The 6 Best Home Remedies for Dry & Itchy Scalp

When your scalp itches, it quickly becomes this thing you can’t stop thinking about, and you can’t ignore it.

You may feel like the itch will never stop, but a quick relief – with the best home remedies for a dry and itchy scalp – is just a few minutes away.

This post may contain affiliate links, at no extra cost to you.

The 6 Best Homemade Dry & Itchy Scalp Remedies

Now that you have an idea about what causes your dry and itchy scalp, we can get down to business.

But first, stop scratching! It makes everything worse.

1. Raw Organic Honey

Honey has been clinically proven (over a decade ago) to treat a dry and itchy scalp, more than most body care products and drugs. It is an excellent broad-spectrum antibacterial and antifungal.

In A peer-reviewed study, published in the European Journal of Medical Journal, the researchers studied the use of crude honey applied topically to 30 patients with chronic seborrheic dermatitis of the scalp, face, and front of the chest.

The patients were instructed to apply diluted crude honey (90% honey diluted in warm water) every other day with gentle rubbing for 2-3 minutes.

After 3 hours, the honey was gently rinsed with warm water.

With raw organic honey, itching was relieved, and scaling disappeared within one week.

Skin lesions were healed and disappeared completely within 2 weeks. In addition, patients showed subjective improvement in hair loss.

It also has significant wound-healing and anti-inflammatory properties, making it ideal for treating dry scalp, caused by fungi and/or bacteria.

How to Use

1. Apply directly or dilute: You can use raw honey on its own but I recommend diluting it with a bit of warm water or some olive oil to make it easier to apply.

2. Apply the honey to your scalp and gently massage it in with your fingertips using circular motions. This helps loosen any buildup and promote circulation.

3. Leave the honey on your scalp for 20-30 minutes. You can cover your hair with a shower cap to prevent dripping and help retain moisture.

4. Rinse and shampoo: Rinse the honey thoroughly from your hair and scalp. Follow up with a gentle shampoo to remove any stickiness, and 1 tbsp. of baking soda to cleanse your scalp.

2. Essential Oils for an Itchy Scalp

All essential oils are anti-bacterial and/or anti-fungal.

Some of them were found to be especially effective in relieving a dry and itchy scalp, and pretty fast too.

How to Use

1. Tea Tree Oil, Peppermint Oil & Coconut oil – mix a few drops of Tea Tree Oil and Peppermint Oil into 1 tbsp. of raw organic coconut oil.

Massage your scalp with it and leave it on for at least 20 minutes, then rinse with room-temperature water.

Tea tree oil, with its excellent anti-bacterial properties, is effective in treating itchy scalp caused by scalp acne, scalp rashes, scalp pimples, and scalp sores.

Coconut oil by itself is proven to be a natural moisturizer. It relieves dryness and associated itching.

Plus, it’s proven that the Lauric Acid in Coconut Oil Can Kill Bacteria, Viruses, and Fungi.

2. Neem oil, Tea Tree Oil, Rosemary Oil, and Lavender Oil – Mix a few drops of all oils into 2 tbsp coconut/olive oil and massage your scalp with it.

Rinse with room-temperature water after 20 minutes.

Note: Some people can get an allergic reaction to Tea Tree Oil, so test it first (on your arm, for example) to see that you are not allergic before you use it on your scalp.

 Best Organic Tea Tree Shampoos

If you’re not likely to make your own essential oils treatment, I can recommend two all-natural dry scalp shampoos that contain these ingredients (and more) and are toxin-free.

My favorite all-natural shampoo for dry and itchy scalp is Avalon Organics scalp normalizing shampoo, which is fortified with tea tree, mint, eucalyptus, and chamomile and is PH balanced.

3. Baking Soda (Plus Apple Cider Vinegar Rinse)

Baking soda is another effective and fast way to relieve scalp itching.

Mix 1 tbsp baking soda with some coconut/olive oil to make a paste and massage it onto your scalp.

Leave for at least 20 minutes and rinse.

Baking soda is especially effective for dry hair and itchy scalp caused by product build-up.

It will clean your scalp effectively without harsh chemicals and balance the PH of your scalp.

Also, baking soda is a proven anti-fungal.

To balance the scalp PH after the baking soda treatment, follow with an ACV (apple cider vinegar) rinse.

You can either use 2 tbsp of ACV diluted in a cup of water or get this supercharged ACV Rinse

Don’t worry, you won’t get “the vinegar stink” because the smell will disappear once your hair is dry.

4. Aloe Vera Gel

You’ve probably guessed this one by yourself. Aloe Vera has had its place in the skin treatment hall of fame for decades.

Aloe Vera is a natural moisturizer, which relieves dry skin and itching anywhere on your body.

Aloe Vera is like the hair care equivalent of a tall glass of water for a thirsty plant. It helps to moisturize and soothe dry, itchy scalps, leaving them feeling refreshed and rejuvenated. 

If you can’t get Aloe Leaves, get a 100% natural Aloe Vera gel.

See the benefits of Aloe Vera on the face overnight!

How to Use

1. Use pure gel: Opt for pure, organic aloe vera gel. You can buy it pre-made or extract it from a fresh aloe vera leaf yourself.

2. Gently massage the gel into your scalp, focusing on areas that itch the most. Apply a light coating to your hair strands as well for added moisture.

