Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWhat Is Wet Dandruff?CausesHome RemediesOTC TreatmentsPrescription Medications
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
What Is Wet Dandruff?
Causes
Home Remedies
OTC Treatments
Prescription Medications
Wet dandruff has become wet or oily because of the overproduction ofsebumon the scalp. When the oil buildup is mixed with dirt and dead skin cells, wet dandruff forms.If you scratch your scalp with wet dandruff, it will feel moist.
This article discusses home remedies and prescription treatments for wet dandruff and which ones to use depending on the cause.
Wet vs. Dry Dandruff
Common Causes of Wet Dandruff
Since the main cause of wet dandruff is excess sebum on the scalp, not washing your hair properly or enough can lead to the condition. This is especially true if you have oily skin.
However, several conditions can lead to dandruff. Treating underlying conditions can often lead to a reduction in symptoms.
Dandruff: How to Spot and Manage It
Seborrheic Dermatitis
The effects of seborrheic dermatitis on hair are usually minimal, but research has shown that hair loss can occur.
Although wet dandruff is commonly associated with seborrheic dermatitis, the symptoms can also occur if you have another type of skin disorder like psoriasis or an infection. It can also occur on its own without any underlying condition.
Psoriasis
While scalp psoriasis can spread to your hairline or other parts of your face and neck, dandruff is limited to your scalp.
Infection
Tinea capitis, also known asringwormof the scalp, is a fungal infection that causes the skin to become itchy and scaly. It can also lead to hair loss and bald spots.This fungal infection can be treated with oral medication.
Eczema
Atopic dermatitis, a type ofeczema,causes the skin to become red and itchy. It is a chronic disease that flares sporadically.
Scalp Psoriasis vs. Dandruff
The best treatment for wet dandruff depends on the cause. However, since the condition occurs due to oil buildup on the scalp, treatment generally includes more frequent washing of your hair with mild shampoos and taking a break from styling products. If your wet dandruff is tied to a skin disorder, you should visit a healthcare professional to get the best treatment for your condition.
Change Shampoos
It can be hard to determine if your shampoo is exacerbating your wet dandruff until you discontinue using it. However, research has shown that using the correct type of shampoo can help manage scalp conditions that can lead to wet dandruff.
Shampoo More Often
If you have an excessively oily scalp and it’s causing wet dandruff, you may need to wash your scalp and hair more often.This will help prevent sebum from accumulating on your scalp, which causes wet dandruff.
What You Need to Know About Ketoconazole Shampoo
Take a Break From Styling
Change Your Diet
Use an Aloe Vera Gel
Apply 3 to 4 tablespoons of aloe vera to the scalp, then wrap a hot and damp towel around your head for 30 minutes. Once the time is up, wash out the aloe vera with shampoo. You can do this three times a week.
Aloe Vera and Acne
Try Arnica
Arnicais an herbal remedy that can be used for various forms of dermatitis, including seborrheic dermatitis. Derived from the flowers of the arnica plant species, it has anti-inflammatory properties and is used in many creams and ointments for seborrheic dermatitis and psoriasis.
You can use it on a compress dipped into one tablespoon of arnica extract and a half liter of water. It should be noted that oral ingestion of arnica is hazardous, so it should only be used topically on the scalp and never as an oral medication.
Apply Fenugreek Seeds
Fenugreekis a Mediterranean herb that belongs to theFabaceaeplant family. Research has shown that using the seeds from the fenugreek plant is an effective remedy for wet dandruff.
To usefenugreekseeds, soak them overnight and then make a paste that you can apply to your scalp. Let the paste sit for 30 minutes before rinsing it with mild shampoo. This method can be repeated twice per week.
Try Scalp Scrubs
Although no clinical evidence supports the use of scalp scrubs for wet dandruff, scalp exfoliation has become very popular. The idea is that exfoliating the skin can reduce excessive oil buildup and eliminate excess dead skin cells on the scalp.
