Dandruff or seborrheic dermatitis is a condition characterized by flaky, itchy skin on your scalp. While it may not be medically threatening, this condition can be uncomfortable and embarrassing. You will need to use topical treatments to control your dandruff, but getting adequate amounts of certain vitamins and minerals, such as biotin and zinc, can improve it as well. Talk to your doctor about the vitamins, minerals and other treatments that are right for you.
Biotin
Biotin is the common name for vitamin H, and this vitamin is essential for your hair and scalp health, according to University of Maryland Medical Center. It keeps your strands strong and your skin and scalp moisturized, and a deficiency of biotin can result in hair loss and scaling skin. Making sure that you get enough biotin can help prevent these hair and scalp problems. Furthermore, taking biotin supplements may be able to improve your dandruff or seborrheic dermatitis, even if you are not deficient in it. You can take this vitamin on its own, in a multivitamin or as part of the B complex, and you can also get it by eating foods like eggs, sardines and pecans. The RDA is 30 mcg, but your doctor may prescribe up to 1,000 to treat dandruff or other scalp problems.
Zinc
Your immune system and growth depend on zinc, and this mineral also acts as an antioxidant to prevent free radicals from damaging your hair and scalp. If you become deficient in zinc, you may experience hair loss and develop a scalp condition like dandruff, seborrheic dermatitis or psoriasis. Meeting the RDA for zinc, which is 11 mg for men and 8 mg for women, can help prevent this. You can ask your doctor about a supplement or eat foods rich in zinc, such as oysters, poultry and legumes. Furthermore, topically applying zinc in the form of zinc pyrithione, found in many medicated shampoos, can be an effective treatment for dandruff and similar scalp conditions.
Topical Treatments
To get your dandruff or seborrheic dermatitis under control, you will most likely need to use a medicated shampoo, in addition to taking vitamins and minerals. Along with zinc, common medicated shampoo ingredients include selenium sulfide, salicylic acid and coal tar. Your health-care provider can help you determine which is best for your condition and how frequently you should use the shampoo. If you find that one ingredient does not improve your dandruff, you can try a different one or ask your doctor about prescription-strength products.
Additional Considerations
Do not take any supplements, change your diet or start using a medicated shampoo without first discussing these with a licensed physician. Biotin is considered safe and non-toxic, but the potential for interactions with other medications still exists. High doses of zinc can cause dizziness, vomiting, sweating, anemia and other adverse side effects. Finally, if you are concerned about your dandruff or seborrheic dermatitis, or if it is not improving with treatment, see your doctor.
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