3. Allow the gel to sit on your scalp and hair for 20-30 minutes. You can cover your hair with a shower cap to prevent dripping.

4. Rinse the gel thoroughly with lukewarm water. Follow up with a gentle shampoo to remove any residue.

Repeat this process 2-3 times a week for optimal results.

Pro Tip

Freshness matters: Fresh aloe vera gel is best, but store-bought aloe vera gel works too. Choose one with a high percentage of aloe vera and minimal added ingredients.

Combine with oil (optional): For extra moisture, consider mixing a few drops of carrier oil like jojoba or castor oil with the aloe vera gel before applying.

5. Foods for Dry & Itchy Scalp

One of the more obvious causes of chronic dandruff and/or dry scalp is vitamin and mineral deficiencies.

Try to eat more of the following foods, to increase your intake of zinc, Vitamin A, B vitamins, and Omega 3 Fatty Acids:

• Eggs, sweet potatoes, carrots, papaya (Vitamin A).
• Whole grains, dark leafy vegetables (B Vitamins)
• Wild Salmon, Chia Seeds, Flax Seeds (Essential Fatty Acids)
• Nuts, seafood (radiation & heavy-metal free), spinach, pumpkin seeds (Zinc).

6. Hair Brushing

Brushing your hair at least once a day is highly important.

But:

Only with the right kind of comb.

A wooden comb is known to help you treat scalp itches and hair loss as it improves blood circulation to your scalp and the static created is minimal. Preferably go for a wide-toothed wooden comb.

How to Treat Scalp Eczema Naturally

Through my experience, the fastest way to heal scalp eczema naturally is:

1. Coconut oil – a thin layer of coconut oil applied to the affected area helps relieve eczema itching and pain.
2. Magnesium oil – for me, rubbing some Magnesium oil on the scalp can help heal eczema flares much quicker.
3. Probiotics – a high-quality probiotics supplement seems to make a great difference in skin health, and most of us do not consume enough of these helpful bacteria in our diet.

What Causes Dry and Itchy Scalp?

Neither home remedies nor harsh medication can prevent your scalp from becoming dry, flaky, and itchy again – if you don’t eliminate the root cause. Agreed?

Some of the most common causes of dry scalp are:

1. Seborrheic dermatitis (or seborrhea): this common skin condition causes redness, itching, and flaking, anywhere on your body.

When it affects the scalp, it’s called dandruff.

Conventional doctors will tell you that the reason for it is unknown, but with some common sense, you’ll quickly realize that your food and lifestyle choices have everything to do with it.

2. A yeast-like fungus (Malassezia) – Malassezia happily lives on the scalps of most adults, but for some, it causes irritation and the over-growth of skin cells.

The extra skin dies and falls off, making them appear white and flaky.

Again, modern medicine suggests the cause is unknown, but I’ve done some research and discovered it has everything to do with the PH of your scalp.

Problems with fungi (and bacteria) are likely caused by your scalp being too alkali.

This happens when you use hair products that remove the acidic sebum protecting your scalp against fungi and bacteria.

3. Scalp psoriasis – Psoriasis can cause dandruff-like itching and flaking.

Psoriasis is an auto-immune disease that triggers too many skin cells to grow anywhere on your body, including your scalp.

4. Eczema – though more common in babies and children, Eczema can affect adults too.

The cause is “unknown”, but again – diet changes and eliminating food allergies and sensitivities can completely eradicate eczema.

(Btw, both eczema and scalp psoriasis are highly affected by your stress levels.)

5. Sensitivity to hair care products (contact dermatitis) – some of us can be sensitive to poison-filled industrial hair products (go figure).

Harsh chemicals in most hair products,  (SLS, parabens) can cause an allergic reaction.

The minute your skin is not exposed to them anymore – poof – bye-bye itchy scalp.

Hair products may not be the only culprit.

For example:

I have a friend who discovered that her dry scalp was caused by her Tempurpedic pillow.

She changed her pillow and her problem disappeared in 2 days.

6. Poor Diet – vitamins and minerals deficiency can cause all of the above, and your scalp and hair are usually the first to show the tell-tale signs of a poor diet.

If your diet lacks foods high in zinc, B vitamins, or certain types of fats, you may be more likely to have dandruff.

7. Lifestyle Habits – repeated chemical hair treatments like permanent color, relaxers, and keratin treatments can sap your scalp of moisture.

Another cause can be a daily blow-drying habit, especially with excessive heat.

Bonus Tips: Prevent Dry and Itchy Scalp 

1. Avoid any kind of industrial hair products. The internet is exploding with simple and fabulous homemade versions of all hair products.

For example, here’s how to make an all-natural hair spray at home from ThankYourBody.com

2. Avoid synthetic hair dyes. Fortunately, more than a few natural ways to color your hair exist. Some of them are the coffee dye, the henna dye, and the chamomile hair brightening method.

3. Examine everything that comes in contact with your hair and scalp. Your dry scalp may be caused by your pillow, your pillowcase or anything that touches your hair.

4. If you suffer from eczema, try an elimination diet to figure out your food sensitivities or eliminate them.

This concludes my top recommendation for dry and itchy scalp relief.

Remember, topical solutions, while effective, are not enough. If you suffer from chronic dandruff / dry and itchy scalp, make sure to find the root cause and treat it accordingly.

Come back and tell me how these remedies worked for you, I’m itching to know!:)

To your health and happiness,

Meital