Very dry scalp

**MOOBUG** · May 24th, 2011, 05:20 PM

Thanks Firefox. I dont actualy have a dermatologist but I am seriously considering seeing one. I have tried every manner of dandfuff shapoo and have also tried CO with various different condish. Some natural, some not. Still nothing. There is no itching at all.

I tried coconut oil on my scalp overnight. No change. as soon as my hair is dry (i air dry) the snowstorm begins.

Littlenvy - My skin overall has a tendancy towards dryness and does get a little flaky during winter. I am probably not drinking enough water. Also this has been going on for a very long time through very many products.

**MOOBUG** · May 24th, 2011, 05:21 PM

Originally Posted by mneh

After trying every dandruff shampoo i could get hold of, in the end, apple cider vinegar rinses and conditioner washes fixed my dry, itchy scalp. Have a read of the CO-wash thread for some useful info

Maybe it will help you too.

Will definitly give this a try!

**wavykisses** · May 24th, 2011, 05:31 PM

Mmmm dandruff shampoo made thing worst for my scalp, I had itchy scalp and some flakes
and thought it was dandruff after using head and shoulders the itching was way worst.
What calm my scalp was oiling and using a very diluted low sulfate shampoo and wash my hair every other day no more dandruff, drying or itching, if coconut oil didn't work for you try another oil, maybe EVOO or sweet almod oil.
For my dry scalp I have to do a pre oiling before washing my hair ,and leave the oil there a couple of ours or overnight.
Try a low sulfate shampoo I use the body shop rainforest moisture very diluted or if you deon't have hard water try shampoo bars.

**Chiara** · May 24th, 2011, 08:59 PM

Hi MOOBUG, I feel your pain!

I found what helped me was decreasing shampoo washes to once a week, and doing water only rinsing in between. I use a gentle sulfate-free shampoo. My scalp also seems to get worse with conditioner use (plus my hair gets lank super quickly). So now I only put conditioner from the ears down. Dandruff shampoos seem to work for 24 hours and then I get major flaking (and I always found them really harsh on the skin on my hands and face too). I actually went water only for about 2 months, out of sheer frustration with the flaking. It certainly helped alot with the flaking, but in the end I decided that I just prefer the look of my hair when it is shampoo'd.

Other things that might help are diluted shampoo (didn't get my hair clean enough but works well for some), and trying milder shampoos (did work well for me). Manual exfoliation can also help- I use a wooden brush to very gently 'needle' my scalp (ie it should not hurt, it should not make your scalp red and it should not pull your hair). I find this works well at clearing any incidental flakes that are on the scalp (so then I brush it out) plus it feels nice. If I scratch my head with my finger nails, however, it's a disaster! Others on LHC also use sugar as a scalp scrub.

**Sheltie_Momma** · May 25th, 2011, 01:40 PM

Mine was like this until I figured out I am allergic to avocado oil. I can eat avocadoes without a problem (thank goodness)

**HairFaerie** · May 25th, 2011, 02:00 PM

I get this problem too. I wash everyday and I think it's just dry skin on my scalp. It's not dandruff, it's just dry, flaky skin like what you are describing.

I use neem oil on my scalp when this happens. It seems to work for me. I don't mind the smell, some people hate it though.

**McFearless** · May 25th, 2011, 02:02 PM

CO washing really cleans the scalp of oil. That is probably what happened to you. I agree with those who mentioned ACV rinses. It is the only thing that keeps my dandruff and itchy scalp away.

**ratgirldjh** · May 25th, 2011, 02:39 PM

I must say that my scalp is usually not dry - but CO washing made it dryer than any other method.

Usually however I oil my scalp lightly the night before washing with a soap bar and ACV rinse.

CO dries out my hair too. I think for me CO cleans even more than soap!

**Anje** · May 25th, 2011, 02:53 PM

Might sound strange, but have you tried not washing your hair? Maybe just give it a quick rinse under the shower, but if it's not looking oily, just don't wash it. Let the sebum build up a little, maybe oil your scalp. (Shampoo makes my scalp feel dry and tight, and it tends to get flakey if I keep it up. Not many complaints about CO, though -- it seems more moisturizing for my scalp. But I'll agree with Ratgirldjh in that it's definitely still cleansing!)