you towards coconut oil, which is really good.
But, coconut oil can sometimes work in reverse, leading to the malassezia being fed even more due to the fatty oil properties within coconut oil. MCT oil is a more refined byproduct similar to, and sometimes made from, coconut oil.
I’ve been using Dermazen’s MCT Oil. When I first started this scalp healing journey, I used it every day, to once every other day. Now, several months later, I only need/do it once a month.
Be warned. This is an oil. Though MCT is meant to have a higher and faster absorption rate than coconut oil, this will still drop over and around you. This might get on the collar of your shirt and the back of your neck. This is the price to pay to no longer have an itchy scalp.
Patience is the other, more obvious… key
I can’t promise you it will be gone overnight. This process, like many others, takes time. However, my dandruff has been cleared in general. It took two months, and one week, I realized it was no longer there. No trace of scabs or pain. No ongoing scratching and flakes falling.
I want to note that by no means am I a dermatologist, have a degree close to it, or honestly know what I’m talking about. I’m just a guy with access to Google and the willpower to actually want to improve aspects of my life.
Some scalp issues can dig deeper and be a part of a larger skin or hair issue as a whole; perhaps consult your hairdresser.
But these tips are just steps that I’ve come across and used to keep my scalp clean. If I feel an itch, I run through my steps again. And if the steps don’t work for you, then definitely consult someone who didn’t almost fail AP Biology their senior year of high school.