Ask Dr. Schultz
How can I remove my dandruff?
Thanks for your question. Many people think that when they see flaking on the scalp it’s dry skin, but dandruff is actually caused by excess oil beneath the scalp. That excess oil causes inflammation which results in redness, swelling, and then causes the skin to be shed prematurely. But when the skin cells fall off early, they don’t have a chance to separate from each other completely so they fall off in tiny mini sheets which are the flakes that you see.
Fortunately, the treatment of dandruff-induced scalp flaking is easily accomplished with shampoos, so we usually don’t need to apply lotions or creams to your scalp. Instead, I tell my patients to buy an over-the-counter shampoo whose active ingredient is salicylic acid, zinc, or selenium. Use it daily for 5-7 days. For the most effective use, lather it up for a minute, then rinse out, and then lather up again for a half a minute before rinsing a final time.