Natural dandruff treatment using raw cider vinegar

I’ve recently discovered the magic of raw cider vinegar as a natural dandruff treatment.

I don’t normally suffer from dandruff or itchy scalp but over a few months it had got really bad. To the point where, if I moved my hair, flakes would fall down. It was starting to make me feel a little self conscious. I didn’t want to start using a medicated shampoo, so I went in search of an effective natural dandruff treatment.

I looked into natural remedies for dandruff online and tried out a couple: pure aloe vera and coconut oil. Neither seemed to make a difference (though, to be fair, I only tried them once – maybe used over a period of time they would have an effect).

Then I tried organic raw cider vinegar (with the mother) and I noticed a pretty much immediate difference. My scalp was less itchy and there were no flakes!

Trial and error

I mixed a solution of 1 part vinegar to 1 part water and applied this to my whole scalp using a cotton wipe. I then left it for about an hour before washing my hair as normal. I’d read to leave the solution on for at least 2 hours. However, where it had dripped onto my face it brought my skin up in a slight rash, so I rinsed it off early.

Next time I tried it (a few days later), I mixed 1 part vinegar to 2 parts water. No rash developed, so I left it on for about 3 hours. I’ve stuck with that recipe ever since.

For the past 3 weeks I’ve done this every few days (about twice a week). My scalp has remained much less itchy than before and I haven’t noticed it getting flaky.

From now on I plan to use the treatment less often. I’ll do it when my scalp starts to get itchy or flaky – probably about once a week at most.

There are many causes of dandruff – overactive skin production, stress, cold weather, allergic reaction to a hair product, a fungal infection, etc. I’m not sure what caused mine. Therefore, I can’t guarantee this will work for you but I highly recommend giving it a go.

Top tips

• Do it in the buff – the vinegar will drip down and if you’re wearing clothes they will smell of vinegar afterwards (have a dressing gown/robe to hand instead)
• Apply the solution with a reusable wipe, preferably, or cotton wool if you have nothing else available
• If you have long hair, tie up your hair afterwards, so you don’t drip vinegar while you leave it to do its thing
• Your hair may retain a slight smell of vinegar, even after washing it with shampoo – running a small amount of coconut oil or other fragrant oil through the ends of your hair should mask it well
• Before using this treatment, do a patch test just behind your ear and leave it for a few hours to see how you react to the solution (if you do react to the vinegar, rinse it off immediately)

Do you use raw cider vinegar to treat dandruff or is there another natural treatment that works for you? Share your tips in the comments below.

Photo by Element5 Digital on Unsplash