Best Anti-Dandruff Shampoos in Pakistan 2026: Medicated Picks That Work (With Prices)

Dandruff (sikri) is one of the most common hair problems in Pakistan, and it gets worse every winter when we wash hair less, use hot water and sit by heaters. Most people try a supermarket "anti-dandruff" shampoo, see little change and give up. The fix is usually simple: the right active ingredient, used the right way.

Here's which anti-dandruff shampoo to buy in Pakistan, what each costs, and how to use it.

What causes dandruff?

Dandruff isn't caused by a dirty scalp or a dry scalp. It's mostly caused by a yeast called Malassezia that lives on everyone's scalp and feeds on scalp oil. In some people, the scalp reacts to it by shedding skin cells too quickly, which shows up as white or yellowish flakes and itching. The more severe form, with redness and greasy scales that can spread to the eyebrows and sides of the nose, is called seborrhoeic dermatitis.

Dandruff tends to get worse with:

• Winter, cold dry air and less frequent washing
• Oil left on the scalp for long periods
• Stress and lack of sleep
• Skipping washes, which lets oil and flakes build up

That's why the best treatments are antifungal: they reduce the yeast.

Dandruff or dry scalp?

• Dandruff: larger, oily or yellowish flakes, often with itching, and an oily scalp. Gets better with antifungal shampoo.
• Dry scalp: small, white, dry flakes, the scalp feels tight, and your skin is dry elsewhere too. Gets better with less frequent washing, lukewarm water and a gentle, moisturising shampoo.

If you're not sure, try a ketoconazole shampoo for four weeks. If nothing changes, it may be a dry scalp or another condition.

The ingredients that work

• Ketoconazole 2%: an antifungal and the best-proven anti-dandruff ingredient. Used as a treatment, twice a week. Found in Conaz, Ketopike and Nizoral.
• Selenium sulfide (1% to 2.5%): slows skin shedding and reduces yeast. Strong and effective, but it smells sulphurous and can discolour light, grey or chemically coloured hair. Found in Selsun.
• Zinc pyrithione: a gentler antifungal suitable for regular washing. Found in many Head & Shoulders shampoos.
• Salicylic acid and coal tar: help lift thick scales. Useful for heavy build-up, often alongside an antifungal.

Shampoos that only say "anti-dandruff" with menthol or herbal extracts and no active ingredient on the label won't do much for real dandruff.

The best anti-dandruff shampoos in Pakistan, compared

Conaz 2%: best overall (about Rs 570–800)

A 60ml bottle of 2% ketoconazole shampoo that's one of Daraz's best-selling medicated shampoos. It has the same active ingredient at the same strength as imported Nizoral, at a fraction of the price. Because you only need a small amount on the scalp twice a week, a bottle lasts about a month. Ketopike (about Rs 435) is another local 2% ketoconazole shampoo if Conaz is out of stock.

Selsun 2.5%: strong alternative (about Rs 799)

Selenium sulfide 2.5% works well for an oily scalp and stubborn dandruff, and it's a good switch if ketoconazole stops helping. Rinse it out thoroughly, and skip it if your hair is bleached, highlighted or grey, as it can leave a yellowish tint.

Selsun Blue: easy maintenance (about Rs 480–1,150)

A milder 1% selenium sulfide shampoo you can use more often. Good for mild dandruff or for washes in between ketoconazole treatments.

Head & Shoulders: best for everyday washing (about Rs 700–900)

A gentle zinc pyrithione shampoo for daily or alternate-day washing. On its own it's enough for mild dandruff; for more stubborn flakes, use it on regular wash days and ketoconazole twice a week.

Nizoral: the original, but not worth the price here (about Rs 6,800)

Nizoral is the original ketoconazole shampoo, and it works very well. But in Pakistan the imported 60ml bottle costs about ten times as much as local 2% ketoconazole shampoos with the same active ingredient. There's no reason to pay that.

How to use a medicated dandruff shampoo

Most people rinse medicated shampoo off straight away, and that's why it doesn't work. Here's how:

1. Wet your hair with lukewarm water.
2. Massage a small amount into your scalp, not the lengths. Work it in with your fingertips, not your nails.
3. Leave the lather on for 3 to 5 minutes. This gives the antifungal time to work.
4. Rinse thoroughly. Use your regular shampoo or conditioner on the lengths if they feel dry.
5. Twice a week for four weeks, then once every week or two to keep dandruff from coming back.

Ketoconazole can make hair feel a little dry, so a conditioner on the lengths helps.

Daily habits that help

• Wash hair regularly, two to three times a week at least, more if your scalp is oily.
• Don't leave oil on your scalp for long periods while you have dandruff. Oil only the ends if they're dry; see our guide to the best hair oils in Pakistan.
• Use lukewarm, not hot, water.
• Dry your scalp properly before tying hair up or wearing a scarf or cap.
• Wash pillowcases, combs and caps often.

When to see a doctor

See a doctor or dermatologist if:

• dandruff doesn't improve after four to six weeks of ketoconazole
• your scalp is very red, sore, weeping, or has thick, silvery plaques (which can be psoriasis)
• flaking spreads to your face, ears or chest
• you have patchy hair loss, broken hairs or swollen glands, especially in a child, which can be a fungal scalp infection (ringworm) that needs tablets, not shampoo

For dry, frizzy lengths, add a weekly mask from our guide to the best hair masks in Pakistan.