Scalp issues

[Jorchet]

Hi, everyone! I'm in the UK at the moment and having some issues with the water. My scalp has gone white and dusty at the front and the lobes and it's so bad that whenever I touch my hair it goes "snowy". I don't know what to do! Is there any products that help in this situation? Should I be oiling my scalp? I don't think that oiling would really help. My scalp is normaly dry and in winter it tends to get worse but this is really bad, the only time it was this bad was in my previous stay in the UK in 2008 so that's why I'm guessing it's the water causing it. Help!

Thanks in advance!

[meteor]

Is there any products that help in this situation? Should I be oiling my scalp? I don't think that oiling would really help. My scalp is normaly dry and in winter it tends to get worse but this is really bad, the only time it was this bad was in my previous stay in the UK in 2008 so that's why I'm guessing it's the water causing it. Help!


It sounds like dry scalp.
Since water is not something you can change while you are staying at that location, I would definitely suggest applying oil with fingertips, with light scalp massages.
Any high quality natural oil can be great for this, but I would particularly recommend coconut, castor, olive, neem (beware the smell!) and possibly diluted tea tree (but it's a bit drying). They are also anti-dandruff and anti-bacterial, so if your problem is not so much dryness, but dandruff, these oils will help either way.

Additionally, your scalp may benefit from being washed with diluted ACV and honey (both have balancing and anti-bacterial properties).

[Jorchet]

Thanks Meteor! I do ACV rinses but not more than once or twice a month so that's already covered. As for the oiling, do you think I should do it before applying my stylers or just on dry hair any other day?

[meteor]

Thanks Meteor! I do ACV rinses but not more than once or twice a month so that's already covered. As for the oiling, do you think I should do it before applying my stylers or just on dry hair any other day?
Great that you already do ACV rinses once or twice a month! Do you like what ACV does for you? If so, you can even use it after every wash or you can add it to your shampoo and conditioner.

As for when to oil, it really depends. I know different people oil at different times.
I oil my scalp heavily a day (or even 2) before I wash my hair. I might oil a bit every other day as well. It depends on how dry my scalp is. Some people oil damp scalp right after washing.
Work around your schedule. It's easier to stick to a new practice when it's easy on your established routine.

A word of caution: as you begin oiling scalp, you WILL shed more than normal during the massage. Over time (after 2 or 3 applications), it should stabilize. Ayurvedic practitioners explain it this way: "your weaker hairs fall out when you massage roots and hair follicles, but stronger hairs will grow out in their place". I don't know if it's true, but I do see that whenever I stop oiling for a few months and then start again, I experience a heavier shed and then it stabilizes again and I shed much less.

[spirals]

Could it be minerals? Is the water very hard there?

[McFearless]

Try oiling immediately after a shower while the scalp is still damp.

[Bagginslover]

Could it be minerals? Is the water very hard there?
I was going to ask this too, where in the UK are you? Our water varies so much across the country (or should I say countries ;) ) You could well be seeing a reaction to hard water that you're not used to.

[Jorchet]

@Meteor Thanks! I like ACV, I wasn't doing it more often because I was afraid it'd dry my hair out. Will add it to my rinse out conditioner and see how that goes.

@McFearless Thanks!

@spirals & Bagginslover, I'm in Newcastle, I don't know how hard the water is here. It does dry my hair out but it does kill my scalp! I've been using my products that I brought from Argentina so that hasnt really changed in my routine.

Thanks for all the replies!

[Bagginslover]

http://www.nwl.co.uk/_assets/documents/3122_Web_PDF_-_Water_hardness.pdf
This may help you work out if you're in a harder water area ;)

[meteor]

Of course, if you can get a water filter, you should. But if you are staying in England temporarily and can't be bothered to install a filter, then just apply moisturizing products (oils, primarily).
I can't believe I forgot to mention aloe vera and sea kelp bioferment. I find them very moisturizing and cooling for scalp. They help fight the itchies and they seem to promote healthy growth, similar to oils.

Also, if you have rosewater, you can try it on your scalp, too. Personally, I didn't see a huge difference, but it feels cooling and balancing and some people swear by it.

As for oils, just in case you don't know how best to massage them into your scalp and hair, here is a great video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WtSMb884lvo

[rock007junkie]

I used to have a lot of issues with my scalp until I started oiling before washing (could be the night before, hours before). The oil that helped the most and made everything disappear was castor oil. Try mixing it with a lighter oil since this one is very thick

[Jorchet]

I warmed up honey and olive oil and massaged it all over my scalp and left it on for an hour with the shower cap on and a towel around it, cowashed as usual and did a ACV rinse. It helped a bit, I see my scalp is still dusty but not as bad, I think I'm going to be doing this for a few times as a pre-cowash treatment.

Thanks for all the info!