You’re Giving Yourself Dandruff. Here’s How to Stop.

Flaking sucks. In every sense of the word; it sucks when a date cancels on you last minute, and it sucks when dandruff constantly peppers your lapels — especially if those awkward white flecks were the very reason your date decided to no-show. The good news is you can control flaking — the scalp-related kind, anyhow. When it comes to dandruff, it’s like that Radiohead song goes: you do it to yourself. Here are the ways you’re giving yourself the best contraceptive outside of cargo shorts, and how to cut it out.

1. You’re shampooing with the wrong stuff.

If your current anti-dandruff regimen isn’t working, don’t resort to Googling home remedies. Put down the two tablespoons of lemon juice and try a more advanced shampoo. Clinical Solutions, the new line by O.G. flake fighters Head & Shoulders, is clinically-proven (hence the name) to address especially stubborn and chronic scalp issues. It’s formulated with Selenium Sulfide, yet somehow, smells pretty damn good. “Dandruff is the skin’s reaction to the by-products of a fungus we all have on our scalp,” says Rolanda Johnson-Wilkerson, Head & Shoulders’ principal scientist. Not using a proper anti-dandruff shampoo, she adds, “creates an ongoing cycle of scalp issues, causing hair damage” — i.e. hell.

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2. You’re terribly confused about how often you should shampoo.

Don’t worry, most people are. Some experts swear by washing your hair just once a week, but it really depends. Shampooing too seldom can cause a build up of grime, oil, and hair product, which might leave your head resembling a Billot Log. Johnson-Wilkerson recommends shampooing at least once every three days for a healthy scalp, or if your dandruff problem’s particularly aggressive, lathering up daily to thwart the dead skin stockpile.

3. You’re skipping the conditioner.

Conditioner nourishes the scalp, protects the hair fibre, and prevents over-drying. It’s basically moisturizer for your dome, so use it daily, regardless of how often you shampoo.

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4. You’re ignoring your sweaty pate.

“Environmental factors like humidity, pollution, and sweat can exacerbate dandruff,” says Johnson-Wilkerson. Stick to cooler areas when you can. Also, ditch the hats — they create a muggy microclimate around your scalp that microbes love.

5. You’re stressing.

Oh, the irony. All that fretting over dandruff is giving you dandruff. High levels of stress can provoke dandruff flare-ups by causing temporary hormonal changes. So just use your anti-dandruff shampoo and relax, man. Who wants to date a flake, anyway.

Sponsored by Head & Shoulders