11 Best Dandruff Shampoos For African American Hair 2024 [Black Afro Hair]

Nothing ruins a hairstyle more than dandruff.

As perfectly straight or beautifully curled your hair is, it can easily be overshadowed if you have white flakes resting along your roots.

Dandruff is a common problem, but luckily enough, there are ways to combat it.

Most of the time, all you’ll need is shampoo.

If you’re looking to get rid of your dandruff problem, consider trying one of these great shampoo alternatives.

Avlon KeraCare Moisturizing Shampoo – Professional Quality

If you’re after a professional quality anti dandruff shampoo, this is what you’re looking for. Shampoos are known to be drying, but the Avlon KeraCare Dry & Itchy Soothing Dandruff Moisturizing Shampoo is the answer to the problem.

Not only will it combat the regular dryness associated with shampoo, but it’ll help with the problem of dandruff.

The company associated four benefits to their product.

One, it protects against dryness which is one cause of itchiness.

Two, with regular use, it can help prevent flaky scalps.

Three, the moisturizing properties help make detangling easier.

Lastly, this Avlon shampoo leaves both the hair and scalp healthy.

All in all, this shampoo is a happy medium between a dandruff and moisturizing shampoo.

Maple Holistics Dry Scalp Shampoo and Conditioner Set – One Of The Top Dandruff Shampoos For African American Hair

One of the main causes of dandruff is a dry scalp and the Maple Holistics Natural Sage Shampoo for Dandruff and Dry Scalp is one product that can help combat that. 

There are quite a few ingredients that go into this product that make it ideal for those with and even without dandruff.

This product contains essential oil that targets dandruff and the itchiness and irritation often associated with it.

The shampoo also contains anti-fungal ingredients since fungus growth is another reason for dandruff.

Sulfates are a product that still has contention in the beauty industry.

While sulfates create the lather that we’re used to, they can also dry out this hair.

If that’s a worry for you, this product is sulfate free.

Dove Dermacare Scalp Anti-Dandruff Shampoo

When it comes to body care, Dove is always a leader which is why their Dermacare Scalp Anti-Dandruff earned a spot on this list.

This product has quite a few claims that make it worth trying.

The shampoo should leave the hair flake free, with no visible flakes with regular use.

It also helps relieve scalp irritation that might lead to more dandruff.

While we’ll delve into how often you can use dandruff a bit later, this formula is gentle enough for daily use.

Many feel as if they have to be extra aggressive with their washing in order to rid their hair of flakes, but this Dove shampoo will help resolve the problem with regular pressure.

Virgin Hair Fertilizer Shampoo

When it comes to Black hair care products, we usually have a list of tried and true products.

If you ask around, someone will eventually point you to Virgin Hair Fertilizer Shampoo.

While you might think this shampoo is solely meant to help your hair grow, it’s actually highly associated with dandruff.

This product will help soothe and calm the roots in order to stop dandruff and a dry scalp.

Some great ingredients that the shampoo includes are jojoba seed oil, honey extra, aloe vera extract, and tea tree oil – all products that are known to moisturize and help fight off irritation.

Nizoral A-D Anti-Dandruff Shampoo

If you’ve been battling with dandruff for some time, you might consider trying the Nizoral A-D Anti-Dandruff Shampoo.

While we’ll get into ingredients you should look for later, the main active ingredient in this product is 1% ketoconazole, which is great at staving off and fixing dandruff.

Because of the strength of its active ingredient, it’s only recommended for use twice a week.

Also, when using, be sure that you don’t have any broken or inflamed skin on the scalp because the shampoo can lead to further irritation.

For those who have tried gentler shampoos with no results, the Nizoral brand might be worth trying.

Head & Shoulders Anti-Dandruff Shampoo

Head & Shoulders literally changed the game when it comes to dandruff shampoo.

And that’s why their Classic Clean Anti-Dandruff Shampoo earns a spot on this list.

The brand is targeted for people who have dandruff.

Where else do you think the name comes from?

It’s because you’ll often find dandruff flakes on the head and shoulders.

Regardless, there’s a reason why, based on volume sales, it’s the #1 dandruff shampoo in the country.

