Nizoral Anti-Dandruff Shampoo with 1% Ketoconazole, $28 at Amazon
“I think every guy should have an anti-dandruff shampoo in his rotation,” Hurly says. “Nizoral’s over-the-counter anti-dandruff shampoo has 1% ketoconazole that anyone can just buy.
“The key ingredient here is ketoconazole. What I love about it is not only is it antimicrobial, but of all the ingredients you can get in a shampoo that can actually help prevent hair loss, ketoconazole is the one that has research behind it that suggests even temporary exposure to it can prevent the buildup of DHT, dihydrotestosterone, on your scalp.
“DHT is the thing that can shrivel up your hair follicles and lead to hair loss. Now, you’re not going to treat hair loss with a shampoo. So many shampoos are targeted at hair growth, hair loss, and hair retention, and they’re kind of pulling your leg because no shampoo is going to do more than just wash your scalp. Here’s an active ingredient that fights dandruff while offering some tangential benefits, too.
“It’s a really great clarifier. It’s going to do that sort of every-two-week prevention for flake buildup. I like to say it’s going to prevent you from ever getting to the point where you’re seeing flakes. It’s going to stop you from being like, ‘Oops, I need to do my dandruff shampoo.’”
The catch? Your strands aren’t going to love it as much as your scalp.
Hurly says, “it can be really drying, but if you use your normal conditioner after it, or if you have really short hair, it’s going to be fine. It’s not a shampoo you use daily. I would say every two to three days when you’re actively treating something.”