Q. When I was young I had an ongoing dandruff problem. This was about 45 years ago.
My uncle was a barber, and he told me to use the old brown Listerine. I have used it ever since, every time I wash my hair, and have never had another problem with dandruff. It works.
A. Thanks for the tip. Many other readers agree that old-fashioned Listerine can help fight flakes and itching on the scalp. That may be because the alcohol and herbal oils (such as thymol and eucalyptol) in Listerine have anti-fungal properties. Since dandruff is caused by yeast (a type of fungus), it is not that surprising that this mouthwash might be beneficial.
Although the makers of Listerine used to advertise it for “infectious” dandruff, the FDA no longer permits this claim. Nevertheless, rinsing with Listerine (or a generic house brand equivalent) seems like a cost-effective tactic for discouraging dandruff.
