John BenosTable of Contents
How to get rid of dandruff? High-quality hair care products are one of the best ways to treat and keep these flakes off your clothes. And the most popular choice among men, are anti-dandrfuff shampoos available in the market that guarantees to vanish dandruff from your scalp.
On this guide, we discuss and review the most popular choices and find the best dandruff shampoos for men’s hair. In our search, we found the The Body Shop and Nizoral A-D to be among the top shampoos for dandruff. Other notable anti-dandruff shampoos include the very effective Maple Holistics and Redken that also come at reasonable prices.
The 6 Best Dandruff Shampoos For Men
| The Body Shop Ginger Scalp Care Anti-Dandruff Shampoo | Nizoral A-D Anti-Dandruff Shampoo | Maple Holistics Sage Anti Dandruff Shampoo | Redken Dandruff Control Shampoo | American Crew Anti-Dandruff Plus Sebum Control Shampoo | Kenra Dandruff Shampoo | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | | | | | |
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| Country | USA | USA | USA | USA | USA | USA |
| Size | 13.5 fl oz / 400 ml | 4 fl oz / 120 ml | 8 fl oz / 240 ml | 10 fl oz / 300 ml | 8.4 fl oz / 250 ml | 10 fl oz / 300 ml |
| Price | $$ | $$$ | $$ | $$ | $$ | $$ |
| Scent | Fresh and spicy | Subtle fresh and slightly medicinal | Herbal, clean and fresh | Minty | Menthol | Jasmine |
| Wash Performance | ||||||
| Ease of Lathering | ||||||
| Itch Relief | ||||||
| Anti-Dandruff Effectiveness | ||||||
| Value for Money | ||||||
Before we get to the reviews, we’ll discuss what dandruff really is and the common causes and later on, we’ll dive into the criteria and reviews of the top anti-dandruff shampoos for men with dry, oily or normal scalp.
With no further ado, let’s see what dandruff is all about and what shampoo can help you in your fight against it.
What is dandruff?
Dandruff occurs due to overproduction and buildup of sticky skin cells, which shed in the form of white or yellowish flakes. This discomforting condition usually starts between the ages of 10-20 and affects around 50% people of over the age 30.
Many people tend to mistake dry scalp for dandruff. If you want to cure dandruff in your scalp, you must know the difference between these two conditions.
Dandruff is caused by a fungus Malassezia that feeds on sebum oil on your scalp. Dandruff flakes are longer and more yellow-whitish than dry scalp flakes. Since these flakes are oily, these got stuck in your nails if you scratch your scalp.
On the other hand, dry scalp happens due to lack of moisturizer that causes skin flaking and often misinterpreted as dandruff. If you scratch your scalp and lots of white flake snow down on your shoulder, it’s dry scalp, not dandruff.
Common Causes of Dandruff
It’s very challenging to determine exactly what causes dandruff, there are a few factors that have been proven to contribute. If you’re looking for a more detailed guide, make sure you read our thorough article on causes of dandruff and ways to fight it, read our thorough article. If you happen to experience the same thing on your facial hair, have a look at our articles on causes of beard dandruff.
Here are the most common causes:
1. Poor Brushing Habits
Brushing aids in shedding buildup skin cells. People who don’t brush their hair frequently are at the higher risk of having dandruff.
2. Yeast
Yeast-sensitive skin is prone to easy dandruff especially during the winter. Some say that it is cold air and overheated rooms that cause these white flakes.
3. Seborrheic Dermatitis
This condition not only affects the scalp but also causes dandruff behind ears, breastbone, eyebrows and the sides of the nose. Patients usually have red and greasy skin covered with yellow or white flakes.
4. Not Enough Shampooing
Shampooing helps in cleaning the buildup of oil and dead skin cells on the scalp.
5. Certain Skin Conditions
People with psoriasis, eczema and a few skin disorders frequently get dandruff.