Since excessive oil production on the scalp is associated with a sensitive scalp, using the most gentle type of scrub is best.Choose scrubs that contain sea salt, zinc, or palm seed powder.
However, this method may not be ideal for those with a scalp condition. Always speak to a healthcare provider before using a scalp scrub for wet dandruff.
Over-the-Counter Treatments
Anti-dandruff shampoos can help you manage and reduce wet dandruff. There are different types, so you will want to look for ones that can help with the excess oil buildup on your scalp.
One study found that zinc pyrithione, selenium sulfide, and ketoconazole are effective agents for treating dandruff, all of which are common ingredients of OTC shampoos.The researchers also discovered that shampoos with rose extract mixed with zinc pyrithione and an antifungal known as climbazole can help reduce scalp oil secretion and inflammation.
The 7 Best Dandruff Shampoos for Soothing Itchy Scalps, Tested and Reviewed
The type of prescription medications you receive for your wet dandruff will depend on the cause. If the cause is seborrheic dermatitis, for example, antifungal shampoos will be prescribed. They can address the overabundance of fungus on the scalp.
For psoriasis, a doctor may prescribe anthralin to slow skin cell growth. They may also recommend medicated shampoos and lotions to use on your scalp. In severe cases, UV light therapy, orphototherapy, will be used with these other treatments.
Summary
Wet dandruff is the common name for yellow flakes that result from a buildup of oil on the scalp. Unlike dry dandruff, flakes of wet dandruff are larger and often stick to your hair. Excess oil can accumulate and lead to wet dandruff if you don’t wash your hair often enough or if you have an oily scalp naturally.
Skin conditions like seborrheic dermatitis and psoriasis can also cause wet dandruff. Treatment depends on the cause and typically involves anti-dandruff shampoo and gentle hair care products. You will need prescription treatments from a healthcare provider if the cause is a skin condition.
16 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Borda LJ, Wikramanayake TC.Seborrheic dermatitis and dandruff: a comprehensive review.J Clin Investig Dermatol.2015;3(2). doi:10.13188/2373-1044.1000019Dall’Oglio F, Nasca MR, Gerbino C, Micali G.An overview of the diagnosis and management of seborrheic dermatitis.Clin Cosmet Investig Dermatol. 2022;15:1537-1548. doi:10.2147/CCID.S284671National Eczema Association.Seborrheic dermatitis.Blakely K, Gooderham M.Management of scalp psoriasis: current perspectives.Psoriasis (Auckl).2016 Mar 29;6:33-40. doi:10.2147/PTT.S85330Leung AKC, Hon KL, Leong KF, Barankin B, Lam JM.Tinea capitis: an updated review.Recent Pat Inflamm Allergy Drug Discov.2020;14(1):58-68. doi:10.2174/1872213X14666200106145624Trüeb RM, Henry JP, Davis MG, Schwartz JR.Scalp condition impacts hair growth and retention via oxidative stress.Int J Trichology. 2018;10(6):262-270. doi:10.4103/ijt.ijt_57_18Punyani S, Tosti A, Hordinsky M, Yeomans D, Schwartz J.The impact of shampoo wash frequency on scalp and hair conditions.Skin Appendage Disord. 