Seborrheic dermatitis, also known as dandruff, creates flakes on your scalp. It's a relatively common skin condition, reports the National Institutes of Health. Several over-the-counter shampoos and conditioners include active ingredients designed to remove the flakes and keep them from returning. If your dandruff doesn't resolve itself with such products, consult your dermatologist for prescription-strength remedies.
Selsun Salon Shampoo
"Real Simple" magazine picked Selsun Salon's anti-dandruff shampoo as the best budget-friendly dandruff shampoo. It's formulated with zinc pyrithione, one of the many active ingredients recommended by the National Institutes of Health. The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation reports that the zinc functions as both an antifungal and antibacterial agent that kills the bacteria that may be causing the flaking of your skin.
Neutrogena T/Gel
The beauty editors of "InStyle" magazine picked Neutrogena's product as the best shampoo for dandruff. Its active ingredient is a proprietary complex of coal tar, which the National Institutes of Health says is an effective dandruff-treating agent. Tar works by reducing the turnover rate of your skin's cells and can also reduce the itching that's traditionally associated with dandruff, according to the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.
Head & Shoulders Conditioner
Head & Shoulders is a veteran of the anti-dandruff industry. "Real Simple" magazine highlighted its conditioner as a top pick. Naming the product as the best anti-dandruff conditioner, the magazine said it helps smooth your hair and has a pleasant scent. Its active ingredient is zinc pyrithione, plus standard hair conditioning ingredients such as dimethicon.
Nizoral
Nizoral is an anti-dandruff shampoo formulated with an antifungal agent known as ketoconazole, a proprietary chemical that's made to bind to your hair's proteins. This binding action helps it to continue working between your regular shampooing so you don't need to constantly wash with the anti-dandruff shampoo. The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation says Nizoral can work effectively as an alternative treatment for dandruff conditions that don't react to traditional anti-dandruff chemicals.
