8 Natural Dry Itchy Scalp Remedies

Many people experience dry scalp at one time or another. Your head tends to be itchy and you may even see some flaking and hair loss. This condition is caused by a lack of moisture in the skin on your scalp. It can be brought on by chemical hair treatments, harsh shampoos and conditioners, cold weather, product buildup and poor diet.

Some other causes of dry scalp are:

• Too much sugar, fat and starch in your diet
• Heredity
• Hard water
• Emotional stress and lack of sleep
• Hormonal imbalances such as due to menopause or pregnancy
• Using too much shampoo, conditioner and styling products and not rinsing thoroughly when washing your hair.
• Over-using bleach, hair color or perm and straightening solutions

Dry scalp is not to be confused with dandruff. Dandruff is caused by an over-abundance of yeast on the skin surface, caused by too much oil being secreted through the pores in your scalp. Dandruff can be treated by washing the hair daily or with a dandruff shampoo containing zinc or selenium sulfide.

To combat dry, itchy scalp wash your hair every day. This removes the dead skin cells so new, healthier cells can grow instead. Use a gentle, natural shampoo and conditioner and apply chemical treatments sparingly. Use a minimal amount of styling products and make sure you wash them out of the hair and rinse well.

There are many commercial products that claim to remedy dry scalp, but they still contain chemicals you don’t need to use. Natural remedies are much safer and cheaper. Many of these can be found in your home already and if not, they are widely available.

This oil combats dry itchy skin in 3 ways. It has antifungal, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. There are two ways to apply Tea Tree Oil. You can add about 20 drops to a cup of baby shampoo or mix a few drops into a tablespoon of vegetable oil and massage it into your scalp, leaving it on for about 15 minutes. Within a week or two, you should start to see an improvement.

You can squeeze lemon juice directly onto your scalp or, for dandruff, add it to yogurt and apply it to the scalp for 5 minutes then shampoo. Lemon juice acts as a natural antiseptic which will help relieve itching. It smells good, too.

This is a great way to exfoliate the scalp. Mix with water to form a paste and massage it into the scalp. When finishes, shampoo. For severe dryness, rub some olive oil into the scalp before applying the paste.

Apple cider vinegar naturally balances the pH levels on the skin and its anti-inflammatory properties will help alleviate dry itchy skin. Just mix equal amounts of cider and water and spray it onto the scalp or apply with cotton balls twice a week.

If you don’t have an Aloe Vera plant, you can buy the gel in any health and beauty store. Massage it into your scalp, wait 15 minutes then wash hair with gentle shampoo. You can do this as often as you want.

This is a natural astringent and will help relieve itching. Mix one part witch hazel with two parts water and apply to scalp. Let it sit for fifteen minutes and wash with a gentle shampoo.

Mayonnaise helps in two ways. One, it contains eggs, which are full of protein and that’s what hair is mostly made of. Two, the vinegar in it will disinfect and neutralize any fungus or bacteria that might be causing your scalp to itch. Massage it into your scalp and leave it on for fifteen minutes, then wash your hair with gentle shampoo.

Avocados are rife with vitamins, minerals and natural oils. Blend or mash some avocado with coconut oil or olive oil and apply to the scalp for fifteen to twenty minutes before washing. This is also great for dry hair, just apply it all over.

Aside from these treatments, you want to minimize the damage caused to your scalp. Choose a gentle, natural shampoo or baby shampoo. Try going an extra week or two in between chemical treatments. Wash your hair every day and rinse well. Eat a well balanced diet to take care of your skin from the inside out. Deep condition your hair once a week in the winter. Soon you will notice you aren’t scratching so much and your hair and scalp will feel amazing.