Can coconut oil be used to treat dandruff?

Your hair, your crowning glory, needs a lot of love and care to keep it lustrous and healthy. You can create your hair care routine, consisting of the latest shampoos, hair masks, conditions, or deep conditioners. There are several factors that have to be taken into account when you talk about hair care, and one of them is your scalp health. A healthy scalp ensures that your hair stays healthy. One of the major hurdles people face in their attempts to maintain healthy hair is combating hair dandruff. Dandruff is quite common among teenagers and young adults, and the first go-to option when it comes to dandruff treatment is to apply coconut oil to the scalp and hair.

But does coconut oil treat dandruff? Let’s look at what causes dandruff and if coconut oil is the right solution to your dandruff woes.

Causes of dandruff

One of the primary reasons for dandruff is the presence of the fungus Malassezia Globosa on the scalp. While the fungus does not wreak havoc usually, it feeds on the sebum your scalp secretes and releases a substance called oleic acid. Oleic acid triggers an allergic reaction as more than 50 per cent of the total population is sensitive to this substance. As a response to this allergen, the body directs the scalp to shed skin cells at a faster rate to get rid of the allergen. These dead skin cells collect on your scalp and start flaking when you scratch it or give your head a slight shake. These oily, yellowish flakes are what you call dandruff.

Does coconut oil treat dandruff?

When it comes to skincare or hair care, coconut oil has long been considered an all-inclusive natural remedy. Does your scalp feel dry? Apply coconut oil. Does your hair look dull? Apply coconut oil. As you now know, coconut oil has numerous benefits for you. But, does it treat dandruff? Unfortunately, no. While coconut oil is highly moisturising and does an incredible job of hydrating dry scalp and hair, it does not get to the root cause of dandruff, which is Malassezia Globosa. In fact, the only effective treatment against dandruff would be the one that controls the oil production and controls the growth of the microbe. If that’s what you are looking for, you can try Head & Shoulders anti-dandruff shampoos and conditioners. These anti-dandruff shampoos and conditioners are formulated with an active ingredient called zinc pyrithione, which controls the oil products, gets rid of flakes, soothes and heals your scalp.

All you have to do is apply the anti-dandruff shampoo to your wet hair and scalp and let it sit for a few minutes. Wash it off completely and follow it up with the anti-dandruff conditioner. It’s vital that you use an anti-dandruff conditioner as it enhances the dandruff fighting power of the shampoo and gives you moisturised and healthy hair post-wash.

Coconut oil is a wonderful home remedy when it comes to nourishing and moisturising your tresses, but when you are dealing with dandruff, you need the right dandruff treatment to get clean, flake-free hair.