It comes in the form of it’s primary active ingredient which is 1% pyrithione zinc, another ingredient we’ll get into later.

The Head & Shoulders shampoo is proven to provide protection from flakes, itchiness, and dryness, so it’s definitely worth a try.

Maple Holistics Pure Tea Tree Oil Shampoo

For another anti-dandruff shampoo to try, consider the Maple Holistics Pure Tea Tree Oil Shampoo.

There are a few special claims that this product is said to have.

While most only consider dandruff to be dry flakes, most of us fail to realize that it is a lot of dead skin buildup.

The sage shampoo is said to have antiseptic properties.

These properties will reduce dandruff and unclog the hair follicles.

Essentially, this will allow it to soothe the scalp of itching, flaking, and scaling.

While you can apply it like a regular shampoo, Maple Holistics does recommend letting the shampoo sit in the hair for 2-3 minutes before rinsing.

Biotin Hair Loss And Dandruff Shampoo

If you want to try a product with a guaranteed anti-dandruff ingredient, the Biotin Hair Loss and Dandruff Shampoo is one to bring to the top of your list.

With zinc pyrithione as its active ingredient, it’s going to be strong enough to combat the itchiness, irritation, and flakes associated with dandruff.

The product also contains other ingredients like jojoba oil, green tea extract, and tea tree oil – all products associated with cleansing, hydrating, and stimulating the scalp and hair.

Selsun Blue Medicated Maximum Strength Dandruff Shampoo

If you want a product that is “tough on dandruff, great on hair,” then consider the Selsun Blue Medicated Maximum Strength Dandruff Shampoo.

Selsun Blue, like Head & Shoulders, is another brand that is known for their dandruff products.

Their maximum strength formula works to do three things:

One, it cools and invigorates the scalp.

Made with menthol, it gives off a cooling sensation while the product works to control dandruff and prevent and eliminate dry scalp.

Two, it nourishes with aloe which helps moisturize both the scalp and hair.

Lastly, it cleans and conditions so that you don’t have to worry about the shampoo drying out your hair.

If you think you need a stronger formula than some of the other ones out there, Selsun Blue might be the answer for you.

Neutrogena T/Gel Daily Control 2-in-1 Anti-Dandruff Shampoo

Many of us know Neutrogena for their skincare products, but fewer recognize their haircare.

Even so, they always keep the caliber of their haircare products high as seen in their Neutrogena T/Gel Daily Control 2-in-1 Anti-Dandruff Shampoo.

Another product on this list that contains pyrithione zinc, it will help relieve itching and flaking.

Plus, this shampoo contains Vitamin E which is known to help moisturize hair and the scalp.

Another ingredient that we haven’t seen on this list are wheat proteins.

With wheat proteins on their list of ingredients, this Neutrogena shampoo will also help nourish and protect the hair from further damage.

Similarly to the Dove formula, this product is safe for daily use.

Suave Men 2in1 AntiDandruff Shampoo

I can’t lie. Sometimes I love the smell of men’s shampoo (on a man).

While many of the products on this list are unisex, you might be shopping for an dandruff shampoo with a man in mind.

If you are, the Suave 2-in-1 Anti-Dandruff Shampoo might be an avenue to explore. 

A 2-in-1 product, you’ll receive the cleansing and conditioning you’d get from two separate products.

And I’m sure you can guess what active ingredient is in this shampoo.

You guess it, pyrithione zinc!

This product will help cleanse the hair, relieve dry scalp, and replenish moisture.

With all those traits, it will definitely help eliminate dandruff and help prevent it.

This Suave shampoo will have the men in your life dandruff free and smelling good.

What Is Dandruff?

Now, we all know what dandruff looks like.

Sometimes, you’ll look at someone’s hair and see white flakes near their scalp.

Other times, you might catch it on the shoulders of their clothes.

Most of us could recognize dandruff, but do you really know what it is or what causes it?

While it’s easy to be embarrassed by dandruff, it’s more common than you think.

Over 3 million people a year are dealing with dandruff, and luckily enough, it can often be self-treated.

But what is it?

