I have been dealing with dandruff for more than 15 years now. I am happy to say that I have the situation under control for a long time. Sometimes I still spot dandruff on my scalp. Instead of leaving it there I head to the bathroom and remove the dead skin on my scalp.
There also times where I do suffer from random itchiness and dandruff outbreaks. This causes me to frantically scratch my head, in order to relieve the itch. It leads me to sometimes scratching my head unknowingly. When this happens, I always head to the bathroom and peel dandruff off my scalp.
For those who are in a hurry, follow the 6 steps below. A more detailed breakdown can be found later on in this article.
Dead Skin on Scalp Removal Guide
- Massage your scalp with your fingers to loosen dandruff off your scalp
- Gently brush your fingers through your hair
- Use a fine-tooth comb to remove dandruff caught in hair
- Use tweezers to peel dandruff that is partially stuck in your head
- Use your fingers pull out the leftovers
- Adjust your hair and voila!
Scratching is of course not the ideal solution to dandruff as it only agitates the skin further. It also detaches some of the dead skin off your scalp. Some of the dandruff flakes will be stuck on your scalp and some will end up being caught in your hair.
This can be embarrassing if people around you notice, especially if they start picking your hair. If you are one of those people who scratch uncontrollably, do not worry.
I will teach you several ways on peeling dandruff off your head. You can use this method safely. Using improper methods and equipment can cause greater skin irritation and worsen your dandruff condition. Here are detailed steps to ensure that you properly practice the process.
Step 1 – Massage Your Scalp with Your Fingers
First, use your fingers and place them on your scalp. Make sure that your fingertips make contact with your scalp and not just the top layer of your hair. Gently massage your scalp for around 1 – 2 minutes. Make sure that you reposition your fingers every now and then so that you cover your entire scalp.
This will cause some of the dandruff on your scalp to come loose, which you will remove in the following steps. Make sure that you do not use your fingernails to scratch your scalp, but rather the tips of your fingers.
If you have long fingernails, then slightly angle your hands in a way where your nails don’t contact your scalp. Scratching only irritates your scalp even more.
Step 2 – Brush Your Fingers Through Your Hair
Now, spread your fingers apart evenly and gently brush your fingers through your hair in all possible directions. I usually do a few brushes from front to back, back to front and side to side. After that, I shake my hair about. This will help to remove some of the bigger dandruff flakes in your hair.
Make sure you do this in the shower or above a sink, as you want to avoid a messy floor. Oh, and do not feel disheartened by the number of white flakes you see falling. The first time I did this, I thought it was literally snowing in my house. However, since I wash my hair with effective anti-dandruff shampoos and home treatments my dandruff situation has greatly improved.
You can also use a paddle brush and run it through your hair several times, instead of your hands. A paddle brush is optimal, as it has wide gaps and clears some of the bigger dandruff flakes in your scalp and hair.
Step 3 – Use a Fine-Tooth Comb or Bristle Brush
After running your fingers or a paddle brush through your hair, use a fine-tooth comb to comb out finer pieces of dandruff. It is important that you don’t use a wide-tooth comb, as you will miss most of the flakes. Either use a fine-tooth comb or a bristle brush to comb out the finer dandruff flakes.
Also, ensure that you start combing close to the roots. I wouldn’t want you to head out with clean hair and a scalp full of flakes!
Step 4 – Use Tweezers to Remove the Dead Skin from Your Scalp
This part is a little bit tricky and requires some patience, as you need to cover as much of your scalp as possible.
There will be some dandruff flakes stuck to your scalp that are almost peeled off. Some of the edges will be pointing upward and the other edges are still stuck on your scalp. Thinking about it, they look like dried glue on your finger. But in this case, they are just dead layers of skin. It is safe to remove them gently using tweezers.
I usually part my hair to create a small opening and look into the mirror. This gives me the vision to see where to remove stubborn dandruff. Please remember to remove them gently, as ripping them off may leave marks or irritate the skin. The last thing you want to do is cause more inflammation.
Step 5 – Use Your Fingers Pull Out the Leftovers
You are almost done!
Now you just have to make sure that there are no more dandruff flakes visible. Gently move your fingers through your hair and glance at the mirror. It is common that there will be a few minor flakes left that you can easily remove with your fingers. Simply pull them out gently in an upward motion.
Make sure that you have a good grip on them. I sometimes pull them out and when I reach the tip of my hair, the flakes seem to have gotten stuck in my hair, instead.
Step 6 – Adjust Your Hair and Voila!
Congratulations, you are now done peeling dandruff off your scalp. You are rewarded with a much cleaner scalp and hair now. I know, I know! It can be quite a hassle to do this on a regular basis. But trust me, after you have developed a regular routine for dandruff treatment you will be able to follow these steps much faster.
Conclusion
The steps listed above are my standard routine before going out and should work for you, too. Removing the dead skin flakes off your scalp using this method is only temporary.I recommend that you also focus on removing dandruff using anti-dandruff shampoos and various other natural home treatments.
Nowadays, I barely spend 2 minutes on an occasional day peeling dandruff off my scalp! Don’t forget to adjust your hair. I wouldn’t want your hair to look like Edward Scissorhands.