Proper Ways to Use Dandruff Shampoos
If you spend a few minutes on the Internet looking up reviews for dandruff
shampoo products, you will definitely find your fair share of complaints
about disgruntled customers whose purchases just didn’t pan out for them.
It’s easy to blame the product for not working as advertised, but the
fact is, products from reputable manufacturers have been through gauntlets
of testing and research that prove otherwise.
Of course, these results merely demonstrate the product’s
effectiveness on the majority population.
Sometimes, the product will be used by someone whose physiology does
not respond to a particular active ingredient.
Other times, the problem lies in human error – in other words, the
ability to follow instructions.
If you think about it, you can’t blame a program for not working if you
didn’t learn how to use it properly.
Consequently, before you toss away a bottle of anti-dandruff shampoo
and rant about it online, you may want to check whether you’re doing
everything from your end to ensure its effectiveness.
The first step is to prime your scalp for the anti-dandruff product.
Rinse your hair with warm or cool water; it doesn’t really matter
which, as long as you wet it thoroughly.
This not only helps wash off some of the residue that has
accumulated, but also makes the hair easier to manipulate.
When you are done, expose the affected areas of your scalp by parting
your hair with your hands. Keep
in mind that, as far as dandruff is concerned, you don’t really want the
product on your hair, but on your scalp.
Each product has a recommended dosage, or the amount you want to
apply with each use. Place it
directly in contact with your scalp, then massage your scalp gently for
about 2 minutes, using circular motions to really stimulate absorption of
the chemicals. Leave the shampoo
on for about 4 to 5 minutes to give the active ingredients time to do their
thing, while you wash other parts of your body.
Afterwards, rinse the shampoo off with cool or warm water.
The use of hair product after the shampoo, such as conditioner, may
compromise the effects of the shampoo, so it may not be a good idea to add
anything afterwards. After all,
the primary goal here is not to get your hair all smooth and silky, but to
cure you of your dandruff woes.
If you really must use conditioner, though, either use a conditioner that
the manufacturer of your anti-dandruff shampoo endorses as being compatible
with it, or make an effort to apply the conditioner only to your hair
strands, taking care to avoid getting much of it on your scalp.
Sometimes, you may need to use the shampoo twice in succession, so that the
chemicals penetrate deeply into the scalp after the surface debris has been
washed away. Lessen the amount
for the second application, though.
Overuse does not accelerate your recovery, and may even cause
complications. Lastly, dry your
hair with a towel. Blow drying
may hinder the effectiveness of the shampoo chemicals.
Give it about three to four weeks before you declare the shampoo as
ineffective, after which you can simply try one with a different active
ingredient. You may also want to
keep your dermatologist in the loop as you seek the best treatment option
for you.
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