Suggest Treatment For Dandruff

Posted on Fri, 26 Sep 2014

Question: My wife has dandruff from last 5 years. She is using anti-dandruff shampoo, but no use. We also tried natural remedies, none of them worked. Please suggest a solution.

Dandruff is flaky. She stopped applying oil also. I am attaching photos of her scalp.

Answered by Dr. Dr. Kakkar (18 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Seborrheic dermatitis

Detailed Answer:
Hello and welcome to healthcaremagic

I am Dr. Kakkar. I have gone through your query and I have understood it. I have also seen the photographs

Dandruff or seborrheic dermatitis is an important cause of scalp itching.

Oiling as no role whatsoever in controlling dandruff, in fact it is said that oiling may increase dandruff.

Since dandruff is bound to recur, therefore rather than using a regular shampoo, people with dandruff should use an antidandruff shampoo to keep dandruff under check.

If I was your treating doctor I would have asked you to use an antidandruff lotion/shampoo. My choice is 2% ketoconazole shampoo(Scalpe lotion), thrice weekly OR even daily, for 2-4 weeks.

However sometimes shampoo alone seems insufficient. In such a case dermatologists choose to prescribe a topical steroid lotion (Mometasone lotion e.g Elocon lotion), to be applied once daily at night, at the scalp skin for 2 weeks.

The topical steroid lotion can be stopped once the dandruff is well controlled and thereafter the improvement can be maintained with just an anti-dandruff lotion/shampoo, twice weekly

Hope this answers your query
Regards

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Dr. Kakkar (7 minutes later)

- With which we can start Ketoconazole shampoo or Mometasone lotion?
- If we start with Mometasone lotion, do we need to use it regularly for 2 weeks?

Please suggest.

Answered by Dr. Dr. Kakkar (14 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Seborrheic dermatitis

Detailed Answer:
Hi

-You may start with both ketoconazole as well as mometasone. Ketoconazole 2% is for shampoo, every alternate day.
-Use mometasone lotion once daily at night and leave it overnight. Use it for 2 weeks and then stop.

Regards

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Dr. Kakkar (11 hours later)

Hi Doctor,

I have got Ketoconazole shampoo which is 50 ml, but Elocon is only 5 ml and it is Rs, 98. How to use Elocon for two weeks? Do we need to apply it only on affected area?

Answered by Dr. Dr. Kakkar (5 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Seborrheic dermatitis

Detailed Answer:
Hi

Elocon is to be applied just 1 ml daily at the scalp skin. You may refill again after 5 days Or else you may ask for Topisal 3 % lotion which is available as 15 ml.

Yes,you need to apply to the affected area only.

Regards

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Dr. Kakkar (2 days later)

Thank you. Do we need to continue using ketoconazole shampoo even after the course or we can use any dandruff shampoo for maintenance?

Answered by Dr. Dr. Kakkar (54 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Seborrheic dermatitis

Detailed Answer:
Hi.

Dandruff is bound to recur if she stops using it altogether. Therefore, rather than switching to another shampoo she must continue to use Ketoconazole based shampoo for maintenance of improvement (twice weekly).

Regards

Note: Hope the answers resolves your concerns, however for further guidance of skin related queries consult our Dermatologist.Click here to book a consultation

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar