Beauty secrets

Itchy scalp, dandruff? What you can do about it.

If you are experiencing itchiness on your scalp with small, dry, occasional flakes, you likely have dry skin that lacks moisture. With lasting dryness, the skin on your scalp can get irritated and itchy. Dryness is common, and can be caused by over-washing, aggressive detergents, environmental factors, lifestyle habits, aging or genetics. 

However, dryness is different from dandruff. 

So, what causes dandruff?

Dandruff is caused by abnormal peeling of the scalp’s epidermal cells which is promoted by factors such as stress, hormonal imbalance, excessive sweating, etc. Dandruff is enhanced by an above normal presence of Malassezia fungi which causes inflammation resulting in itching and irritation and excess sebum secretion. Inflammation causes an impaired barrier function which aggravates the issue. To help, you should  get a specific shampoo bar for dandruff

Dandruff causes an “oily” skin cell build up that eventually sheds off as scales. Dandruff “flakes'' are bigger and look oily while flakes from a dry scalp look smaller and are dry. 

How to treat itchy scalp?

If you have a dry scalp without itchiness, wash your hair (not too frequently) with our gentle shampoo bar for dry, damaged hair. Massage the bar onto your hair, not directly onto the scalp, and then massage the lather gently throughout. If you are also experiencing itchiness, use our shampoo bar for flakes and itches until the itching subsides. Pair both shampoos with the conditioner that is right for your overall hair needs. Since conditioner should not be applied directly onto your scalp, the right choice depends on other factors such as how dry, fine, oily, color-treated, etc. your hair is. If you are experiencing lasting discomfort, redness or irritation on your scalp, always make sure to consult your health care professional.

The best haircare for itchy scalp and dandruff

Our shampoo bar for itchy scalps and flakes helps to soothe the scalp, regulate sebum secretion, and restore the natural skin barrier – all while being gentle and sulfate-free. With its very high saponin content, it helps rapidly eliminate flakes and soothe itchiness. The main active in our plastic free shampoo for itches and flakes is Brazilian Ziziphus Joaxeiro Bark Extract which has been shown in studies to reduce dandruff by 37% after two washes and by 86% after 4 washes and to reduce itchiness by 54% after 2 washes and by 83% after 4 washes. It has also been shown to be 33% more effective in dandruff reduction after two washes than the commonly used dandruff active Zinc Pyrithione while also regulating sebum secretion better than Zinc Phyrithione which can increase sebum secretion on the scalp.

Like all superzero shampoo bars, our shampoo bar for itchy scalps and flakes is vegan, cruelty-free, zero waste, sulfate free and absolutely plastic free. It is gentle enough for daily use. No wonder it has been called the best solid shampoo bar for dandruff by treehugger. We quote: “After a month of using superzero’s shampoo bar for flakes and itchy scalp, Treehugger’s tester noticed fewer flakes, and overall thought this bar worked great.” 

What type of haircare you need for thinning hair?

If your hair is on the dry side or is in need for extra smoothing, softening or shine, we recommend you pair our zero waste shampoo bar for flakes and itches with one of our conditioner bars. Since a conditioner bar (or any conditioner) is not meant to be applied directly to your scalp, the best choice for you depends on your overall hair type.

So, what are you waiting for? Our shampoo bar for flakes and itchy scalp has a rich, luxurious lather that tends to your hair’s most sensitive needs with a gentle blend that reduces itchiness and treats
sensitivities because we know that some scalps need extra soothing! 

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