If you've ever felt stuck in an endless cycle of flakes, itch, and medicated shampoos, you're not alone. For many of us with persistent dandruff, the go-to solution has long been anti-dandruff shampoo – often used daily, for years on end. But what if that very solution is part of the problem? Through my personal journey of 45 years with severe dandruff I hope to explain explain why not using anti-dandruff shampoos was the key to finally getting my scalp under control. This isn’t just anecdotal. It’s grounded in the latest science on the scalp microbiome and supported by expert insights from Ben Eshelby, functional health pharmacist and compound pharmacist formulator behind Victory Serums.
In a recent interview, Ben validated what I had come to suspect after decades of frustration. Here is a LINK to watch that recording in full.
"Controlling dandruff with an off-the-shelf anti-dandruff shampoo, for the rest of your life, is not an acceptable solution."- Matt Heron
Why Anti-Dandruff Shampoos Aren’t a Lasting Solution
For most of my life, I used anti-dandruff shampoos daily. These shampoos gave me temporary relief, but never long-term results. I’d miss a day or two, and the flakes and itchiness were back with a vengeance. This rollercoaster ride eventually led me to question: What exactly are these shampoos doing to my scalp?
Traditional anti-dandruff shampoos are built to fight symptoms. They reduce visible flakes and fungal load, but also:
- Disrupt the natural scalp microbiome. Harsh preservatives and high pH levels wipe out not just harmful fungi but also beneficial microbes. Over time, this leaves your scalp more vulnerable.
- Create dependency. The more you use them, the more you need to use them. Skipping even a couple of days leads to flare-ups. That’s not a solution. That’s a trap.
- Ignore underlying causes. Skin barrier dysfunction, diet, stress, and gut health all play roles in dandruff. Shampoos can’t fix what’s happening beneath the surface.
As Ben explained in our interview, "Most over-the-counter treatments treat the symptom, not the system."
My 45-Year Journey: From Daily Shampoo to Microbiome Reset
I grew up with chronic, severe dandruff. It wasn’t just a bit of flaking – it was inflamed, itchy, and deeply embarrassing. For 45 years, I never left the house without using an anti-dandruff shampoo and never travelled without taking one with me and yet the flakes never truly went away.
Eventually, I decided to take a radical step: I quit anti-dandruff shampoos cold turkey. For 55 days, I applied no treatments at all. No shampoo, no serum, nothing. I documented everything. My scalp went through intense phases – dry flakes, oily buildup, painful redness, thick scales. But I wanted to know: what does my scalp actually do when I stop interfering?
My fringe 15 days after stopping anti-dandruff shampoos: dry, flaky, and irritated.
It was confronting, but illuminating. I saw firsthand how chemically dependent my scalp had become. I had never given it a chance to truly reset.
A Smarter Way: Resetting the Scalp Microbiome
With the support of Ben and his compounding pharmacy team at Formulae, I developed a different approach. One that didn’t aim to suppress symptoms forever but instead rebalanced and supported the scalp. This set of products became Victory Serums Dandruff Control Suite.
The method was simple:
- Relatively short intensive treatment using a microbiome-friendly serum and shampoo designed to restore balance, not just kill microbes.
- A low-frequency maintenance plan with a conditioning shampoo at the right pH, enriched with ingredients that support the skin barrier and beneficial bacteria.
The results were stunning. By Day 3 of the reset phase, I saw visible improvement. By Day 11, my scalp was clear. No flakes. No itching.
My scalp on Day 11 of using Victory Serums: clear, calm, flake, oil and irritation free.
But the best part? I went from using 30ml of shampoo every single week for decades... to just 4 ml (2 ml x 2 times) per week.
Beyond the Scalp: The Gut-Skin Connection
After resetting and rebalancing my scalp, I still wanted to understand the deeper "why." So I took a gut microbiome test. The results showed dysbiosis and inflammation markers. With Ben’s guidance, I followed a gut repair protocol: removing harmful bacteria, introducing a custom prebiotic, and rebuilding good flora.
As my gut improved, so did my skin. Where previously i reduced form 30 ml of off-the-shelf anti-dandruff shampoo to just 4 ml of Victory Serums a week, after a couple of months with improved gut health I only required 1ml of Victory Serums a week. Thats a 96.7% reduction in dandruff control product per week.
I now believe many chronic dandruff sufferers are dealing with internal imbalances that show up on the scalp.
Ben put it perfectly: "If you can fix the gut, you fix a lot of other things downstream."
Final Thoughts: The Real Victory
Dandruff is not a life sentence. And anti-dandruff shampoos are not the only answer – especially if you’ve been stuck using them for years, just suppressing symptoms. For me, true relief came from stepping away from daily treatment and giving my scalp the tools to heal.
My takeaway - Stop masking symptoms. Start asking deeper questions. Look at your microbiome – both on your scalp and in your gut. Talk to professionals who understand this new science. And most importantly, don’t accept the idea that daily anti-dandruff shampoos are your only path forward.
At Victory Serums minimal use of dandruff control product is the goal. None at all is the VICTORY.
Matt Heron
Founder - Victory Serums