The greatest enemy of healthy hair is dandruff. This is a problem which worries many women, and experts reckon that one in every three suffer from it. If there is the slightest sign of this, deal with it without delay. Dandruff is sometimes the symptom of a more serious condition. If dandruff flakes are greasy and yellow, the probable cause is the skin condition known as seborrheic dermatitis. Fortunately, these days there are a number of exeel1ent preparations available in the market for curing it. Besides the anti dandruf creams, lotions, oils and shampoos available in
the market, there are many simple house hold remedies to tight dandruff described below.

Types of dandruff

Dandruff varies from person to person. It may be necessary to try various shampoos with different active ingredients (selenium sulfide, tar, zinc pyrithione, ketoconazole) to find the best suited for any one individual.

• Oily dandruff
• Dry dandruff

Causes of Dandruf

The most common cause of dandruff is probably the fungus Malassezia furfur (previously known as Pityrosporum ovale). This fungus is found naturally on the skin surface of both healthy people and those with dandruff. Mild dandruff may be caused by overactive sebaceous glands. Other causative factors include family history, food allergies, excessive perspiration, use of alkaline soaps, yeast infections, and stress.

Home Remedies for Curing Dandruff

Mix two tablespoons of cosmetic vinegar and six tablespoons of hot water. Dab with cotton into the scalp, parting the hair with a comb apply an over the scalp. Preferably it should be used at bed time. Tie a scarf over the hair to avoid staining the pillow. Next morning wash the hair with shampoo. After the hair is thoroughly cleansed pour over as a last rinse a mixture of three tablespoons of cosmetic vinegar and one cup of hot water. Then dry the hair thoroughly. This should be' done twice a week for
three months.

Crush  the leaves of five petal hibiscus flower and take the juice. Wash the hair with this juice.

Soak two spoon full of fenugreek seeds in water at night. In the morning make a paste by mixing seeds, two drops of lemon and apply on the head. Keep if for an hour. Then wash with herbal shampoo. Do this once a week.

Specifically, vitamin B-5, otherwise known as pantothenic acid, fights the graying of hair. Similarly the nutrients inositol and PABA have been found to induce healthier heads of hair as well as improving overall body moods.

Hot oil therapy is another method to cure dandruff. Massage hot oil into the scalp at bedtime. Next
morning an hour before bath, rub lemon juice mixed with cosmetic vinegar (mix 1: 2 ratio) into the scalp. Give the hair a good wash with egg shampoo.

Heat the oil with a little camphor. Apply the oil in the scalp and massage for 10 minutes. After 30 minutes wash the hair with a herbal shampoo. Do the steam -towel- wrap for 15 minutes.

Mix Shikakai powder with the water drained from the cooked rice and wash the hair with it.