6. Reaction to Hair Care Products
Reaction to certain skin care, hair care and hair styling products can cause itchy and scaling scalp.
7. Malassezia
It is a fungus that lives on every scalp and feeds on sebum oil generated by hair follicles. This fungus doesn’t cause any harm. But when it grows out of control, scalp becomes irritated and overproduces skin cells.
8. Improper Lifestyle
People who live with stress, poor diet habits and lack of physical workout are more prone to dandruff.
9. Certain Diseases
People suffering from HIV, depression, etc. usually have seborrheic dermatitis.
How can you get rid of dandruff?
Dandruff constantly recurs. But you can control it with the proper treatment.
You can start with non-medicated shampoos, natural home remedies, scalp massage, workout and frequent shampooing to reduce oiliness, remove flakes and prevent the buildup of dead skin cells.
When it comes to natural homemade treatments, you need very common ingredients from your kitchen pantry like tea tree oil, aspiring, yogurt, baking soda, coconut oil, apple cider vinegar, aloe vera gel, and the list just stacks up.
If these things fail to help, medicated anti-dandruff shampoos are helpful. Every anti-dandruff shampoo comes with instructions. Some can be used on a daily basis, while others are only 2-3 times a week.
How Anti-Dandruff Shampoos Work?
Dandruff is widespread. Millions of people suffer from this condition and try lots of homemade and store-bought treatments to combat it. The most popular method of treating dandruff is to use a good anti-dandruff shampoo for men that is designed to remove the problem from the roots.
Make sure you choose the right anti-dandruff shampoo that directly addresses the source of your problem. Let’s first know how these shampoos work.
The method of action for anti-dandruff shampoos depends on their active ingredients.
It is important to look at the ingredients of the shampoo before you purchase it. For example, coal tar base shampoos slow down the buildup process of dead skin cells on the scalp.
Salicylic acid in shampoos acts as a scrubbing agent. It helps eliminate flakes but may cause dryness on the scalp. Therefore, it’s better to choose shampoo which uses salicylic acid in combination with a moisturizing conditioner.
Most of these shampoos also contain selenium sulfide, which is an anti-dandruff agent. It reduces the amount of Malassezia fungi resulting in the dandruff-free and itch-free scalp.
Zinc pyrithione is another antibacterial and anti-fungal agent that prevents Malassezia fungus to reproduce.
Like these, there are so many other chemical-based anti-dandruff compounds found in these shampoos.
Likewise, another class of anti-dandruff shampoos is organic treatment. These organic shampoos contain all organic compounds like jojoba oil, tea tree oil, olive oil, peppermint oil, and many other essential oils and extracts. These products boast no chemicals, stimulate fragrances and zero artificial ingredients. These are 100% natural and safe for any age group.
Criteria for Choosing the Best Anti-Dandruff Shampoo
When choosing an anti-dandruff shampoo, keep a few things in mind – the cause of the problem, ingredients you are looking for and type of hair you have. Using the wrong shampoo can worsen the problem and even damage your hair.
If you fail to find yourself the best shampoo for dandruff for your skin type and condition, don’t hesitate to take an expert’s advice by visiting a doctor or hair care expert.
Experts report that the biggest source of dandruff is seborrheic dermatitis and related this condition to fungus. How worse this fungus triggers the dandruff problem varies from person to person. This is why most of the anti-dandruff shampoos should have anti-fungal properties. Shampoos containing tea tree oil, peppermint oil, selenium sulfide, ketoconazole are the best candidates of anti-fungal anti-dandruff shampoos.
If the cause of Dandruff is dead skin buildup, it’s recommended to use shampoos containing salicylic acid and coal tar as these tend to be more useful. However, don’t forget that you should never use these types of shampoos on a regular basis. It is because of both coal tar and salicylic acid cause irritation on the scalp if used daily.
Look for added moisturizer when buying these shampoos to avoid side effects. People who have dry hair should avoid these shampoos and rest on herbal products.
