Have A Dry Itchy Scalp? Top 15 Simple Home Remedies & Treatment
Struggling with a dry, itchy scalp? Disappointed by traditional treatments? Look no further. Here are 15 homemade and natural remedies for a dry, itchy scalp.
Jul 24, 2018
Have a dry itchy scalp?
Having a dry and itchy scalp can be irritating. It’s uncomfortable, irritating, and can be embarrassing if you are caught furiously scratching your head in public. Your frustration has probably increased due to the lack of efficient traditional shampoos, especially ones that are designed to treat the problem. If you have tried relieving your dry, itchy scalp but with no success, it may be time to try some of the remedies that can be found in your home. The remedies in this article have become increasingly popular due to their success, low cost, and convenient access. You probably have some of these items in your home right now! Here are the best 15 home remedies to use for the treatment of a dry, itchy scalp.
1.) Witch Hazel
This treatment works best for those with oily hair. Witch hazel is known for its anti-inflammatory properties, which can help with itchiness and redness. However, sometimes people find witch hazel drying which could only make the problem worse. To see if witch hazel works well with your scalp, put a small amount on your scalp first. If your scalp seems to improve, then you can continue the treatment.
2.) Aloe Vera
Aloe Vera is gaining popularity as a miracle plant and is one of the best remedies for a dry and itchy scalp. Aloe Vera has numerous benefits for the scalp. First, it provides vitamins and amino acids that your skin needs. Second, it has anti-inflammatory properties. Finally, it is an antiseptic with anti-fungal and antibacterial properties. All these health benefits help soothe your scalp while enhancing the health of your hair.
3.) Essential Oils
Essential oils are becoming a mainstream way of treating various health issues, including a dry scalp. There are various essential oils that you can use for your hair: peppermint, lavender, eucalyptus, and chamomile to name a few. All of these are a good treatment for your scalp. It is recommended you use these oils by combining a few drops with a carrier oil. However, one of the best essential oils to use for dry and itchy scalp treatment is tea tree oil. Tea tree oil can be used in many ways. As with the other essential oils, it can be combined with a carrier oil and massaged on the scalp. It can also be added to your favorite shampoo so that you can get this treatment every time you wash your hair. You can also buy a special tea tree oil shampoo from most stores that carry shampoo and conditioner. Usually, these shampoos are designed (usually with natural ingredients) to help with scalp health.
4.) Aspirin
Sometimes your scalp is dry and itchy simply because it needs to be exfoliated. Just like the skin on your face, your scalp needs to be occasionally exfoliated for optimal health. You may not think of aspirin when coming up with scalp treatments, but this has been known to work. Take some aspirin and crush it up into a powder. Then mix that powder in with your shampoo. The powder itself will help remove dead skin cells from your dry skin. Aspirin is also known to reduce inflammation, which will help when your scalp is itchy.
5.) Argan Oil
Argan oil is one of the best natural moisturizers available. Its moisturizing benefits are numerous, providing essential vitamins (like Vitamin E) and antioxidants to the skin. The fatty acids in argan oil are believed to be the reason why it helps heal a dry scalp. In fact, many commercial shampoos are now adding argan oil to their recipes as a way to combat the dryness that occurs from the chemicals in those said shampoos. However, this is not the only reason to use argan oil. Argan oil also helps moisturize your hair and may even prevent hair loss. The best way to use argan oil is to warm up about six or so drops. Add the warmed drops to your palms and massage your scalp. If possible, allow the argan oil to sit on your scalp for a few hours before washing it out. For best results, do this about two to three times a week.
6.) Olive Oil
If you don't have argan oil sitting around, and you don't want to go out to buy some, olive oil will do the trick. Like argan oil, it is full of antioxidants and vitamins A and E which promote a healthy scalp. Just like with argan oil, it is best to add a few drops to your palms, massage it in your scalp, and wait a few hours to see the full effect.
