Dandruff Home Remedy.

If you have dandruff, don't use dandruff shampoos. Instead, use a dandruff home remedy and treat your scalp with the essential oils of aromatherapy.

That's the advice of Barbara Close, an herbalist and aromatherapist in East Hampton, New York. "Dandruff is not a hair problem but a skin problem,'" she explains. "The flaking and itchiness are the result of an overproduction of a substance called sebum from glands in the scalp, and those glands are hyperactive because the scalp is excessively dry. Most dandruff shampoos have strong medications to control the symptoms of dandruff, but they don't do anything to address the underlying disorder-the dryness and poor health of the scalp."

In fact, she points out, dandruff shampoos often contain aggressive cleansers that destroy the scalp's delicate balance of water and oil, which further irritates the glands and perpetuates the problem.
Here are the natural remedies that alternative beauty experts think are the best and most effective ways to solve the problem of dandruff.

AROMATHERAPY: Dandruff-Diminishing Shampoo
Roberta Wilson, an aroma therapist based in Albuquerque, New Mexico, has created an aromatherapy formula for a shampoo that can help normalize the water- and oil-secreting glands of the scalp, thus helping to eliminate dandruff.
To 8 ounces of unscented, mild shampoo, add 10 drops of tea tree oil, 8 drops of cedar wood oil, 6 drops of pine oil, 6 drops of rosemary oil, 4 drops of clary sage oil, and 4 drops of lemon oil. "These essential oils encourage your body's systems to go into action to heal the problems that are causing the dandruff," she says.
Tea tree oil is antiseptic, helping to normalize the bacteria on the scalp. Rosemary and cedar wood are thought to increase circulation to the scalp. Pine encourages elimination of toxins from the skin of the scalp. Clary sage helps regulate and balance oil production, and lemon encourages elimination of toxins and promotes internal cleansing. Use the shampoo several times a week, Wilson says.

ROSEMARY ESSENTIAL OIL: To Reduce Flaking

It's believed that essential oil of rosemary can increase circulation, stimulate the scalp, and reduce flaking, according to Close. Put two to three drops of oil in a tablespoon of a rich, fatty carrier oil such as avocado oil, then massage the mixture into your scalp for 1 to 2 minutes once a day.

EUCALYPTUS: A Rinse to Tone the Scalp
The leaves of the eucalyptus tree help fight infection and tone skin, and they have a long history of use by herbalists for treating dandruff, says Brigitte Mars, an herbalist and nutritional consultant in Boulder, Colorado.
To make a rinse with eucalyptus, put 4 heaping teaspoons of dried leaves in a quart of boiling water and stir. Then cover, remove from the heat, and steep for an hour. Strain the liquid into a large plastic squeeze bottle and add 1 tablespoon of apple-cider vinegar. After you've taken a shower, pour the rinse slowly over your hair. "For maximum effect, don't rinse it out-just let it dry," says Mars. Use this herbal rinse each time you shower.

MASSAGE: Sesame Oil for Dryness
In Ayurveda, the ancient system of natural healing from India, dandruff is a symptom of a body wide condition of "vata," or dryness. For that reason, Pratima Raichur, a naturopathic doctor in New York City, recommends massaging the scalp twice a week with warm sesame oil, which will combat the excessive dryness.
"It is also very calming and soothing to the system, which is important, since dandruff is sometimes caused or complicated by anxiety," she says.

Massage the oil into your scalp before bed, spending about 10 minutes working it into the entire area. Then wrap your head in a hot towel and leave the towel on for 10 minutes or, for optimum moisturizing, all night. Wash it out the next day.

SELENIUM: Relieve Flaking and Itching
The mineral selenium can help relieve the flaking and itching of dandruff, according to Earl Mindell, Ph.D., a nutritionist and pharmacist in Beverly Hills. Medical science doesn't know exactly why the mineral works, but Dr. Mindell says that he has seen it help people eliminate dandruff many times. He recommends taking a 200-microgram supplement daily.

VITAMIN E: Balance the Oils
Dr. Raichur recommends taking a capsule of 400 international units of vitamin E a day to help balance the oils on the scalp and relieve dryness.

ZINC: Help Your Scalp Heal
Dr. Raichur also recommends the trace mineral zinc, which rebuilds skin and can help your scalp heal from dandruff. She advises her clients with dandruff to take 15 to 20 milligrams daily.