If you’ve dealt with chronic dandruff, you already know it doesn’t behave randomly. It follows patterns, though not always obvious ones. Most people try to treat it with stronger products, switching from one anti-dandruff shampoo to another, hoping something sticks. What gets overlooked is the real question: what is actually triggering your flakes, itch or irritation?
Dandruff isn’t a one size fits all problem. It shows up when the scalp environment becomes unstable. For some people that instability is caused by over-washing. For others it’s stress, sleep, food or hormone shifts. Many don’t realise that the products they use daily, including shampoos, conditioners and styling creams, can quietly disrupt scalp pH, weaken the scalp barrier, or alter the microbiome balance. The result is a more reactive, less tolerant scalp.
Triggers often show up in clusters. A stressful week followed by a new product. Poor sleep combined with a few processed meals. Most people only notice the flakes. They don’t track the chain reaction that came before. This is where observation matters more than escalation.
One of the most effective ways to uncover dandruff triggers is to reduce the number of variables and observe what changes. Keep the routine boring. Use the same shampoo. Don’t add five new products and a supplement stack in the same week. This might feel slow but it’s how real patterns emerge. Your scalp care routine should reflect your findings, not guesswork.
One trigger group that’s often overlooked: food
The Victory Serums Pathway -12 Weeks to Scalp Health identifies five food groups that often show up in people with persistent gut, skin and scalp issues:
- Processed foods
- Sugar
- Dairy
- Gluten
- Processed fats
For me, processed foods and sugar were the consistent triggers. During my 12 week tracking process, I noticed a clear pattern. When I reintroduced these foods, I could feel the change in my scalp within fifteen minutes. It wasn’t dramatic but it was reliable and nothing I had ever felt before. That experience made it clear that these two foods in my diet play a meaningful role in how my scalp behaves. For reference re-introducing the other foods had no noticeable impact at all and are a part of my normal diet.
The point isn’t to cut everything
Your triggers might be different. For some it’s washing frequency. For others it’s heat, hormones or product rotation. The Victory Serums Pathway helps you observe and track these changes over time so you can see the patterns for yourself.
This isn’t about achieving perfection or fixing your scalp in a week. It’s about reducing the noise so you can see what matters. The goal is to remove what destabilises your scalp so you don’t have to live in a constant cycle of reaction.
If you want long term scalp stability, this is where it begins. With observation. With restraint. And with clarity about what’s affecting your scalp, not someone else’s.
Matt Heron - Victory Serums Founder
