Dandruff is an unpleasant skin condition that causes oily skin flakes, often accompanied by excessive itching. Most commonly seen on the scalp, dandruff can be visually embarrassing when flakes are visible on those wearing dark clothing or with dark-colored hair. When it comes to dandruff treatment, the most common application route is through shampoos. This has created a market full of dandruff shampoos with several common active ingredients.
Zinc Pyrithione
One type of over-the-counter shampoo capable of helping get rid of dandruff contains zinc pyrithione, which is an antibacterial and antifungal agent used to treat the Malassezia fungus. Malassezia is typically present on the scalp of most everyone, states the Mayo Clinic, but contributes to dandruff formation when fungal colonies grow out of control, irritating the skin of your scalp. Scalp irritation leads to irregular skin cell growth and shedding, producing the tell-tale flakes associated with dandruff. Head & Shoulders is a brand-name OTC shampoo that contains zinc pyrithione.
Selenium Sulfide
Selenium sulfide is also an effective OTC shampoo option when it comes to treating dandruff. Selenium sulfide is most commonly associated with the brand name Selsun Blue. Selenium sulfide works on dandruff by treating Malassezia overgrowth and regulating the rate of skin cell shedding on the scalp, according to the New Zealand Dermatological Society.
Salicylic Acid
Shampoos containing the keratolytic ingredient salicylic acid are also effective against dandruff. As irregular skin cell growth occurs on the scalp, skin scaling can occur, leading to dandruff. Salicylic acid works as a scale eliminator by softening the protein keratin in the skin scale, helping remove the excess skin cells responsible for causing the dandruff.
Tar-Based
Tar-based shampoos such as Neutrogena T-Gel can also be successful for treating dandruff. Tar-based shampoos use coal tar to slow down the rate of skin cell shedding, reducing the appearance of dandruff on the scalp. Tar-based shampoos only need to be used three days a week, states the American Academy of Family Physicians.
Ketoconazole
Shampoos containing ketoconazole can also help reduce problems with dandruff. Ketoconazole is a broad-spectrum antifungal ingredient that comes in both prescription and OTC strengths. Ketoconazole works on dandruff by controlling populations of the Malassezia fungus.
