It is not only your skin that is prone to fungus and bacteria but your hair and scalp are also susceptible to these infections. Fungus or bacteria can enter the scalp through follicles or damaged hair. This infection can also spread from your hair to your skin, causing skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis.
The 5 Best Selling Antibacterial Shampoos:
Below you can find the 5 best selling antibacterial shampoos currently available for sale on Amazon.com
The 5 Best Antibacterial Shampoos:
1. Maple Holistics Tea Tree Oil Shampoo
Dandruff, dry scalps and infected skin are a hair nightmare. Well, gone are the days you must bite your lip and ignore it. This organic shampoo from Maple Holistics heals irritated skin.
The tea tree oil hydrates your hair and its antibacterial properties target dryness and gets rid of those pesky dandruff flakes and infections. It has added Rosemary & Lavender oil to heal and repair, and argan oil to moisturize. A great antifungal & antibacterial option that doesn’t leave your hair even drier.
2. Nizoral Anti-Dandruff shampoo
We’re leaving this recommendation to the experts. The Nizoral shampoo is praised by dermatologists for its antibacterial formula that treats itchy and dandruff-prone scalps.
This product is bestselling for a reason. Its key ingredient Ketoconazole gets quick results by relieving itching fast and treating the underlying problem. No more focusing on only the symptoms and not the cause! It’s also the best shampoo for treating ringworm. Whatever your hair type, this one could be a lifesaver.
3. Healthy Hair Plus Anti-Bacterial Shampoo
You don’t have to skimp on hydration because you’re using an antibacterial shampoo. This product from Healthy Hair Plus contains emu oil, an anti-inflammatory and healing ingredient. Excellent for dry scalps or fungal infections.
It will make your hair feel nourished with the addition of coconut oil and grapefruit seed extract. So, don’t worry about drying your hair out. Irritated and swollen scalps will be a thing of the past and your hair will feel clean and refreshed.
4. CLn Shampoo
Even oily scalps can get flaky. So, if you do have normal or oily hair, this one goes out to you. Created by dermatologists, it treats folliculitis and dandruff using salicylic acid.
It can be used up to 3 times a week to deliver the best results and banishes dead skin cells. Hair will be left looking healthy, smooth, and fresh. It’s suitable for sensitive skin too and won’t leave you irritated. So, you can live your best life dry scalp and infection-free.
5. Alpecin Dandruff Killer Shampoo
Both antifungal and antibacterial, the Alpecin Shampoo can be used every day to soothe and smooth your scalp. What’s its secret? Zinc ions, salicylic acid, and allantoin work together to produce this amazing product that will restore your hair and scalp to its glory. It leaves a refreshing feeling that heals and protects, so you can rest assured your hair is in good hands. Don’t sleep on this one!
The 5 Best Selling Antibacterial Shampoos:
Looking for the best antibacterial shampoo? We’ve got you covered with our top 5 list of the best antibacterial shampoos currently for sale online: Scroll further down for our full antibacterial shampoo buyers guide.
Types of Hair / Scalp Infections and Their Symptoms
The most common bacterial infections are folliculitis and impetigo. Folliculitis is an inflammation of the hair follicles and is caused by damaged follicles. Hair follicles are small, tunnel-shaped structures in the outer layer of your skin.
According to the American Academy of Dermatology, the average human has about 100,000 hair follicles on the scalp alone. Folliculitis is characterized by itchy, red bumpy rings around the follicles on the scalp. These bumps can be red, white or yellow and can contain pus can be caused due to the following reasons:
- Shaving or plucking hair from the scalp
- Frequently touching the scalp
- Wearing tight headgear
- Having hot, damp skin for an extended period of time
Impetigo is a highly contagious, common skin infection that mostly affects children. This bacteria mostly affects the face but can cause scalp infections as well if it enters through damaged skin.
