The winter can be a rough time of year for our bodies. The cold, dry air robs moisture from our skin, leaving us with chapped lips, sandpapery hands and, worse still, flaky scalps. Given the top cause of dandruff is dry skin, our heads are more susceptible to producing embarrassing snowstorms when the weather turns cold.

Before you spring for anti-dandruff shampoos and treatments, there are a few lifestyle factors that could be causing the scalp to shed. According to How to Treat Dandruff, high stress levels, certain hair products and not washing your hair frequently enough (although you want to avoid washing it too much, thereby stripping the natural oils from the hair) may dry out the skin. The Mayo Clinic also recommends popping some extra zinc, vitamin B and essential fatty acids to help lubricate the scalp.

The hair-washing aspect can be a bit confusing, however, since both excessively oily and dry skin can lead to dandruff. If you don’t wash often enough, the sebum (hair oil) and dead skin cells will overcrowd the hair follicles and slough off. Not sure how often is too often? Unfortunately, there’s no blanket recommendation since everyone’s hair is different, but as this NPR story notes, you probably don’t need to do it every day.

Still flaky? You might also consider an oil treatment to deliver moisture directly to the scalp. HowStuffWorks has a handy how-to for that here. And speaking of oil, if you’re dandruff-prone, look out for shampoos and conditioners with jojoba oil. The natural oil, extracted from a native Arizona shrub, can cleanse your coif and remove those pesky flakes.
In more extreme cases, specialized anti-dandruff treatments may be necessary. But check out the ingredients before you buy, as the formulas are engineered for different types of dandruff. For example, people with chemically-treated hair should probably stay away from shampoos with selenium sulfide, as it can lighten hair shades over time, and salicylic acid might dry out the scalp.

More hair help from HowStuffWorks:
10 Home Remedies for Dandruff
How to Treat Dandruff
How Scalp Treatments Work
How often should you wash your hair?