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 to 3 weeks

DANDRUFF SHAMPOO

You can’t grab just any old moisturizing shampoo to clear up flakes and itching, because true dandruff isn’t caused by dry skin—it’s due to a yeast we all have on our scalps that overgrows in dandruff sufferers, which makes the skin cells shed too fast. “To stop the yeast growth, you need a shampoo that contains either pyrithione zinc or selenium sulfide,” says Joshua Zeichner, M.D., director of cosmetic and clinical dermatology at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City. “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 dandruff 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 dandruff under control.” To make sure hair stays nourished through the frequent washings, choose a hydrating dandruff shampoo, such as Dove DermaCare Scalp Pure Daily Care Shampoo ($4.99, at drugstores).

FOR A QUICK FIX: Whether or not you color your hair, a few mists of a temporary root touch-up spray in a shade close to your hair’s color will hide white flakes. Try Rita Hazan Root Concealer Touch-Up Spray ($25, ritahazan.com). 

1 month 

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