The anti-dandruff shampoos address the cause of the problem. These shampoos do not damage your hair and most important bring the best possible results.
Finding a great anti dandruff shampoo can be a matter or trial and error. But eventually, you will be able to find the most suitable shampoo for your dandruff problem.
Even if a bottle claims to be the best, it may not be good for you because every shampoo has different ingredients making it suitable to different scalp conditions.
Best Anti-Dandruff Shampoos
Nizoral A-D Anti-Dandruff Shampoo
Experts highly recommend Nizoral shampoo because it targets the root of the problem. It kills the dandruff-causing fungus and controls dandruff breakout into scaling, flaking and itching on the scalp.
The active ingredient of Nizoral A-D shampoo is 1% solution of Ketoconazole, which is a powerful anti-fungal ingredient. It is extremely effective against the dandruff-provoking P. Ovale fungus that naturally breeds on the skin of the scalp.
The fungus doesn’t cause any harm and feeds on sebum oil secreted by the follicles. However, when the fungus overgrows, or our skin has an allergic response to it, the result is an extreme buildup of dead skin cells on the scalp.
Ketoconazole eliminates the excessive levels of fungus and acts as a potent long after the shampoo is washed off, thus maintaining a clean dandruff-free scalp.
Use this top notch anti-dandruff shampoo twice a week to maintain a healthy scalp. It is safe for people who age 12 and up. Lather the shampoo, massage your scalp and let it sit for 5-8 minutes before rinsing. Use conditioner away from the scalp after shampooing.
The effect of this shampoo lasts a few days. Use this shampoo as a part of your hair care regime, but not as a replacement to your regular shampoo.
The shampoo has a pleasant smell and doesn’t feel like applying chemicals on your head.
It comes in a plastic bottle with an easy-to-use plastic flip top cap. Keeping the effectiveness of this shampoo, the price seems more than reasonable when it comes to one of the best dandruff shampoos for men out there.
Head and Shoulders Clinical Strength Dandruff and Seborrheic Dermatitis Shampoo
The #1 recommended an anti-dandruff brand, Head and Shoulder brings to you a clinical strength shampoo that works effectively not against dandruff but also for people suffering from Seborrheic Dermatitis.
It is known to be the strongest in Head and Shoulder’s anti-dandruff product line. You can get it without any prescription and say goodbye to embarrassing dandruff if used properly.
This shampoo contains 1% selenium sulfide, which is known to relief even severe dandruff conditions. It is based on a strong formulation but is very gentle on your scalp. Selenium sulfide also helps maintain pH balance on the skin of your scalp, keep hair clean and 100% dandruff free.
Selenium sulfide prevents the death of skin cells, thus the accumulation of dead skin cells. Other notable ingredients of this shampoo are Zinc Carbonate, Sodium Chloride, water, etc. all contributing to a dandruff-free scalp.
This product is easily available offline and online at very reasonable price. You need only two weekly applications to maintain a healthy scalp.
It comes in a stylish plastic bottle packaging with a flip top cap that helps avoid any mess while using the shampoo.
The smell is not too strong and leaves you with a fresh and clean scent that you’d certainly like.
Maple Holistics Sage Anti Dandruff Shampoo
Do you want a natural approach to treating your scalp conditions? This Sage anti-dandruff shampoo made by Maple Holistic is the thing to go for.
It is extremely safe and gentle for everyday use. It not combats dandruff but also balances the moisturizer level on the scalp.
There are tens of causes of dandruff. Most of the anti-dandruff shampoos address the single cause, but Maple Holistic Sage anti-dandruff shampoo triggers all causes of dandruff.
The main ingredient in this shampoo is Sage. Other accompanying ingredients are rosemary, spikenard extract peach kernel extracts, jojoba oil, botanical keratin, and tea tree oil. These ingredients combine to produce a hypoallergenic formula that reduces dead skin cells and promotes a regular cycle of cell renewal, reduces bacteria and soothes inflammation on the scalp skin.
