Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Grooming

The Manual may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site.

The Best Dandruff Shampoo for Men to Eliminate White Flakes

John Jones
By
Man brushing away dandruff from his black shirt.
powerofforever / Getty

It’s getting to be that time of year when we might not mind seeing some white flakes drifting around … as long as they aren’t the kind that drifts down onto our black sport coat, navy sweater, or any other dark clothing that serves as a flashing sign that says “Look world! I have dandruff!”

So, What Is Dandruff Anyway? 

The simple answer: Dead skin that flakes off your scalp. The more complicated version of the answer is that Seborrheic dermatitis, as dandruff is known scientifically, can happen any time of year and for any number of reasons. If we take a deeper, more scientific dive, we learn that there is a microbe present on everyone’s scalp called Malassezia globosa. It turns out that fully half of us humans are sensitive to it. As the microbe breaks down the sebum hidden on your noggin, it produces oleic acid, which irritates your scalp and starts a chain reaction of bad things that results in your friends brushing off your clothes. (For a more in-depth — and partly animated — explanation, check out this video from Head & Shoulders featuring science vlogger Derek Muller, of the Veritasium vlog. It gets into genetics, treatment…and how we share dandruff with the dinosaurs!)

Recommended Videos

If you’re a man experiencing the horror of dandruff, don’t fret. There are shampoos designed to treat dandruff for just about every type of itchy head, utilizing chemicals that help fight back the conditions leading to an itchy scalp and a personal blizzard. Here we’ve gathered some of the best dandruff shampoos that are easily available over the counter, for you to look calm, cool, and flake-free.

Related

Read more: Best Shampoos

Best Dandruff Shampoos

American Crew Anti-Dandruff Plus Sebum Control Shampoo

American Crew Anti-Dandruff Plus Sebum Control Shampoo in 250 mL.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

If you’re already an American Crew fan for their styling products, shaving and beard care range, or even fragrances, it’s great to know that they have a great dandruff shampoo, too. Besides addressing the problem at its (ahem) roots, the shampoo also enhances hair strength, repairs damage, adds volume, and packs a one-two punch in that it also conditions hair with each use.

Recipe For Men Anti-Dandruff Shampoo

Recipe For Men Anti-Dandruff Shampoo that kills dandruff and relieves itching.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

This rich and potent anti-dandruff shampoo is the latest addition to the Swedish brand Recipe For Men. Its winning ingredient, piroctone olamine, is an anti-fungal agent that fights the yeast that actually makes dandruff atop that head of yours. Add to that an exhilarating tingly peppermint oil that cools and soothes the scalp and you have a head that looks as good as it feels. For extra relief, follow up with their Anti-Dandruff Cooling Tonic.

Sachajuan Scalp Shampoo

Sachajuan Scalp Shampoo provides professional hair care.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Another shampoo with piroctone olamine, which works in tandem with climbazole — an anti-fungal agent for dandruff and eczema — this option from Sachajuan removes dandruff with ease. That’s not all when it comes to scalp health either. Rosemary oil, menthol, salicylic acid, and ginger extract soothe irritated, rubescent scalp to help maintain a healthy moisture balance. After washing, use a conditioner to hydrate, smooth, or add thickness to hair.

Head & Shoulders Full & Thick 2-in-1 For Men

Head & Shoulders Full & Thick 2-in-1 For Men provides full and thick hair with daily use.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

We can go no further without mentioning the granddaddy of all dandruff shampoos, Head & Shoulders. The product first launched in 1961 and has been saving reputations ever since. Now a full suite of products for both men and women, you can find Head & Shoulders in various combinations and fragrances, including collabs with another iconic men’s brand, Old Spice. Of course, because we know you like to save time in the morning, we like this 2-in-1 product that includes, of course, dandruff-tackling ingredients, as well as conditioner.

Neutrogena T/Gel Therapeutic Shampoo Extra Strength

Neutrogena T/Gel Therapeutic Shampoo Extra Strength that controls redness, intense itching, and flaking of severe scalp conditions.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Another of the OG dandruff treatments that still competes with the new guys, T/Gel tingles and smells medicinal, but in a good way! The scent of this extra-strength formula says, “I’m not here for games, I’m here to work.” Coal tar, the star ingredient in this molasses-hued head wash is shown to control a flaky, itchy scalp hours after it’s been rinsed out, which means those are hours you can go without being worried about flakes falling. It’s also the number one dandruff shampoo recommended by dermatologists. Guys, if you’re looking for a bang for your buck, you found it.

