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Thread: Scritching Instructions?

  1. #11
    Member whiteisle's Avatar
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    Default Please define "preening" and "scritching".....

    .........and what exactly are the techniques of these two words?

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    ou wrote the question I was going to write I'm wondering too.

  3. #13
    Member Lamb's Avatar
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    "Scritching" means massaging your scalp with your nails/fingertips in order to loosen sebum. Important technique for WOers and SO/NWers who cleanse their scalps that way.

    "Preening" means getting the sebum you've scritched off your scalp down your length, using your fingers.

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    Member hurricane_gia's Avatar
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    I know scritching is a method to relieve sebum build-up on the scalp. It also feels good! I use these instructions (but I use a plastic comb):

    As for preening, I have no idea! I'm looking forward to learning all about it, tho.
    Last edited by Eboshi; June 8th, 2008 at 10:49 AM. Reason: Link removed "She who must not be named"

    July 06 : 21-30 inches, layered . . . Dec 09: 36 inches, still fighting the taper.

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    Member lookingglass's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by rubyredslippers View Post
    This advice has been invaluable to me as well, Silver&Gold--I was just going to post a thread on the same topic.

    I do have one more question though--what's the distinction between needing scritching and having dandruff or scalp flakes caused by some other source? Is there a set amount of days after a wash that mark having a problem?

    Usually I start getting flakes the third day after washing. Is this normal/helathy?
    If you feel like there is build up, gently scritch it off. Sometimes I feel like I need it everyday, and sometimes I can go a whole week without it. I don't think there is any "normal"! Some people, like me, think/thought they had dandruff, but really their scalp was dry/needed scritching/was sensitive to sulfates/ needed less washing...It's just whatever works for you at any given time.

    I use a drugstore plastic comb or a wooden hairfork at the end of the day to scritch. I'd love a horn comb, though. I tend to get too rough with my fingernails, and am afraid there is bacteria in there that my irritate my sensitive scalp.


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    Member hurricane_gia's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Lamb View Post

    "Preening" means getting the sebum you've scritched off your scalp down your length, using your fingers.
    How do you get the sebum down the length of the hair? My sebum comes out grainy, like lots of tiny balls of wax. How do I get them to be absorbed by my hair? When I try to smooth the sebum down the length, it just looks like someone scattered some coarse corn meal on my hair.

    July 06 : 21-30 inches, layered . . . Dec 09: 36 inches, still fighting the taper.

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    Member getoffmyskittle's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by hurricane_gia View Post
    How do you get the sebum down the length of the hair? My sebum comes out grainy, like lots of tiny balls of wax. How do I get them to be absorbed by my hair? When I try to smooth the sebum down the length, it just looks like someone scattered some coarse corn meal on my hair.
    Sounds like sebum + skin flakes, not pure sebum. Mine does that too, sometimes.

    Yum.

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    Member Nevermore's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by wtchmel View Post
    Call me old fashioned, but the only way I can relieve the itches and flakes is by a good washing of the hair and head. If I scratch the scalp for any length of time, it gets even more irritated.
    The other thing to remember is that scritching isn't the same thing as scratching. It's more of a firm rubbing or the comb use mentioned earlier in the thread, not using one's nails to forceably remove flakes.
    Growing my hair back out after some much-needed experimentation and with a color I love!

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    Nutty neurology nurse!!! jojo's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by frizzinator View Post
    If you have trouble with the comb, you can simply scratch with your fingernails. You're basically removing dead skin cells; therefore, do whatever is easy.

    I've got a nice horn comb for scritching, but I always use my fingernails. The scalp sensation when scritching with the comb is absolutely fantastic and I've never matched that feeling with my fingernails, yet I still use my fingernails daily.

    Scalp massage is good too, and it is done with the fingertips. Since I've already got my fingers in my hair, I do scritching, massage and preening while I'm reading on the internet. Nothing improves blood circulation like massage, and some of us believe it makes our hair grow faster.
    Ive never done this deliberately but I always get my dad to scratch my head for me, I love it! Its a habit ive had since a small child, maybe this is why I never have a bad scalp?
    Buzz October 2015 to get rid of bendigo and lots of other damage, now Al natural and loving it....where will my journey end? I will tell you when I get there. Lifelong Co washer and LOC method currentl approaching curly hip

  10. #20
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    For those folks who are extending their washes, practicing WO or not washing or rinsing at all, preening is a desirable addition to scritching and massage. Preening moves sebum from the oily scalp area to the dry hair where it is needed. The following paragraph describes how to preen.


    After massaging the scalp, the fingertips are greasy. To preen the hair, grab a bit of hair between the fingers and thumb, and draw the fingers down the length of the hair. Continue drawing the fingers down the length of other bits of hair until the fingertips are no longer greasy and then massage some more and preen again, over and over. It's not a perfect task, because no one has enough time to preen all the strands of hair on their head. I focus on the hair that looks frizzy, because preening eliminates dry and frizzy hair as well as moving sebum from the scalp.
    Last edited by frizzinator; June 9th, 2008 at 03:08 PM.

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