What makes anti dandruff shampoo work

If you've suffered with dandruff in the past, then you've probably gotten familiar with ingredients like "zinc pyrithione," "salicylic acid," and other sciency words. Or maybe not? Let's take a quick look at the active ingredients found in various dandruff shampoos on the market, and how they compare to each other.

This is an active ingredient whose main function is to remove scales and scalp build up. It works as a keratolytic, which is a fancy way of saying that it loosens the proteins that form the structure of skin. Salicylic acid can also be helpful in treating scalp build up, seborrheic dermatitis and psoriasis.

It helps to relieve scalp irritation and itching. Products with this ingredient should be used times per week, or as needed, on alternating days with another everyday product, such as a shampoo that contains zinc pyrithione.

Salicylic acid is available in over-the-counter and prescription forms. Coal tar works by slowing the production of skin cells, reducing redness, inflammation, and irritation. It is very effective, but make sure to rinse thoroughly; the treated scalp area can be sensitive to sunlight. Coal tar also helps to relieve itching. Some people advocate using conditioners specifically aimed for people with dandruff. These conditioners often contain ingredients such as ZPT to further penetrate the hair and scalp.

A dry scalp can cause an overproduction of oil that further contributes to dandruff. Products to avoid include hair sprays or regular shampoos that have a high alcohol content. If your dandruff is more severe, a dermatologist may need to prescribe stronger treatments to help you get you manage your dandruff. Spend too much time under the blow dryer? Decide to go from deep black to dirty blonde without the help of your stylist?

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Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect. What to look for Recommended shampoos Conditioners Takeaway Share on Pinterest We include products we think are useful for our readers. What to look for in a dandruff shampoo. Ingredient How it works Ciclopirox This antifungal agent works by stopping the growth of the fungus. Coal tar Coal tar helps reduce skin scaling and the overgrowth of skin cells that lead to dandruff. Ketoconazole This antifungal agent helps kill the Malassezia fungus that irritates oil glands and can lead to dandruff.

Salicylic acid This beta hydroxy acid keeps skin cells from sticking together and can help remove scaly skin cells. Salicylic acid and sulfur Adding sulfur to salicylic acid helps further reduce skin cell buildup.

Sulfur also has antimicrobial activity. Selenium sulfide This antimicrobial agent also helps slow skin cell turnover and scaling as well as reduce yeast growth. Manifestations: SD produces skin scales that are yellowish in color, oily in consistency, and tend to adhere to the skin. Plaques may cover large areas of the body, although they are more often found where sebaceous glands are most heavily concentrated. Other common attack sites are on the trunk e.

Ingredients proven safe and effective for self-treatment of SD include the coal tar, zinc pyrithione, selenium sulfide, and salicylic acid products mentioned earlier. Nizoral A-D does not carry labeling for treatment of SD. However, hydrocortisone, ineffective for dandruff, is effective for SD.

Patients with SD on the face or trunk might be advised to engage in a trial of hydrocortisone e. The pharmacist can also suggest that patients visit a physician to obtain a prescription for topical ketoconazole.

Scratching leads to inflammation or infection in some cases. Cradle cap is defined by some authorities as a type of dandruff. Pharmacists can advise parents of several helpful steps when their infant has cradle cap. When scales are present, the scalp should be washed daily with a gentle, mild shampoo, making sure to thoroughly rinse all soap from the scalp. If the condition resolves, parents may back off to twice weekly shampooing.

To remove scales that seem to be more strongly attached, parents should place mineral oil on the scalp and wrap it with a wet, warm cloth, leaving this in place for an hour before the shampoo. Parents should check the cloth to make sure it remains warm in order to prevent chilling the baby.

If these steps do not help, parents should take the child to the pediatrician to ensure that there is nothing more serious occurring. Dandruff occurs only on the scalp. It is so common that almost everyone has seen it, as the embarrassing flaking of scalp skin that many people find cosmetically unacceptable.

The flakes have a characteristic look, are somewhat oily, and seem to be present on a good part of the scalp. Someone with dandruff may also notice itching in the areas with the worst flaking. Dandruff usually begins in the teen years when you go through puberty.

It may improve as you age, although some people struggle with it all their lives. It is more common in men because their oil-producing glands are larger than those of women. It is worse in winter because the air is drier. Dry air causes the skin to dry out, and dry scalp skin is more prone to develop dandruff. Seborrheic dermatitis may occur on the scalp but also on such oily skin areas as inside or behind the ears, on the creases at the sides of the nose, or on the eyelids, eyebrows, lips, face, upper chest, or back.

It also causes scales that are white or yellow. The affected skin may also be reddened, and it may itch. If one family member has seborrheic dermatitis, others are more likely to develop it. The condition seems to worsen under certain circumstances, such as stress, fatigue, extreme weather conditions, excess skin oiliness, failure to bathe or shampoo daily, use of alcohol-containing lotions, or presence of acne or obesity.

You can try several products to see if they help dandruff or seborrheic dermatitis. Since both affect the scalp, there are several shampoos you may find beneficial. For dandruff, there are many product options.

Follow all label directions for use. Selenium sulfide as found in Selsun Blue is an alternative that is helpful. A product called Nizoral A-D shampoo contains ketoconazole, a medication that attacks the fungus that can contribute to dandruff in some patients. It is worth a trial to see if the fungus can be controlled in your case. Seborrheic dermatitis responds to all of the medications listed above except Nizoral A-D.

Any may be beneficial. You may also try a trial of nonprescription hydrocortisone for seborrheic dermatitis, using a product such as Cortaid. If your condition fails to respond to these interventions, you may need to visit a physician for a prescription medication such as ketoconazole cream.