For Best Results, Wait … How Long?

Besides Rome, you know what else wasn’t built in a day? Collagen. Or hair that grows in thicker. But if you stick with proven ingredients for the amount of time experts advise, you’ll see real, long-lasting changes in your skin and hair.

- Lauren Balsamo

2/3 WEEKS DANDRUFF SHAMPOO

You can’t grab just any old moisturising shampoo to clear up flakes and itching, because true dandru isn’t caused by dry skin. It’s due to a yeast we all have on our scalps that overgrows in dandru su erers and makes the skin cells shed too fast. ‘To stop the yeast growth, you need a shampoo that contains either pyrithione zinc or selenium sulphide,’ says dermatologist Dr Joshua Zeichner. ‘Really massage it into your scalp, then let it sit on your head for at least a minute before you rinse.’ You should notice less itching and fewer flakes right after the first use, ‘but it’s important to continue shampooing every day with the formula until your dandru symptoms are gone, which may take up to a month,’ he says. ‘After that, use the shampoo once or twice a week – which may seem like a lot, but it’ll keep dandru under control.’ To make sure hair stays nourished through the frequent washings, choose a hydrating dandru shampoo such as Gill Anti-DandruŒ Shampoo for Dry Scalp (R41,75).

FOR A QUICK FIX:

Whether or not you colour your hair, a few mists of a temporary root touch-up spray in a shade close to your hair’s colour will hide white flakes. Try L’Oréal Paris Instant Root Concealer Spray, available in Brown, Dark Brown, Black, Light Blonde and Dark Blonde (R99,95).

1 MONTH SPOT FADER