I live in Europe, and so I can vouch for the excellence of Vichy Dercos, a drugstore dandruff line that’s been the number-one dermatologist-recommended shampoo over here, going head to head with top-sellers like Head and Shoulders, Nizoral, and the rest. Happily, as of today, the three-step dandruff-fighting system—a shampoo, conditioner, and serum—can be snagged stateside, as well.
As a foot-on-the-ground visa-toting resident, with an oily and flake-prone scalp, I can attest that this ‘poo is a mainstay in the pharmacies in my neighborhoods in Germany and Portugal for the past 7 years—and it works fabulously. The shampoo combines two key active ingredients in anti-dandruff rinses: Selenium sulfide and salicylic acid.
Selenium sulfide is the same key anti-fungal in most Selsun Blue shampoos if you want a direct competitor in the United States. It kills the microbes that cause dandruff to proliferate on your noggin. The scalp-exfoliating and oil-balancing ingredient salicylic acid helps to slough away flakes by tapping the beta-hydroxy acid. Most shampoos that rely on salicylic acid as the sole key active will deploy 2-3% in their bottles; however in Vichy Dercos the salicylic acid is toned down to 1%, to play a somewhat supportive role to the more aggressive selenium sulfide.
Between us, in addition to lathering up with this shampoo on my scalp, I’ve even used it on my cheeks during bouts of beard flake-age, though I don’t know that you’ll get the brand to endorse as much. Like most dandruff shampoos, you want to limit use, since the active ingredients can be drying for the strands. Unless you’re fighting a particularly gnarly bout of inflammation, itching, or flaking, use it every few days to counter minor issues, and once every couple of weeks as a way to keep problems at bay. Always follow with a good conditioner—or a good moisturizer, if you’re bald up top.
Speaking of conditioners: The one in the line is particularly thoughtful, especially when paired with the shampoo. Few conditioners actually factor the scalp into their equation, which is so funny to me. Most are hyper-fixated on strands, and they leave the scalp to the shampoo. So, for Vichy to craft a conditioner formulated foremost for sensitive scalps (while also countering any dryness or breakage for fragile strands) is a solid move.
