Fitness & Health - Dandruff/Itchy Scalp
Options for control, general scalp health
My scalp has been itchy and flaky since grade school. For years I used various types of dandruff shampoos, with the most effective being tar-based formulas. In the past decade science has caught up with my condition and now I use over-the-counter Nizoral Shampoo which contains an anti-fungal chemical that kills off the fungus that my scalp is allergic to (this fungus is natural and grows on everyone's heads - but some of us are allergic to it).
I also use 2 other treatments on my hair: A salicylic acid/alcohol 'wash' (Scalpicin), and a hydrocortisone/alcohol 'wash' (Maximum Strength Scalpicin) - one or the other, once a week or so. These are a more powerful method of sterilizing the scalp and calming down the inflammation which causes the terrible itchiness. As a result, my condition is well managed these days.