Flakey in Virginia

Dear Flakey in Virginia,

Dandruff tends to be a chronic condition. This means that it isn't going to go away anytime soon. More importantly, for you, it means that dandruff requires constant and long-term management and control.

It sounds as though you would like to wean yourself off of these shampoos. Unfortunately, the dandruff will come back if not treated with tar, zinc pyrithione, or selenium. What's happening is not necessarily a physically addictive process (if it were addictive, it's more likely to be addictive psychologically); instead, the ingredients in these dandruff shampoos are doing their job---controlling dandruff.

Alice realizes that dandruff shampoos cost more than regular shampoos. If cost is an issue, perhaps you can buy a generic brand -- as long as the active ingredients are the same, the generic shampoos should do the same trick. Or, you could try using the dandruff shampoo every other, or every third, day.

If you're still concerned, you could see a dermatologist. S/he may be able to give you a stronger shampoo that you would only need to use once a week. However, this treatment is typically prescribed for cases that are resistant to the over-the-counter dandruff shampoos that you've been using with success.

At any rate, Alice thinks you don't need to worry about developing an addiction to dandruff shampoos. They are doing the trick of keeping your dandruff under control. As the saying goes -- if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Alice