Sage is known to be a natural antiseptic agent that’s helpful in combating all major causes of dandruff like dermatitis. Rosemary stimulates follicles, and when combined with tea tree oil, it clears scalp from dead cells while offering additional benefits.
Jojoba combined with argan oil deeply moisturizes and nourishes scalp and fights against dandruff caused by skin dehydration. Botanical keratin helps to tame frizzy and damaged strands.
Overall, this is natural dandruff shampoo for men and women that addresses all scalp conditions. The product comes in a round plastic bottle secured with a screw cap to avoid spilling of the shampoo when stored.
You can use it every day, but it is even more effective when sued every other day.
Neutrogena T/Gel Therapeutic Shampoo Original Formula For Dandruff Treatment
Seborrhea dermatisis, psoriasis, and dryness associated with dandruff are three major conditions that Neutrogena T/Gel therapeutic shampoo treats.
The driving ingredient of this one of the highly recommended anti-dandruff shampoo is patented Neutar. This ingredient delivers the therapeutic results that last even after hours of washing your hair. The main and active ingredient in this shampoo is a well-formulated combination of 4% Neutar and 1% coal tar.
Coal tar is a powerful anti-inflammatory agent that controls inflammation caused by scalp conditions. It also breaks down the thick scaling that is produced by overproduction of dead skin cells on the scalp.
The shampoo comes with an amber color base and it thick in consistency. It is abundant with moisturizing ingredients that not only offer a solution for dandruff but also cleanses and moisturizes scalp and hair.
It’s recommended to use Neutrogena T/Gel Therapeutic Shampoo twice a week for dandruff treatment. You can also follow your doctor’s advice. Simply massage it into your scalp and let it sit for several minutes before rinsing out. Don’t let it get into your ears, eyes, and mouth because coal tar is highly irritating to mucosa tissues found in our body.
The shampoo comes in a see-through plastic bottle with a flip-top dispenser. On an average, it won’t cost you that much, and it’s totally worth it considering the benefits this shampoo offers.
JASON Natural Dandruff Relief Shampoo
What makes Jason anti-dandruff shampoo unique is that it treats dandruff without using any harsh chemical. Since multiple causes lead to dandruff, you need a solution that can deal with all causes of dandruff.
Jason Natural dandruff relief shampoo uses colloidal sulfur to eliminate flakes and irritation associated with dandruff. It all-natural ingredients helps to restore your scalp to a natural health state.
The active ingredients are sulfur and salicylic acid that combine to defeat annoying dandruff and soothe irritation. The major contents of this shampoo are rosemary, jojoba oil and tea tree oil all of which moisturize and calm down irritated scalp. Tea tree oil acts as a natural anti-fungal agent, so it helps to prevent dandruff. The shampoo also contains olive oil and Aloe Vera that combine to provide natural moisturizer to the scalp.
Unlike many other popular anti-dandruff shampoos, Jason anti-dandruff shampoo is completely natural and provides instant relief. It is safe for your family and the environment.
To avoid recurring of dandruff and scalp irritation, use this shampoo as a replacement to your regular shampoo. Apply on wet hair, lather, and massage onto scalp and rinse it off well. For the best results, use it thrice a week. You can reduce the number of weekly application as soon as you start noticing the results.
The product is widely available in stores, and you can also buy it online. Talking about packaging, Jason anti-dandruff shampoo comes in a sturdy see-through plastic bottle secured with a screw cap dispenser.
Redken Dandruff Control Shampoo
Redken dandruff control shampoo is an excellent mid-range shampoo that is becoming increasingly popular because of its anti-dandruff benefits.
Its main driving ingredients are 1% pyrithione zinc, lavender extract, and glycerin. Pyrithione zinc controls itching and flakes caused by dandruff. The lavender extract helps to soothe the scalp and glycerin hydrates dry scalp and hair.
To use this shampoo, apply it on your wet scalp and massage gently. Leave it for 5-6 minutes and then rinse it off using normal water.
