When looking for a shampoo, Dr. French recommends ones containing ketoconazole, selenium sulfide, and pyrithione zinc. It’s important to note that some shampoos can be very drying, which can create brittle hair prone to breakage. So, if you run into this issue after using any of these recommended shampoo options, make sure to use a moisturizing conditioner afterward.
We researched dozens of shampoos for seborrheic dermatitis and evaluated them for active ingredients, cost, size, scent, and packaging. Each of the shampoos for seborrheic dermatitis chosen in this article was determined to be the best of these factors.
Below, you’ll find the best shampoos for seborrheic dermatitis on the market today.
To see the best results, it’s recommended to use this shampoo every three to four days for up to eight weeks and to leave it on for five to 15 minutes before rinsing it off.
Price at time of publication: $16
If you use this shampoo at least three times a week, the occurrence of flaking, scaling, and itching should be significantly reduced.
Price at time of publication: $10
What’s extra nice about this particular shampoo is that it doesn’t have the unpleasant smell of medicated dandruff shampoos, but is light and soothing. For the best results, use it at least three days a week.
Price at time of publication: $57
Price at time of publication: $27
It’s hard to know whether most dandruff shampoos are working, but this one from Briogeo clues you in by actually cooling your scalp with soothing tea tree oil that also works hard to eliminate flakes. When using the shampoo, make sure to massage it into the scalp and all the way through your ends for the best results.
Price at time of publication: $42
This formula is virtually free of any harmful ingredients: no fragrance, dye, alcohol, parabens, sulfates, or BPA. Results start to show after one or two washes, but most parents will start to see significant improvement with their child’s skin after one to two weeks of consecutive use.
Price at time of publication: $13
Price at time of publication: $46
Price at time of publication: $14
If you’re still suffering from seborrheic dermatitis after trying OTC shampoos, make an appointment with a dermatologist. They may be able to prescribe you a shampoo with a higher formulation of antifungals or even a topical steroid treatment to reduce your symptoms.
4.5 to 4.7 stars: These shampoos for seborrheic dermatitis are excellent—they might have minor flaws, but we still recommend them.
4.0 to 4.5 stars: We think these are great shampoos for seborrheic dermatitis, but others are better.
3.5 to 3.9 stars: These shampoos for seborrheic dermatitis are just average.
3.4 and below: We don’t recommend shampoos for seborrheic dermatitis with this rating; you won’t find any on our list.
“Tea tree oil gets a lot of airplay for seborrheic dermatitis, but the antifungal agents are much more effective,” says San Francisco-based board-certified dermatologist Dr. Caren Campbell, M.D., “and coconut oil doesn’t help [because] oil-based products only increase the oil-rich environment the yeast already likes to grow in.”
Here are some of the ingredients you should look for when shopping for an antifungal shampoo:
Zinc Pyrithione: Zinc pyrithione is an antimicrobial that is often listed as the active ingredient in OTC dandruff shampoos. Because zinc has powerful antifungal properties, it’s good at killing yeast overgrowth. It may also be available as a cream and is often recommended for daily use. Selenium Sulfide: Selenium sulfide is an antifungal that can slow down the overgrowth of yeast on your scalp and skin. Some products contain both selenium sulfide and zinc pyrithione. It can be a little harsher than zinc pyrithione, though, so it’s best to start slow by using the product only a couple of times per week at first (then building up from there), keeping an eye out for skin irritation. Ketoconazole: This antifungal has more uses than some of the other antifungals on this list, and can be prescribed to treat everything from athlete’s foot to tinea versicolor to ringworm. You can find this ingredient in a popular OTC shampoo called Nizoral, but it’s more often administered in a prescription topical cream. If you do opt for the shampoo, make sure to follow the directions on the packaging; it’s usually recommended that you only use it twice per week or every three days on the scalp. Salicylic Acid: Joshua Zeichner, M. D. , associate professor of dermatology at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City, says that if your seborrheic dermatitis consists of thick crust or patchy scales, it can help to choose a shampoo with salicylic acid. This beta-hydroxy acid removes the dead cells that build up on the surface of the skin, forming unsightly, stubborn, and itchy patches of scaly or flaky skin.
Hydrating
Since seborrheic dermatitis itself can be drying to your skin, by the time you start applying an antifungal treatment, your skin could be in need of some extra hydration. Choose a shampoo that is designed for daily use so that you’re not stripping your skin of too many of its natural oils or even one that’s made with moisturizers to replenish some of the oils washed away during the cleansing treatment.
FYI: If you’re using the product on your scalp (as a dual-purpose shampoo and dandruff treatment), you should follow up with an antifungal conditioner, too.
“Make sure to use a dandruff conditioner along with your dandruff shampoo,” says Dr. Zeichner, “otherwise a regular conditioner may wash away the active ingredient that has been deposited on the skin.”
OTC or Prescription
Dr. Zeichner says that over-the-counter products are often all that is needed to combat seborrheic dermatitis, so drugstore shampoos are probably the best place to start. But if your condition is moderate to severe or you’re finding that OTC products aren’t giving you the results you want, Dr. Campbell says not to hesitate to schedule an appointment with a dermatologist for something stronger.
“Prescription-strength shampoos contain antifungal agents at higher concentrations or anti-inflammatory agents like steroids that help calm the [allergic reaction] from the yeast,” she explains, noting that her personal favorite treatment for seborrheic dermatitis is a prescription-strength antifungal shampoo and a topical steroid solution.
Why Trust Verywell Health
Having been raised by two medical professionals, Amari Pollard understands the importance of health literacy. As a seasoned health writer, she is committed to producing well-researched and well-sourced product reviews to help people make informed medical decisions.
It’s a good idea to check the directions on the bottle of shampoo you choose to treat your seborrheic dermatitis. It will tell you how often you should use the product for best results. If you’re unsure about your specific hair and scalp texture and how it will react to a new shampoo, ask your dermatologist for guidance.
Additional reporting for this story by Sarah Bradley