2021;7(3):183-193. doi:10.1159/000512786Gavazzoni Dias MF.Hair cosmetics: an overview.Int J Trichology.2015;7(1):2-15. doi:10.4103/0974-7753.153450Sanders MGH, Pardo LM, Ginger RS, Kiefte-de Jong JC, Nijsten T.Association between diet and seborrheic dermatitis: a cross-sectional study.J Invest Dermatol.2019;139(1):108-114. doi:10.1016/j.jid.2018.07.027Hashemi SA, Madani SA, Abediankenari S.The review on properties of aloe vera in healing of cutaneous wounds.Biomed Res Int.2015;2015:714216. doi:10.1155/2015/714216Shenefelt PD.Chapter 18: Herbal treatment for dermatologic disorders. In Benzie IFF, Wachtel-Galor S, eds.Herbal Medicine: Biomolecular and Clinical Aspects.2nd ed. CRC Press/Taylor & Francis.Sakthi D.Effectiveness of fenugreek seed paste on dandruff among adolescent girls in selected women’s hostel, Coimbatore.Int J Nurs Educ Res; 2(2):147-150.Ma L, Guichard A, Cheng Y, et al.Sensitive scalp is associated with excessive sebum and perturbed microbiome.J Cosmet Dermatol.2019;18(3):922-928. doi:10.1111/jocd.12736Barak-Shinar D, Green LJ.Scalp seborrheic dermatitis and dandruff therapy using a herbal and zinc pyrithione-based therapy of shampoo and scalp lotion.J Clin Aesthet Dermatol; 2018;11(1):26-31.Clark GW, Pope SM, Jaboori KA.Diagnosis and treatment of seborrheic dermatitis.Am Fam Physician; 2015;91(3):185-190.Mosca M, Hong J, Hadeler E, Brownstone N, Bhutani T, Liao W.Scalp psoriasis: a literature review of effective therapies and updated recommendations for practical management.Dermatology and Therapy. 2021;11(3):769. doi:10.1007/s13555-021-00521-zAdditional ReadingKatta R, Kramer MJ.Skin and diet: an update on the role of dietary change as a treatment strategy for skin disease.Skin Therapy Lett;23(1):1-5.
16 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Borda LJ, Wikramanayake TC.Seborrheic dermatitis and dandruff: a comprehensive review.J Clin Investig Dermatol.2015;3(2). doi:10.13188/2373-1044.1000019Dall’Oglio F, Nasca MR, Gerbino C, Micali G.An overview of the diagnosis and management of seborrheic dermatitis.Clin Cosmet Investig Dermatol. 2022;15:1537-1548. doi:10.2147/CCID.S284671National Eczema Association.Seborrheic dermatitis.Blakely K, Gooderham M.Management of scalp psoriasis: current perspectives.Psoriasis (Auckl).2016 Mar 29;6:33-40. doi:10.2147/PTT.S85330Leung AKC, Hon KL, Leong KF, Barankin B, Lam JM.Tinea capitis: an updated review.Recent Pat Inflamm Allergy Drug Discov.2020;14(1):58-68. doi:10.2174/1872213X14666200106145624Trüeb RM, Henry JP, Davis MG, Schwartz JR.Scalp condition impacts hair growth and retention via oxidative stress.Int J Trichology. 2018;10(6):262-270. doi:10.4103/ijt.ijt_57_18Punyani S, Tosti A, Hordinsky M, Yeomans D, Schwartz J.The impact of shampoo wash frequency on scalp and hair conditions.Skin Appendage Disord. 2021;7(3):183-193. doi:10.1159/000512786Gavazzoni Dias MF.Hair cosmetics: an overview.Int J Trichology.2015;7(1):2-15. doi:10.4103/0974-7753.153450Sanders MGH, Pardo LM, Ginger RS, Kiefte-de Jong JC, Nijsten T.Association between diet and seborrheic dermatitis: a cross-sectional study.J Invest Dermatol.2019;139(1):108-114. doi:10.1016/j.jid.2018.07.027Hashemi SA, Madani SA, Abediankenari S.The review on properties of aloe vera in healing of cutaneous wounds.Biomed Res Int.2015;2015:714216. doi:10.1155/2015/714216Shenefelt PD.Chapter 18: Herbal treatment for dermatologic disorders. In Benzie IFF, Wachtel-Galor S, eds.Herbal Medicine: Biomolecular and Clinical Aspects.2nd ed. CRC Press/Taylor & Francis.Sakthi D.Effectiveness of fenugreek seed paste on dandruff among adolescent girls in selected women’s hostel, Coimbatore.Int J Nurs Educ Res; 2(2):147-150.Ma L, Guichard A, Cheng Y, et al.Sensitive scalp is associated with excessive sebum and perturbed microbiome.J Cosmet Dermatol.2019;18(3):922-928. doi:10.1111/jocd.12736Barak-Shinar D, Green LJ.Scalp seborrheic dermatitis and dandruff therapy using a herbal and zinc pyrithione-based therapy of shampoo and scalp lotion.J Clin Aesthet Dermatol; 2018;11(1):26-31.Clark GW, Pope SM, Jaboori KA.Diagnosis and treatment of seborrheic dermatitis.Am Fam Physician; 2015;91(3):185-190.Mosca M, Hong J, Hadeler E, Brownstone N, Bhutani T, Liao W.Scalp psoriasis: a literature review of effective therapies and updated recommendations for practical management.Dermatology and Therapy. 