Homeopathic Remedies for Dandruff

The famous Indian homeopath Rajan Sankaran, when reviewing old cases, found that he had the most success when he prescribed on the mentals and the generals of the case. Conversely, he found that his least successful cases where the ones where he prescribed on specific symptoms.

If you are not familiar with homeopathy mentals are symptoms of the mind, for example the patient has a short temper or is emotionally sensitive. Generals are symptoms that affect the whole body, for example the patient is chilly or fatigued. Specifics are local symptoms; an itchy scalp or a sore shoulder.

Obviously, dandruff is a very specific symptom, so very few homeopaths will actually make a prescription based on the state of a patient’s dandruff. However, the condition of a patient’s skin, hair and scalp do provide clues as to what is happening at a deeper level. Treat the patient at a deeper level and the dandruff should disappear by itself.

Below are brief descriptions of eight commonly used homeopathic remedies for dandruff. The purpose of these descriptions is not to provide anyone with a guideline for choosing a remedy for dandruff: the descriptions themselves are far too concise and there are several other remedies not included in the list of eight. So, why the concise descriptions? Here’s a rather long answer.

I remember once treating a woman for benign lumps in her breasts. During the interview she told she that had first gone to an allopathic doctor but he had been unable to treat her. The doctor had told her to return after three months. A little surprised, I asked my patient why the doctor would ask her to return for a second appointment if he couldn’t fix her problem the first time round.

She told me that the doctor had said that he could treat the lumps, but only if they became worse or got malignant. This answer astounded me. If you can’t treat a ailment in its early stages when it is relatively easy to treat, why do you think you can treat it in the later stages?

For me the art of medicine is about mastering the fundamentals. Taking note of the small things and being able to treat them is essential if you want to master treating more serious illnesses.

We tend to want to run before we walk. But if you don’t learn to walk properly, you’ll fall a lot when attempting to run. Think of it like basketball. Slam-dunks are really cool and the crowd loves them, but if a player never learns how to dribble and shoot properly, he’ll never get the chance to slam the ball in a tournament.

Treating dandruff is about mastering the basics, and is thus the path becoming accomplished in the art of homeopathic medicine.

Thuja

Thuja occidentalis is well suited for white, scaly dandruff. The hair tends to be dry while the facial skin tends to be greasy. There is itching on the back of the head. The main indication of Thuja is the formation of wart-like growths. Patients may be chilly. They tend to have fixed ideas and can be emotionally sensitive.

Nat mur

With Natrium muriaticum there is a general dried out appearance with the skin appearing prematurely aged. The skin is withered, dry and scaly. The hair is dry and lusterless. The scalp is dry and produces large amounts of dandruff. You may see a crack in the middle of the lower lip. They get into a passion about trifles and find it hard to let go of past hurts.

They don’t like being consoled, preferring to cry alone.

Kali Sulph

Kali Sulphuricum is very good for profuse creamish-yellow scaly dandruff. There is profuse peeling of the scalp and it could be blistered. Kali sulph is generally used in later stages of inflammation, particularly for yellow, mucous, and serous discharges. Ailments accompanied by profuse desquamation. They tend to have soft and rather timid personalities, and feel worse in a warm room and better in cool, open air.

Phosphorus

Phosphorus helps for persistent itching of the scalp. The itch is intense enough that some people rub the skin forcefully enough to produce bleeding. Dandruff falls out in clouds. The hair often falls out in large bunches producing baldness of single spots. The Phosphorus personality is sociable, excitable and over-sensitive to external impressions.

Sulphur

The scalp is dry and feels warm. The scalp feels itchy and scratching causes soreness. They feel worse at night and worse from washing their hair: wetting the hair makes it burn. Sulphur types tend to be untidy and have an aversion to being washed. They are prone to skin to all types of skin conditions.

Lycopodium

Great falling out of hair. Eczema; moist oozing behind ears. Deep furrows on forehead. Premature baldness and gray hair. Worse by pressure of clothes, warmth, and awaking. Better by cold applications. May be egotistical and critical towards others. Contemptuous and hard on subordinates but agreeable to superiors. Will fluctuate between timidity and cowardice to be haughty and dictatorial.

Mezereum

White, dry dandruff. Dry deposits on the scalp. Numbness of the scalp. Burning, biting, itching on scalp. The patient is very sensitive to cold. Weak memory, especially what has very recently occurred, very much distracted and unable to dwell long upon any subject, wants to be in company.

Arsenicum album

The scalp itches intolerably especially at night. The scalp is very sensitive so patients find it difficult to brush their hair. There may be bare circular patches that are rough, dirty, sensitive, and covered with dry scales. They generally feel worse after midnight and from cold. Patients are sensitive to disorder and confusion so they compensate by being neat, meticulous and careful with money. They often feel restless and distressed.