Does Apple Cider Vinegar Cure Dandruff?

When I was pregnant with my daughter, I developed a really bad dandruff problem.  I tried several anti-dandruff shampoos on the shelf (Garnier Fructis, Head and Shoulders, etc).  I even tried this really strong anti-dandruff shampoo that I bought from a hair salon. It burned my scalp but didn't cure my dandruff.  Every time I used a different product, the dandruff had returned by the third time I washed my hair.  It was as if I became immune to each product with continued use.  My sister, who is also natural, suggested that I try apple cider vinegar so I did.

I decided that I was going to just take a week and wash my hair every other day to try to cure my dandruff problem once for all.  It was a risk considering that my hair has a tendency to get really dry. Normally, I only wash my hair every two weeks.  I figured that was something that I would have to risk if I wanted to get rid of this irritatingly stubborn dandruff.

So I took a 16 oz bottle of water, poured out 4oz of water, and replaced it with 4oz of apple cider.  I got the organic kind.  I was told that it was best to get the kind that looked smoky because it is much more concentrated than the clear kind.  Instead of shampooing, I poured the apple cider onto my scalp and let it sit for 5 minutes before conditioning. After applying a leave-in conditioner, I let my hair air dry. My hair had extreme shrinkage to the point that people asked me if I got a hair cut.  On top of that, it was very dry and lumpy.  There was no shaping or styling.  I couldn't even use a pick in my hair. It was that dry.

I put up with it because I thought that's what I needed to cure my dandruff. So, two days later, I used the apple cider again. Big mistake. My hair felt horribly dry and hard; the worst it has ever felt. It was just done and it looked like it as well.  That became the last time I used the apple cider.  Did it work? Well, the dandruff had returned by my next wash two weeks later. Boo.  I thought that maybe it's just what my grandmother used to call "growing dandruff."  You know, dandruff caused by rapid hair growth if there is a such a thing.   I ended up giving up on trying to cure my dandruff problem and came to grips with it just being something that I would have to put up with.


That was...until I discovered henna.  Unbeknownst to me, henna treats dandruff and after 2 uses, I noticed that my dandruff problem has been drastically reduced.  In fact, I think that with one more henna treatment, I will be completely cured.  Finally. So does apple cider cure dandruff? Maybe with continued use.  Maybe it would be better to add it to a conditioner in order to prevent excessive dryness.