7.) Banana
This might sound like one of the stranger natural treatments for a dry and itchy scalp but it works! The oils and potassium found in bananas do wondrous things for the skin. For this treatment, you should put some bananas in a blender along with avocado (and also yogurt if you have it). Blend the mixture until it is creamy. Apply the mixture to your scalp and wait for about twenty minutes. Wash out with warm water.
8.) Lemon Juice
Lemon juice has great anti-fungal properties that help with dandruff and an itchy scalp. It is also full of great vitamins and minerals that promote healthy hair. For the optimal treatment, pour some directly on your scalp. Leave it in for a few minutes and then wash it out. There are a few disclaimers about this treatment. First, lemon juice can dry out the hair a bit, so if you already suffer from dry hair, you may want to follow up with a moisturizer or use a different treatment altogether. Second, make sure you don't have any open wounds or cuts because lemon juice will be incredibly painful. Finally, lemon juice is a bleaching agent and should not be left in your hair for more than ten minutes.
9.) Brush Regularly
One treatment doesn't include adding any ingredients, just adding a bit more time to your hair care routine. Brushing properly and for a longer time will help rid your scalp of dry, dead skin cells. Brushing helps remove all the embarrassing flakes that result from an itchy scalp. You might want to invest in a higher quality brush. A higher quality brush can help massage your scalp and improve the health of your hair.
10.) Coconut Oil
Coconut oil is becoming a sensation in mainstream health. Every day, people are finding more benefits of coconut oil in every aspect of health. So is it really any surprise that coconut oil would be good for your scalp too? Coconut oil is a great moisturizer filled with many vitamins that the skin needs. It will also help fight any infection that is causing your scalp to be itchy in the first place! As with the previous oils mentioned, it is best to warm it up before massaging it into the scalp.
11.) Apple Cider Vinegar
Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) has long been known as a great treatment for scalp health. It has antibacterial and anti-fungal properties that remove dead skin cells from your dry and itchy scalp. Moreover, ACV is a great ingredient to restore the pH of your scalp. The best recipe for ACV is to mix one part ACV with four parts water. It is important to dilute ACV, as it is very acidic and can hurt your skin. Furthermore, it is important to get raw, organic, and unfiltered ACV that still has the "mother" in it. The "mother" has proteins and enzymes that are beneficial to skin health.
12.) Baking Soda
As mentioned before, sometimes a dry, itchy scalp just needs to be exfoliated. Baking soda is another great item for exfoliation of your dry and itchy scalp. Simply add some of the powder to your wet hair and rub vigorously. It is recommended that you skip the shampoo and go right to rinsing out the baking soda. Not only does the baking soda take care of the flakes caused by dry skin but it also reduces overactive fungi that could be hurting the health of your scalp. Many people do this routine as a way of reducing the usage of normal shampoo.
13.) Jojoba Oil
Jojoba oil is another great oil for a dry scalp. It has many vitamins including C, B, and E. There are multiple ways you can utilize the benefits of jojoba oil for your scalp. First, you can apply a few drops to your scalp directly. Second, jojoba oil is a great carrier oil for essential oils, so you can add some to a few drops of one of the essential oils listed earlier. Finally, you can add a few drops of oil to your favorite shampoo.
14.) Onion Juice
This is another weird option, but a really good treatment for your scalp. Onion juice is high in sulfur, which can help with improving blood circulation and collagen production. To reap the benefits of onion juice, pour some directly on your scalp and wait an hour before rinsing. Doing this a couple days a week for at least a month will drastically improve the health of your scalp.
15.) Listerine
Did you know Listerine is good for more than just your oral health? Apparently, the famous mouthwash is a great remedy for scalp problems. In fact, it was marketed as an anti-dandruff product for decades! Listerine has multiple ingredients that are antibacterial and anti-fungal, keeping your scalp healthy and happy. Simply mix half a cup of Listerine with half a cup of water and pour on the scalp. Leave the mixture in for five minutes, and then wash out.
Say Goodbye to Your Dry Itchy Scalp!
If you follow any of these tips, you should see improvements quickly. A dry and itchy scalp can be annoying, but luckily treatment can be convenient and inexpensive. With just a few household items, you could be saying goodbye to your itchy scalp in no time!