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Thread: "Dirty" scalp /warning - gross!/

  1. #1
    Member masa_inn's Avatar
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    Default "Dirty" scalp /warning - gross!/

    I'm sorry about the ick factor.

    No matter what I use to wash my scalp, I end up with lots of white...stuff (sebum?) left. Recently I've tried no-poo, low-poo and CO - all to no avail. Whenever I scratch my head (which is turning into a bad habit of mine), there is sebum/dirt/whatever under my nails.

    Questions:
    1. Why is it happening? Can an excess sweating cause it? /it's been really hot lately).
    2. Why is it all my regular methods do not work anymore?
    3. How can I get rid of it? Seems like soda clarifying works, but I'm afraid to use it more than once a month.
    Russian girl in America; No goal length - just want to enjoy the journey.

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    Member Cleopatra18's Avatar
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    Default Re: "Dirty" scalp /warning - gross!/

    I sometimes have the same problem and i feel its due to heavy sweating in the summer...waiting for other helpful responses.

  3. #3
    Owned by two cats! Elenna's Avatar
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    Default Re: "Dirty" scalp /warning - gross!/

    What is your weekly hair routine? Do you need to clarify your hair more often????
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    Member chopandchange's Avatar
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    Default Re: "Dirty" scalp /warning - gross!/

    Is the white stuff flaky and dry, or sticky?
    Stop cruelty to apostrophe's.

  5. #5
    Member RancheroTheBee's Avatar
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    Default Re: "Dirty" scalp /warning - gross!/

    I used to get that really badly. It seems to have gone away now, but I can't say for sure what fixed it.

    One thing that did help me, though, was scritching. It was kind of gross, but I'd gently scratch my scalp with a comb, clean off the gunk, scratch again, and so on, until I stopped bringing back buildup. Then I'd wash my scalp and be sure to keep conditioner away from it.

    I think it might have been a combination of sebum overproduction and buildup.
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    Member May's Avatar
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    Default Re: "Dirty" scalp /warning - gross!/

    Did you try shampoo? (sulfate or sulfate free)A dirty scalp can clog hair follicles I think and inhibit optimal hair growth...
    “The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated” -Mahatma Gandhi

  7. #7
    Member HintOfMint's Avatar
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    Default Re: "Dirty" scalp /warning - gross!/

    I have the same thing and I think I've always had it. If there is no itching or irritation, there may not be anything actually wrong with it. Maybe our scalps just produce a thicker sebum and that mixes with our dead skin cells to produce the "white stuff." I've had it no matter my cleaning method, although it is obviously in lesser amounts when I have just washed.

    Although, one thing you wrote in your post tells me that this is a new development. You say "why is it all my regular methods do not work anymore?" If this is the case, then maybe a more clarifying method would work. A baking soda wash on the scalp only shouldn't damage the rest of your hair, and you can top it off with a vinegar rinse to restore the pH balance.

  8. #8
    Member masa_inn's Avatar
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    Default Re: "Dirty" scalp /warning - gross!/

    Quote Originally Posted by Elenna View Post
    What is your weekly hair routine? Do you need to clarify your hair more often????
    I usually wash 2-3 times a week; either with Deva low-poo or with Kinky Curly Come Clean (low-poo as well; a bit more strong than Deva).

    Yep, this stuff is gunky.

    I'd say, I've always had a bit more sebum than I would preferred, but never this much.
    Russian girl in America; No goal length - just want to enjoy the journey.

  9. #9
    Member clichepithet's Avatar
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    Default Re: "Dirty" scalp /warning - gross!/

    I have this problem in the summer. "Scritching" prior to washing and doing an upside-down rinse with a hand-held hose works for me.

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  10. #10
    Member tanya222's Avatar
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    Default Re: "Dirty" scalp /warning - gross!/

    I get that sometimes! I found it got better when I got out of the (bad) habit of scratching my scalp with my nails

    Try rinsing with apple cider vinegar. Make it slightly stronger than usual, like 1:1 with water. And leave it in your hair while washing everything else in the shower, then rinse. It brings back needed acidity to the scalp. That helped me alot!

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