2021;11(3):769. doi:10.1007/s13555-021-00521-zAdditional ReadingKatta R, Kramer MJ.Skin and diet: an update on the role of dietary change as a treatment strategy for skin disease.Skin Therapy Lett;23(1):1-5.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Borda LJ, Wikramanayake TC.Seborrheic dermatitis and dandruff: a comprehensive review.J Clin Investig Dermatol.2015;3(2). doi:10.13188/2373-1044.1000019Dall’Oglio F, Nasca MR, Gerbino C, Micali G.An overview of the diagnosis and management of seborrheic dermatitis.Clin Cosmet Investig Dermatol. 2022;15:1537-1548. doi:10.2147/CCID.S284671National Eczema Association.Seborrheic dermatitis.Blakely K, Gooderham M.Management of scalp psoriasis: current perspectives.Psoriasis (Auckl).2016 Mar 29;6:33-40. doi:10.2147/PTT.S85330Leung AKC, Hon KL, Leong KF, Barankin B, Lam JM.Tinea capitis: an updated review.Recent Pat Inflamm Allergy Drug Discov.2020;14(1):58-68. doi:10.2174/1872213X14666200106145624Trüeb RM, Henry JP, Davis MG, Schwartz JR.Scalp condition impacts hair growth and retention via oxidative stress.Int J Trichology. 2018;10(6):262-270. doi:10.4103/ijt.ijt_57_18Punyani S, Tosti A, Hordinsky M, Yeomans D, Schwartz J.The impact of shampoo wash frequency on scalp and hair conditions.Skin Appendage Disord. 2021;7(3):183-193. doi:10.1159/000512786Gavazzoni Dias MF.Hair cosmetics: an overview.Int J Trichology.2015;7(1):2-15. doi:10.4103/0974-7753.153450Sanders MGH, Pardo LM, Ginger RS, Kiefte-de Jong JC, Nijsten T.Association between diet and seborrheic dermatitis: a cross-sectional study.J Invest Dermatol.2019;139(1):108-114. doi:10.1016/j.jid.2018.07.027Hashemi SA, Madani SA, Abediankenari S.The review on properties of aloe vera in healing of cutaneous wounds.Biomed Res Int.2015;2015:714216. doi:10.1155/2015/714216Shenefelt PD.Chapter 18: Herbal treatment for dermatologic disorders. In Benzie IFF, Wachtel-Galor S, eds.Herbal Medicine: Biomolecular and Clinical Aspects.2nd ed. CRC Press/Taylor & Francis.Sakthi D.Effectiveness of fenugreek seed paste on dandruff among adolescent girls in selected women’s hostel, Coimbatore.Int J Nurs Educ Res; 2(2):147-150.Ma L, Guichard A, Cheng Y, et al.Sensitive scalp is associated with excessive sebum and perturbed microbiome.J Cosmet Dermatol.2019;18(3):922-928. doi:10.1111/jocd.12736Barak-Shinar D, Green LJ.Scalp seborrheic dermatitis and dandruff therapy using a herbal and zinc pyrithione-based therapy of shampoo and scalp lotion.J Clin Aesthet Dermatol; 2018;11(1):26-31.Clark GW, Pope SM, Jaboori KA.Diagnosis and treatment of seborrheic dermatitis.Am Fam Physician; 2015;91(3):185-190.Mosca M, Hong J, Hadeler E, Brownstone N, Bhutani T, Liao W.Scalp psoriasis: a literature review of effective therapies and updated recommendations for practical management.Dermatology and Therapy. 2021;11(3):769. doi:10.1007/s13555-021-00521-z
Borda LJ, Wikramanayake TC.Seborrheic dermatitis and dandruff: a comprehensive review.J Clin Investig Dermatol.2015;3(2). doi:10.13188/2373-1044.1000019
Dall’Oglio F, Nasca MR, Gerbino C, Micali G.An overview of the diagnosis and management of seborrheic dermatitis.Clin Cosmet Investig Dermatol. 2022;15:1537-1548. doi:10.2147/CCID.S284671
National Eczema Association.Seborrheic dermatitis.
