7 Natural Methods for Dealing with a Dry Scalp

A lot of us deal with dry scalp issues, and it can be an embarrassing thing to discover a dusting of flakes on our shoulders or nestled into our hairline. Hey, it’s life, it happens, and it doesn’t make us bad, or even unhygienic, people.

Some of us suffer from it. We have the scalps that we do, and there’s not much we can do about that, save buying medicated shampoos and scrubbing like mad. Right?

It turns out that dry scalp has lots of effective home remedies, some of which seem wild and totally unorthodox hair care and others that seem simple and obvious. The point is that there are natural options to help with the situation.

For those who like to tackle things DIY style, for those who like to steer clear of chemicals, for those who know the pain of a dry scalp, now is the time to keep reading. Here are some options you may not have considered.

Source: Dr. Eric Berg DC/YouTube

1. Apple Cider Vinegar

Considered a cure-all of sorts, apple cider vinegar has many medicinal uses, and applying it topically to the scalp is one of them. ACV is antimicrobial and can help with bacteria and fungi that cause an itchy scalp. It’s also anti-inflammatory to help with flare-ups and exfoliating to help with getting rid of flakes.

• Mix ACV with water (1:2) and spritz it on and massage it into your scalp a few minutes before showering. Or, spritz it on after the shower and comb it in.

2. Coconut Oil

Coconut oil is well-known for benefiting our skin, and the scalp is part of that mix. Coconut oil, too, has antifungal and antibacterial qualities. It also moisturizes and is used to treat atopic dermatitis and chronic patches of dry, itchy skin.

• Take a tiny amount of melted coconut oil in your palm and apply directly to the scalp, massaging it in. Let it sit in for 10-15 minutes before rinsing it out.

Source: Dr Dray/YouTube

3. Jojoba Oil

Jojoba oil is not as readily available as coconut oil. It comes from the seed of a shrub that grows in Northern Mexico, Arizona, and California. It is known to possess similar healing qualities as coconut oil, along with large amounts of Vitamin E.

• This can be added to your shampoo, with just a few drops, and it will help to hydrate your scalp regularly.

4. Essential Oil: Tea Tree

Antiseptic, antifungal, and antibiotic, tea tree oil is a must-have natural remedy for every home medicine cabinet. Lots of market dandruff shampoos have tea tree oil in them, but we can use it in natural recipes instead of mixing it with chemicals.

• Add a few drops of tea tree oil to coconut oil (or olive oil) before massaging it into the scalp. Wash it all out after about 10 minutes.

Source: The Yoga Institute/YouTube

5. Aloe Vera

The grow-it-at-home remedy for burns and sunburns, aloe vera has anti-inflammatory characteristics that make it well suited for relieving skin irritation (dry scalp), as well as moisturizing properties to nurse said skin back into shape.

• As with burns and sunburns, squeeze the gel out of the aloe vera leaves and apply it topically to the scalp. Wash it away after 10-15 minutes.

6. Banana & Avocado

Lots of foods can be used topically for skin ailments. Bananas and avocados both have soothing properties for irritated scalps, and each has its own healing properties to bring to the mix. Avocadoes have good fatty acids to moisturize, and bananas add moisturizing and anti-microbial aspects.

• Mix the two together, massage them into the scalp, and rinse them out after 10-15 minutes.

Source: Nat Eliason/YouTube

7. Ditch Shampoo

Sometimes referred to as the “no ‘poo” method, ditching shampoo can help those looking for a long-term solution for a dry scalp. Shampoo leaves chemical build-up, and oddly, shampoo is very difficult to wash out.

• Instead of using shampoo and conditioner, either just use conditioner (less harsh chemicals) or ditch them both for ACV. Just spritz it in your hair and rub it in a few minutes before showering. It’ll clean you up and conditioner your hair. Remember to dilute the ACV with water.

With so many natural options out there to tackle this issue, it seems reasonable, responsible even, to give those a try instead of relying on the dandruff shampoos and regiment of medicines. What’s to lose?

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