Dandruff Shampoos
The most prevalent method of controlling and treating dandruff today is
through the use of medicated shampoos.
Various anti-dandruff shampoos available on the market utilize
different active ingredients and formulations, all of which have proven to
be of at least some help over the years for many consumers.
However, there are still deluges of complaints from dissatisfied
customers all over who claim that this or that product did not work for
them, or made their situation worse.
Much of the time, though, the problem does not lie with the product
itself, but with the consumer, who may not be using the product in the right
manner or not frequently enough, may actually be dealing with a scalp
disorder other than dandruff, or is simply more sensitive to certain
products. Consequently, choosing
the right shampoo may be the most important decision for a dandruff sufferer
to make on the road to relief from his condition.
There are currently five types of chemical compounds that manufacturers use
to contend with dandruff:
Ketoconazole
– found in
shampoos such as Nizoral, ketoconazole is a potent anti-bacterial agent that
effectively wipes out organisms which perceived to be responsible for the
onset of dandruff. For those who
have problems with baldness, as well, ketoconazole possesses hormone
inhibiting properties that help to control hair loss.
This product works best on those who have mild to moderate dandruff,
and has proven effective for other scalp conditions, such as seborrheic
dermatitis.
Selenium Sulfide
– this is one of the milder chemicals associated with dandruff treatment,
and also possesses antifungal properties.
It is used to treat dandruff, and at higher concentrations, is also
used to handle other forms of fungal skin infections.
This is a good starting product to utilize before moving on to
stronger chemical formulations.
Coal Tar
– though there have
been concerns expressed about possible carcinogenic properties of coal tar,
it remains one of the more popular methods of dealing with more aggressive
cases of dandruff, since it functions by inhibiting skin cell turnover,
reducing instances of flaking and the proliferation of organisms that thrive
in conditions of abnormal dermal shedding.
Coal tar does have the unfortunate side effect of drying your scalp,
so if you decide to adopt this alternative, you may wish to pair it with a
moisturizing shampoo.
Zinc Pyrithione – a strong
antimicrobial agent, zinc pyrithione has successfully treated not only
dandruff, but a host of other skin disorders that involve fungi or bacteria,
including eczema, ringworm, and tinea.
It ranks along with ketoconazole in terms of its effectiveness, at
least insofar as the percentage of it that is considered safe for topical
use. Stronger concentrations of
zinc pyrithione have proven to be harmful to human health.
Salicylic Acid – unlike some
of the other chemicals, salicylic acid works primarily by stimulating the
shedding of skin, which process has the desirable side effects of wiping out
foreign undesirable organisms, and cleansing the scalp.
Salicylic acid works fine on moderate to heavy dandruff, and should
serve you well as long as you remember to stay out of the sun for a few days
after each use.
Follow the instructions for use of the products carefully.
If one doesn’t work, you can try another one, until you discover the
product that works best for you.
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