Dandruff are literally little pieces of your scalp.

What happens is that your scalp starts to itch and become flaky.

This will then leave you with an irritated scalp and white flakes in your hair and maybe even on your clothes.

With so many people dealing with it, one has to wonder how it’s caused.

Well, there are tons of reasons.

SELF lists a number of reasons as to what might cause dandruff.

The reasons range from simple to serious.

On one hand, your dandruff can be caused by dry skin or a reaction to hair products.

Those who have skin conditions like contact dermatitis, eczema, or scalp psoriasis might also find that they are more prone to dandruff.

There’s a possibility that dandruff can be caused by a sensitivity to a yeast.

There are tons of reasons as to why you or someone you know might be experiencing dandruff.

Even so, there are a few ways to go around it.

First, you would need to identify what type of dandruff you have.

If you have regular dandruff or seborrheic dermatitis, a condition that causes dandruff, you can first try an anti-dandruff shampoo like any of the products on this list.

For those dealing with dandruff caused by a dry scalp or contact dermatitis, first try sensitive products to make sure that your scalp is moisturized.

If your situation is more severe than this and you find yourself experiencing intense itchy sensations or even bleeding after scratching, be sure to seek the help of a board-certified dermatologist to help you figure out your treatment plan.

What Ingredients To Look For In Dandruff Shampoo

When shopping around for a dandruff shampoo, you might want to pay attention to the ingredients on the label.

According to Healthline, there are six important ingredients that help calm and combat the effects of dandruff.

The first ingredient is ciclopirox.

Ciclopirox is an antifungal agent that works by stopping the growth of the fungus if you’re dealing with the presence of yeasts on your scalp.

Ketoconazole is another ingredient that helps with this.

Coal tar is another ingredient to look out for that helps reduce skin scaling and the overgrowth of skin cells that can lead to dandruff.

While many know salicylic acid to be an anti-acne ingredient, it can also help in dandruff shampoos.

Salicylic acid is a beta hydroxyacid and keeps the skin cells from sticking together and can also help remove the scaly skin on the scalp.

The fifth ingredient is selenium sulfide.

An antimicrobial agent, it helps slow skin cell turnover which is going to cause a decrease in the scaling as well as reduce the yeast growth.

Last, but not least, the final ingredient you want to look for in your anti-dandruff shampoos is zinc pyrithione.

This ingredient works three-fold.

Dandruff can be caused by yeast growth, excess oil production, and an overproduction of skin cells, and this ingredient can help reduce them all.

How Often Should You Wash Your Hair?

There’s a lot of myths about how often you should wash your hair if you’re dealing with dandruff.

In fact, there are quite a few myths.

Before we get into how often you should wash your hair, let’s quickly debunk some other myths.

Some believe that applying oil to the scalp will instantly rid you of dandruff.

Dandruff isn’t only caused by an oily scalp so applying an oil can actually just make your hair greasier without getting rid of the flakes.

Another myth about dandruff that is especially common in Black households is to remove the flakes before washing and conditioning the hair.

Normally, you’ll take a comb and attempt to scrape the flakes off of the scalp.

This isn’t a great idea.

This process can damage the scalp.

And, if the dandruff is so bad that it needs to be dislodged with a comb, it might be more serious than you thought.

Shampooing the hair should actually be enough to remove any of the flakes.

Now, let’s debunk how often you should wash your hair.

As we all know, shampooing the hair is often associated with drying out the hair and scalp.

Because of this, most think that you should wash your hair less often if you have dandruff.

That’s not the case.

As a Black woman, I don’t know a single other Black woman who washes her hair daily.

The ones I know wash their hair every week or two.

Whether you have permed hair or natural hair, you can use the dandruff shampoo once a week until the condition is gone.

Best Dandruff Shampoos For Black Hair Conclusion

Dandruff is nothing to be ashamed of.

I’ve had it.

Millions of people around the country have had it.

If you do have it, all you need to do is put a little extra effort into your hair regimen.

And while you take care of your scalp, make sure you’re taking care of your hair by properly detangling it.

Our scalp and hair are sensitive so make sure you’re treating them well so they treat you well.