13 DIY Ways To Get Rid Of Dandruff For Good

When the weather gets colder, you know what that means — cozy outfits, seasonal lattes, and ... dandruff. Cold weather is infamous for causing dry skin, and this often leads to an irritated, flaky scalp. Dandruff is not pretty, but it's a problem many of us face. According to Everyday Health, about half of the adult population has dealt with dandruff. There are different types of dandruff; some people experience a dry scalp that results in flakiness, while others have more severe dandruff caused by seborrheic dermatitis.

No matter who you are or what type of dandruff you're prone to, it's undeniable that dandruff can be embarrassing. Unfortunately, there is no definitive cure for dandruff. Treating it comes down to trial and error, and finding a treatment that works for you can get expensive if you opt for prescriptions and medicated shampoos.

However, none of the dandruff fixes you'll find here require a prescription or even a specific shampoo. In fact, you probably already have the majority of these dandruff-fighters in your cabinet at home. If you're sick of the flakes and are looking for some natural, these DIY methods may help you banish dandruff for good.

Tea tree oil is a multipurpose oil that comes from distilling the leaves from the tea tree. It was traditionally used by the aboriginal people of Australia as an herbal medicine and a germ-fighting substance. It's also what Meghan Markle considers her go-to multi-use product. "The one thing I cannot live without when I'm traveling is a small container of tea tree oil," she told Allure. Clearly, this oil is a powerful one — and if the Duchess of Sussex uses it, we're pretty sure it has to be good.

Commonly used for acne and fungal infections, tea tree oil can also be a great anti-dandruff solution. Dr. Marnie Nussbaum, a board-certified dermatologist, told Mane Addicts, "With its antibacterial and antifungal properties, tea tree oil is helpful in skin conditions such as dandruff (seborrheic dermatitis), psoriasis, or skin infections." Additionally, if you're someone who deals with product buildup in your hair, tea tree oil can be your new best friend. "It helps remove product buildup and moisturizes the scalp to treat dull hair," Dr. Nussbaum shared.

If you feel like "probiotic" has been a buzzword lately, you're definitely not wrong. Probiotics have been everywhere due to their positive effects on the body — from regulating digestion to keeping your heart healthy to even improving mental health issues. And it looks like probiotics have another use: getting rid of dandruff.

A study published in Dermatology News found that participants who took the oral probiotic lactobacillus paracasei experienced reductions in dandruff. Those who took the probiotic also noticed other bonuses for their hair, like less greasiness, irritation, and itchiness. Additionally, those who took the probiotic showed a steady decline in Malassezia, the microbe that some studies show is the culprit behind dandruff. This demonstrates that probiotics may have the ability to target the root cause of dandruff rather than just treat the symptoms, which makes it one of the best DIY fixes. One more reason to take your probiotic!

If you suspect part of your dandruff stems from an oily scalp, you may benefit from a scalp scrub. Similar to facial and body scrubs, the goal of a scalp scrub is to cleanse and exfoliate. "Scalp scrubs can target some of the very causes of dandruff — dry or oily scalp and a build-up of hair care products, for example," Dr. Jaimie DeRosa, board-certified plastic surgeon and assistant professor at Harvard Medical School, told Bustle.

To make your own DIY scalp scrub, you'll want to first decide which ingredients to use. Dr. DeRosa recommends sea salt as your abrasive (scrubby) ingredient since it can "work to lift excess sebum/oil and products from the scalp." Sugar, however, can be a gentler option in place of salt. Next, you'll want to mix the salt or sugar with a few drops of a soothing and hydrating ingredient, like coconut oil, jojoba oil, or aloe vera. You can also add in other oils, like rosemary oil to stimulate hair growth, or lemon oil to combat excess scalp sebum (via Byrdie). Use your scrub a few times a week, and watch your dandruff start to disappear!

Looks like green tea isn't just good for increasing fat loss and decreasing the risk for cancer – it also has the potential to improve dandruff. "Green tea (specifically the polyphenols it contains) has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties and can be beneficial to the scalp when applied topically," consultant trichologist Anabel Kingsley told Byrdie. Gretchen Friese, trichologist and stylist, added, "Green tea has also been known to fight dandruff."

While drinking green tea may offer health benefits to improve dandruff, applying green tea topically in the form of a tea rinse is likely to give better results. According to Friese, "A tea rinse is an easy at-home treatment that anyone can do to help with their hair and scalp health, as well as appearance."

To do a green tea rinse, simply boil four bags of green tea in 2 cups of water, letting it steep for at least an hour. Put the cooled tea into a spray bottle, and, after washing and conditioning your hair, spray a healthy amount onto the scalp and hair. Once you've let it sit for an hour (Byrdie recommends using a shower cap or plastic bag over your hair while you wait), rinse with warm water and follow up with a deep conditioner. Friese recommends keeping tea rinses to about once per week, as you risk drying out your hair if you do it too often.

Lemon juice has been used as a hair lightening agent for basically forever, but can it effectively treat dandruff, too? According to Medical News Today, some scientists believe that a fungus is responsible for dandruff, so using lemon (which has antimicrobial properties) can be a way to combat it. Additionally, a 2020 review on the uses of lemon indicated that people in Palestine use lemon in combination with other ingredients as a home remedy for hair and scalp issues.

According to Byrdie, the citric acid in lemon can help to cleanse excess oil from the scalp, resulting in less dandruff. However, hair expert Shab Reslan told the publication that lemon juice may be irritating due to its alkalinity, so using lemon essential oil can be a gentler option.

To make an anti-dandruff remedy, mix a few drops of lemon essential oil with a more moisturizing agent, like honey. Medical News Today suggests making a lemon and honey hair mask by combining one part lemon juice with three parts honey, then applying the mixture to the scalp for twenty minutes. After rinsing, shampoo and condition as usual, and repeat the mask once a week as needed.

Not only do scalp massages feel incredible, but they're also great for improving hair and scalp health, and, in turn, dandruff. Trichologist Anabel Kingsley told HuffPost, "The health of the scalp is vital to the health of the hair. Scalp massages aid in the removal of dead skin cells from the scalp — and a flaky scalp is known to worsen hair loss in certain individuals. It can be very beneficial to those who suffer from scalp conditions such as dandruff, seborrheic dermatitis and psoriasis."

Trichologist David Adams agrees that a scalp massage is a great option for improving the health of your hair. "It doesn't have to be expensive, but you can get one of those little round scalp brushes, then you massage your scalp before you shampoo it," Adams told Coveteur. "Massage the scalp in circular motions — that also encourages microcirculation and brings the blood to the surface of the scalp."