You can follow with a mild conditioner to keep your strands soft. Redken anti-dandruff treatment is safe because it does not contain any medicated ingredient or harsh chemical.
This overall top shampoo for dandruff comes in a slightly sleek round bottle and a flip top cap dispenser to allow easy of dispensing the shampoo. Though it may cost you little higher as compared to other shampoos, it’s worth buying it.
The Body Shop Ginger Scalp Care Anti-Dandruff Shampoo
The Body Shop Ginger Scalp care is one of the mildest and most effective anti-dandruff shampoos. It is very popular for its flake-clearing and scalp-soothing properties. Thanks to its specially formulated ginger extract that delivers conditioning care to ay dry and flaky scalps.
Ginger essential oil is the major ingredient of this anti-dandruff shampoo. This oil is known to stimulate blood circulation in the scalp thus treating several scalp conditions including dandruff and skin dryness.
Organic honey found in this shampoo moisturizes and conditions the skin. The panthenol compound reduces flaking, hair breakage and inflammation caused by dandruff. It is silicone free.
It is a gel based shampoo with a not-too-thick and not-too-thin consistency. It rinses out easily and leaves behind a warm gingery fragrance. The shampoo comes in a small see-through bottle with a screw cap dispenser. Its price is very reasonable if considered with the benefits.
Kenra Dandruff Shampoo
Do you have color treated strands? Are you seeking an ideal dandruff treatment that is gentle on your color treated hair? If yes, then Kenra dandruff shampoo is specially formulated for you. This shampoo is safe for color-treated hair and also helps to control recurrence of dandruff. It also provides relief from dry scalp, inflammation, and flaking.
The active ingredients of this anti-dandruff shampoo are chamomile and jasmine oils that soothe the dry and itchy scalp. To use this shampoo, simply apply on your wet hair. Lather up and massage using your finger. Wash it off using regular shampoo. You can follow shampooing with your regular conditioner for the best results. It is also safe for everyday use.
This shampoo leaves behind a natural fragrance that makes you feel fresh all the time. This dandruff shampoo worth any penny and you should definitely consider it.
American Crew Anti-Dandruff Plus Sebum Control Shampoo
This is the best problem-solving products when it comes to men’s scalp. Designed by keeping men’s grooming needs in mind, this anti-dandruff addresses both scalp conditions – oily and dry scalp.
Its active ingredients are zinc pyrithione, rosemary, sage leaf extract, silicones and peppermint and tea tree oil.
Zinc Pyrithione helps prevent itching and flakiness caused by dandruff. Rosemary extract assists in regulating the production of sebum in hair follicles. Sage leaf extract cleanses and invigorates scalp and hair deeply. Peppermint and tea tree oil utilizes their anti-inflammatory properties and refreshes scalp and hair. The silicone compounds enhance the strength of hair, repair damaged strands and add volume to hair.
The shampoo comes in a see-through plastic bottle with a screw cap dispenser. It costs higher, but the results seem to be surprisingly pleasant and it’s surely among the best dandruff shampoos for dry scalp.
Concluding remarks
Dealing with dandruff can be daunting. If you are seriously planning to enjoy a flake free scalp, start your path mindfully. There are lots of anti-dandruff shampoos all claiming to be the best. However, one shampoo that works excellent on a person may not be suitable for you because of different causes of dandruff.
To remove the problem from the root, it’s important to find the source of your problem. Then select the shampoo with ingredients that trigger the causes of dandruff on your scalp.
Last but not lease, some men may also face dandruff on their beard and luckily, there are some great beard shampoos that can help you tackle it and moisturize it with beard oil and beard balm.
If all fails, it’s good to pay a visit to your dermatologist and see if you can get a medicated shampoo or any other medication. If you experience a severe case of dandruff, it’s highly recommended to follow an expert’s advice rather than wasting time trying to solve the issue yourself with experimentation.