Impetigo can also be caused by a bacteria called Streptococcus and can spread through personal skin contact, sneezing, coughing or touching items. Signs and symptoms of this condition include red sores on the skin and leave a yellowish-brown crust once they deflate. They can also cause large, fluid-filled blisters that break open and leave itchy and painful sores.
The most widely known scalp fungal infection is ringworm. This is contagious and is spread via direct skin contact with humans or animals or indirectly from contaminated floors. Shared showers or towels and changing rooms are often places from which you can catch ringworm.
We often shed skin without our knowledge and these could contain fungal infections that can be spread easily. People with compromised immune systems are also at a higher risk of contracting ringworm. The infection starts with a small pimple and spreads in the scalp, eventually leaving a scaly, hairless patch.
This infected hair becomes damaged and brittle and breaks very easily. Symptoms of ringworm include blisters or ulcers on the skin, redness, pain, and warmth around the infected area.
How Antibacterial Shampoo Works
What anti-bacterial shampoos do for these conditions is to get rid of the infections and fungus and bring harmony to the skin and hair system. Some anti-bacterial products are bacteriostatic while others are bactericidal.
Bactericidal shampoos get rid of infections by invading the cluster and introducing toxics that will cease their existence without harming the hair or scalp. These shampoos also work by declining these germs the nourishment they need to multiply.
The most common ingredient in anti-bacterial shampoos is Salicylic Acid. This acid is highly effective against bacteria and has anti-microbial properties to cleanse the scalp. Salicylic acid is also a powerful agent against Streptococcus.
Other ingredients are Ketoconazole, Emu Oil, Zinc and Selenium. Shampoos with Ketoconazole are used to treat fungal infections while Zinc controls skin irritation. Emu oil is a unique ingredient that targets the root of the hair and is rich in omega 3 and 6. It is known that emu oil is the only ingredient that can bring hair back to its natural 8% moisture rate. Emu oil is
an effective anti-fungal treatment, Emu Oil has natural anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties that strengthen hair while cleansing it as well while Selenium is useful in slowing down the fungal growth.
What one must look for in antibacterial shampoos is ingredients that can calm down irritated skin while ridding the hair and scalp of microbes such as tea tree oil, ginger, neem, apple cider vinegar, argan oil, avocado oil, colloidal silver, etc. These natural ingredients are loaded with anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and anti-inflammatory properties to ensure your hair is nourished and regains health with every use.
Healthy Hair Plus has a great line of products for both bacterial and fungal infections that are suitable for men, women, and children. Their anti-bacterial shampoo includes ingredients such as lemon oil, witch hazel, aloe vera, calendula and Cutipure CLR which will prevent bacterial colonization while improving hair health.
Cutipure CLR was specially developed by Chemishes Laboritorium (CLR) in Germany with strong antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties to help regulate sebum production, reduce the development of pimples and comedones, and helps cleanse toxins while providing nutrients for scalp and hair.
Healthy Hair Plus’ anti-fungal shampoo contains emo oil, coconut oil, jojoba oil and grape seed extract which regulates sebum balance and stimulates hair growth. Coconut oil contains caprylic acid which has anti-viral, anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties in addition to fatty acids that work efficiently against fungus. These products are also DEA, TEA and Paraben free.
Other popular brands of antibacterial shampoos include Ovante folliculitis shampoo, phat 5.5 sulfates free shampoo, Cln shampoo for scalp prone to folliculitis, Ultrax Labs hair surge shampoo and Nueva Colonia’s folliculitis shampoo.
Regardless of which brand you choose, it is important to pick a product that fits your hair type and is free of chemicals so as to not further damage your roots and hair. It is also worth noting, that bacterial and fungal infections are serious conditions and need medical help.
Final Thoughts
Depending on the extent of your condition, shampoos alone might not clear your condition and may need oral medication as well. As an added precaution, once diagnosed, disinfect objects that may have touched your scalp such as hats, pillows, towels, and combs so you can prevent re-infection.
This article was last updated on January 4, 2022 .