My scalp hurts. :(

[Ella Menneau P.]

My hair is somewhere between hip and TB. I wear it up quite a bit, but I have been wearing it down a lot lately for a couple reasons: I am getting some traction alopecia at my hairline (which is a bummer) but the main thing is that my scalp hurts all over, especially at the crown. I can't seem to find a comfy updo any more. Even braids hurt. Is this typical when you have very long hair: I have been considering cutting it to ease the discomfort, but I don't want to if it won't help.

My normal care is washing & conditioning a couple times a week, minimal combing & brushing, and no products other than shampoo & conditioner. I have used myriad S&C over the last year or two, including Redken Smooth Down and some natural no SLS etc. stuff from Whole Foods. I'm trying to find something to tame the frizz and encourage the waves that peri-menopause has blessed me with, but all the while, my scalp hurts.

Oh wise women of this forum: do you have any ideas why this is happening and how I can make it go away?

[neko_kawaii]

I experienced something similar for a week a few weeks ago. I switched the way I wore my hair a few times a day (down was the most comfortable) and then one day the irritation was just gone. No idea what caused it, no idea why it stopped. I hope your pain goes away too. Until then, keep trying new things. Good luck!

[Madora]

My hair is somewhere between hip and TB. I wear it up quite a bit, but I have been wearing it down a lot lately for a couple reasons: I am getting some traction alopecia at my hairline (which is a bummer) but the main thing is that my scalp hurts all over, especially at the crown. I can't seem to find a comfy updo any more. Even braids hurt. Is this typical when you have very long hair: I have been considering cutting it to ease the discomfort, but I don't want to if it won't help.

My normal care is washing & conditioning a couple times a week, minimal combing & brushing, and no products other than shampoo & conditioner. I have used myriad S&C over the last year or two, including Redken Smooth Down and some natural no SLS etc. stuff from Whole Foods. I'm trying to find something to tame the frizz and encourage the waves that peri-menopause has blessed me with, but all the while, my scalp hurts.

Oh wise women of this forum: do you have any ideas why this is happening and how I can make it go away?

You answered your own question in the second sentence!

If you are accustomed to wearing your hair most of the time, when you begin to wear it down your follicles will protest because they are going in a different direction for a longer period of time.

This happens to me because I've become accustomed to wearing my hair up and only wear it down to brush it..and I brush in the bent at the waist position, so the hair is never flowing down my back.

Consequently, when I do go to braid it in a single braid in the back (which is very rare) my follicles will protest most noticeably!

Bottom line: you need to accustom your follicles to the different position. Let your hair down for 15 minutes at a time then put it back up. Increase the time you let it down by 5 minutes every day..until you can wear it down w/o discomfort.

It might also help if you combed it every day. Brushing is better but since your follicles are hurting, better to start with combing it every day.

A drop or 2 of mineral oil helps tame frizzies.

[DinaAG]

let it down and make it feel free a little or even a very very loose normal braid, give your hair a break from the updos

[Loveisaverb]

Mhm, it must be because your hair was so used to be up and then as you started wearing it down, your hair got used to that. So when you put it up, your hair isn't used to it.
I would just start out slow, with simple buns, and braids so your hair can get used to wearing it up again. But if the pain is too much give your hair a rest.

[ratgirldjh]

Yes ^^^ this is it! I was sick for a couple of days and kept my bun in for like 2 days in a row.

When I took it down last night my scalp felt sore! It was kind of like a 'muscle' ache or something! I rubbed the spot and it feels better today.

I can totally see how when hair gets really long that the weight pulling on the scalp could make it sore if you are not accustomed to it.

Once I had a friend with very long (TB at least) dreads. He would often pile his hair up on to his head and wear a dread hat. The problem came when he would let them down because they were so heavy that they actually pulled hair out of his head!!! He had several bald patches!

[itdontmatter48]

If this doesn't help, maybe a dermatologist could. I hope you get answers soon, cannot be fun. Good luck.

[piratejenny23]

I don't think cutting your hair will necessarily help.

Does massaging your scalp help?

I used to have a more sensitive scalp; I'm not sure what's changed, but rubbing my scalp used to help. Also, maybe brushing your hair in different directions (straight down, straight back, "upside down")?

I get a sore scalp if my buns/ponytails are too tight. Can you do looser 'dos?
Like, I used to make a ponytail and then make a bun; but if I just twist my hair into a bun and hold it with a stick or a big loose scrunchy, it's not tight enough to hurt.

Washing my hair or at least letting warm water run over my scalp for a while would also relax it.

One other idea, if you don't want to wear your hair down all the time, is to do a half up-do, so there's not so much weight pulling on your scalp. Or divide your half-do at the part into two braids/buns/ponytails.

Sorry you are experiencing this pain and I hope it goes away soon!

ETA:
Some good ideas on this thread:
http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=71458&highlight=scalp

[catamonica]

I don't like buns high up, so I wear a comfortable low braided bun. You could try that.

[jacqueline101]

I'd try changing your hair styles and wear it down. Massage the scalp add something soothing to the sore scalp.

[biogirl87]

I think your scalp is just getting used to you wearing your hair down. Prior to joining LHC there was never a period of more than two days during which I'd wear my hair up (it mostly down) and when I started wearing my hair up a few days in a row my scalp hurt for some time.