Davines Purifying Shampoo

Davines Purifying Shampoo is a shampoo for scalp with oily or dry dandruff.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Yes, there are a lot of great dandruff shampoos out there, but sometimes you have to break out the big guns. This detoxifying, purifying shampoo from Davines fights microbial attacks and dandruff with selenium sulfide and dandelion root, establishing the optimal environment for hair growth. For an intense treatment, lather up and leave on for a few minutes two times a week for three weeks. After that, to keep that healthy scalp healthy, use once a week and follow with a good conditioning treatment.

Botany Tee Tree Oil Scalp Shampoo 

Botany Tee Tree Oil Scalp Shampoo is is a professional haircare that cleanses dandruff and relieves stubborn itch.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

With a name like First Botany, of course, the company is dedicated to natural and healthy skincare. This shampoo soothes and treats the scalp while taking advantage of tea tree oil’s antibacterial and antifungal properties. Plus, the fresh scent will make shampoo time into spa time. Great for all hair types, First Botany removes excess buildup, while it strengthens, and supports natural hair growth.

Another way to battle dandruff is to make sure you use a great conditioner. Check out our selection of the best conditioners right here.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
John Jones
John Jones
Contributor
John Jones is a Jersey City, New Jersey-based writer who enjoys covering design in all its forms, from fashion to…
The best beard balms to tame, hydrate, and shape your whiskers
Treat your beard to one of these amazing beard balms right now
A pair of hands using beard balm.

It is of the utmost importance to focus on maintaining your physical appearance, whether you’re working at home or relaxing by the fireplace, and that's especially true if you've got a beard to take care of (trust us); he who cares wins. That would mean being armed with a full suite of the best men’s grooming essentials, specifically beard oil and balm.

Many of the best beard products cater to every beard type and length, but arguably the most versatile of them all is the beard balm -- an all-in-one conditioning product that is specifically designed to help tame, hydrate, and help shape and sculpt your luscious facial whiskers. If you’re on the lookout for the right one for your bearded needs, we’ve rounded up the best beard balms for men -- all containing the highest quality ingredients that help keep your beard soft and hydrated and have a great sheen no matter what the weather. These are our top picks for the best balms to tame your facial mane right now.

Read more
The best beard brushes: Our top picks for achieving the perfect look
The 6 best beard brushes for taming your whiskers in 2023
beard brush

Beards are a great sense of personal style so long as you keep up with the regular maintenance of it. If you have had one for a while you’re probably well-acquainted with the tools of the trade, from nourishing beard conditioners to beard balms and beard oils. If you sport longer facial hair, or if your whiskers are growing longer than you anticipated, there’s another essential tool you need in your grooming arsenal: a high-quality beard brush.

The best beard brushes can help you in multiple ways from taming lengthy beards, reducing irritation and beard itch, and adding a bit more style and polish to unruly facial hair. While high-quality beard combs are helpful in their own right, longer beards require a brush. The ideal beard brush features a wooden base or handle with bristles crafted from the finest materials like boar hair, as you need dense bristle materials to work through disheveled facial hair, all the better to slowly but surely soften your beard as you brush.

Read more
The best short beard styles for men: Find the perfect look
Which short beard style is right for you?
Guy with a beard.

The art of growing and caring for your facial hair comes down to personal preference and, yes, arming yourself with the proper grooming knowledge -- particularly when it comes to the best short beard styles for men as not everyone can successfully rock the burly lumberjack look. It seems that over the past few years, more guys have been exploring tips on how to grow a beard, either for the first time or with a renewed interest after going clean-shaven for years.

That, naturally, has led to a boom in guys appearing on Zoom calls and in-person meetings with facial hair where perhaps, there once was none outside of the month of November for no shave or Movember. After all, if Hollywood's leading men can rock facial hair for years, on and off the red carpet, why can't well-dressed guys everywhere do the same by trying out one of the best men's beard styles? Of course, it's simply not as easy as letting your facial hair run amok: A long, ZZ Top-esque beard simply isn't going to work for everyone, which is what makes short beard styles for men so appealing.

Read more