So many questions - help please?

[Kazazi]

Hello Peeps,

I don't get much time to post, but a few questions have been building up in my increasingly hairy head and I was hoping you could help. :)

My hair is just growing past shoulder now. I mostly CO every other day with the occasional SLS or poo bar wash and fairly regularly whack on a pre-wash heavy oiling or SMT instead of CO. Also sleep on silk pillow, treat hair gently etc. and all in all I am quite happy with its condition.

But...

First of all, I have this persistent scalp issue.

I basically get scabs where I have scratched or snagged a bit of skin on my scalp and then they persist for month and don't heal properly. For example, a persistent one now on top of my head originally was a mosquito bite back in May (!). I have had this problem for at least 10 years or so and have on various occasions blamed bleach from highlights and sulfates for it, but I haven't highlighted in over a year and I've been very low-sulfate for several months now.

Anybody have an idea of what might be causing this and how to get rid of it?

Second, I seem to get much more frizz lately than I used to, like curly baby hairs sticking out like mad from the top of my head. Below the ears it looks mostly fine. Smoothing stuff like AVG, cocaloe or cone serum on top helps a bit, but I am freaked out a little by the phenomenon because I don't know why it's suddenly gotten so bad.

Is this a sign of damage? Or if not, why would I be getting this more now? I guess one thing I really worry about is whether I somehow wrecked my hair by using poo bars, with which I had really mixed success...I'd like to continue using them occasionally, but am worried that they are damaging my hair?

Third, and related to the above, I wonder if I should brush my hair more to combat this. I don't have a very good BBB at the moment, so was wondering if anyone could recommend one for my hair type?

And finally, I know there are huge pro- and anti-brush and comb fractions here, but I'd be curious to learn more about this: I tend to detangle my hair with a wide-toothed comb when damp or just leave it alone at this stage. But I *hate* combing my dry hair because it pulls my scalp uncomfortably whenever I hit a tiny tangle. Same for finger combing. In contrast, if I use a brush with stiff plastic pins or similar, I can brush/comb through my hair quite effortlessly (it's not very tangle prone).

So is detangling with a comb or fingers really going to be better than using such a brush? And is there anything wrong with using a BBB directly on dry hair that hasn't been specially detangled as long as it isn't very tangled in the first place?

What I mean with regard to the latter question is that if I tried to run my fingers through my hair now, they'd catch a few tangles, but if I just smoothed a BBB over my hair, it probably wouldn't snag much, at least not noticeable to me. So would I still be damaging my hair by doing this?

Sorry about the many different questions in one post, but I thought I might just as well write everything down at once. If that's inappropriate, somebody please tell me, and I shall split up this post into several threads.

Looking forward to your replies,

Kaz xx

[sipnsun]

Hi Kazazi, I don't have answers to all of your questions but I will offer this advice which I learned in cosmetology school: never, ever use a BBB on wet or damp hair, only on dry, detangled hair. As far as being completely detangled, that is the only way I would use it in my hair. Have you ever tried using aloe gel on your frizzy baby hairs? A lot of people with your hair type really love it for taming down the frizzies.

As for the sores on your scalp not healing in a timely manner, maybe you should see a doctor about this. It could be something as simple as scratching while you are asleep, but there could also be a medical reason for this. Sorry I couldn't be more help, maybe someone else with a similar problem will respond. Good Luck!

[Slug Yoga]

Yeah, I would definitely second seeing a doctor, like a dermatologist, about this, if you haven't already... there must be things to do for it from a medical end. I guess if I was in your place I would try to comb or brush in whatever way hurts my scalp least, while still trying to go fairly gently on the hair and not combing or brushing excessively.

[atlantaz3]

I vote for the doctor or at least going to a pharmacy and asking for advice. I would also look at other products you are using for allergies.

[Darkhorse1]

I get those scabs too. I have SD, and my worst problem is I'm a picker--I scratch my scalp to pick off those little scabbies. Any shampoo with zinc in it, or/and a cool water rinse helps with the itchies. But, you need to see a dermatologist as to why they aren't healing. Some shampoos, I have found, can aggrivate this condition and drove me batty with scratching so much I made my scalp bleed. I've found some great shampoos that work for me, but your condition may be different and need a specific cream/drops.

I've used head and shoulders restore shine shampoo, and it's amazing--ph balanced, didn't dry my hair and really helped with the itchy. Scent isn't bad now. I also have a salon zinc based dandruff shampoo and that one is very nice. The key with zinc based shampoos is to let them sit on your scalp to allow the zinc to penetrate. (zinc heals skin irritations/problems).

HOWEVEr, do NOT use zinc based products on open wounds on scalp--it HURTS! It will burn quite badly--it says this on the bottles.

See your GP to get an idea of what's going on and hopefully they can help you find a product right for your condition.

[manderly]

I don't have all the answers, but I did want to let you know that for me, COing makes my hair too fluffy and flyaway/frizzy. I really don't understand why, but it does. Could be for you as well.