Blakely K, Gooderham M.Management of scalp psoriasis: current perspectives.Psoriasis (Auckl).2016 Mar 29;6:33-40. doi:10.2147/PTT.S85330
Leung AKC, Hon KL, Leong KF, Barankin B, Lam JM.Tinea capitis: an updated review.Recent Pat Inflamm Allergy Drug Discov.2020;14(1):58-68. doi:10.2174/1872213X14666200106145624
Trüeb RM, Henry JP, Davis MG, Schwartz JR.Scalp condition impacts hair growth and retention via oxidative stress.Int J Trichology. 2018;10(6):262-270. doi:10.4103/ijt.ijt_57_18
Punyani S, Tosti A, Hordinsky M, Yeomans D, Schwartz J.The impact of shampoo wash frequency on scalp and hair conditions.Skin Appendage Disord. 2021;7(3):183-193. doi:10.1159/000512786
Gavazzoni Dias MF.Hair cosmetics: an overview.Int J Trichology.2015;7(1):2-15. doi:10.4103/0974-7753.153450
Sanders MGH, Pardo LM, Ginger RS, Kiefte-de Jong JC, Nijsten T.Association between diet and seborrheic dermatitis: a cross-sectional study.J Invest Dermatol.2019;139(1):108-114. doi:10.1016/j.jid.2018.07.027
Hashemi SA, Madani SA, Abediankenari S.The review on properties of aloe vera in healing of cutaneous wounds.Biomed Res Int.2015;2015:714216. doi:10.1155/2015/714216
Shenefelt PD.Chapter 18: Herbal treatment for dermatologic disorders. In Benzie IFF, Wachtel-Galor S, eds.Herbal Medicine: Biomolecular and Clinical Aspects.2nd ed. CRC Press/Taylor & Francis.
Sakthi D.Effectiveness of fenugreek seed paste on dandruff among adolescent girls in selected women’s hostel, Coimbatore.Int J Nurs Educ Res; 2(2):147-150.
Ma L, Guichard A, Cheng Y, et al.Sensitive scalp is associated with excessive sebum and perturbed microbiome.J Cosmet Dermatol.2019;18(3):922-928. doi:10.1111/jocd.12736
Barak-Shinar D, Green LJ.Scalp seborrheic dermatitis and dandruff therapy using a herbal and zinc pyrithione-based therapy of shampoo and scalp lotion.J Clin Aesthet Dermatol; 2018;11(1):26-31.
Clark GW, Pope SM, Jaboori KA.Diagnosis and treatment of seborrheic dermatitis.Am Fam Physician; 2015;91(3):185-190.
Mosca M, Hong J, Hadeler E, Brownstone N, Bhutani T, Liao W.Scalp psoriasis: a literature review of effective therapies and updated recommendations for practical management.Dermatology and Therapy. 2021;11(3):769. doi:10.1007/s13555-021-00521-z
Katta R, Kramer MJ.Skin and diet: an update on the role of dietary change as a treatment strategy for skin disease.Skin Therapy Lett;23(1):1-5.
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