Scalp Exfoliation

[FennFire911]

Alright, I tried something that's new to me. I'm sure others here have tried it and have some insight.
So in my quest to make my scalp as healthy as possible I've stumbled upon articles on exfoliating the scalp. Same reasons as why we would exfoliate our face. It's periodic, not something that gets done every wash. I guess like clarifying but for the skin instead of the hair.
I went to Sally's, and sure enough the one exfoliating product on the shelf is being discontinued. I bought it anyway and of course I love it so now I'll be in search of another exfoliator for when I run out of this and can't buy it anymore. From Sally's I got this:

Ion Sally Beauty Healthy Scalp Renewing Treatment (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00IOYIXB2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_9SiLyb26KNPNZ)

And as my first time exfoliating I think my reaction probably resembled a bear using a tree to scratch its back. I loved the feeling, amazing and relaxing.

But knowing I won't be able to get more, I checked the ingredients of my body exfoliant that I already have, and it's this:

http://www.treehutshea.com/products/scrubs/tree-hut-almond-honey-shea-sugar-scrub/almond-honey/

Scanning the ingredients, they all look similar and familiar. Would it likely be safe to use the shea scrub on my scalp since it causes no negative reaction on my body?

If I shouldn't use that, do you have any recommendations? What do you use and how often do you use it, if exfoliating is a part of your hair care routine?

Anybody else curious about starting if you don't already exfoliate?

[Mrstran]

I've never heard of exfoliating the scalp, but it sounds great. If I could find some at a near by store I'd totally try it.
I imagine the scalp would feel amazing after.

[Kaya]

I've heard of scalp exfoliation before; never done it myself though. Probably be something I'll eventually try. :o

NightBlooming makes a scalp scrub packed with good stuff for hair and scalp!

https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/176666751/thriae-scalp-scrub-8-oz-size?ref=shop_home_active_2

There're different sizes available, including a sample size, if you wanted to trial it.

[lithostoic]

Yesterday I bought a scalp scrubber/shampoo brush. I have issues with scalp buildup that I have to scritch away. Hoping the brush helps! I'll have to see in a couple more days when I water rinse.

[Ophidian]

Brown sugar + oil works great and is cheap :)

I do it every once in a while before a wash

[lapushka]

I don't know if all these things are so beneficial to the follicles - they are fragile and fickle. I don't think, personally, that scalps need exfoliation. If you have things like dandruff or SD, there are other, gentler options (like medicated shampoos). Personally, I'm not for this, what to me is "roughness". :flower:

But if it's working for you, then by all means, all the better. :)

[hayheadsbird]

I'm interested to see people's results and experiences.
My skins isn't keen on physical exfoliating and even chemical exfoliation I go very gently with, so I'm wary to try it with my scalp. It sounds really refreshing though!

[Ophidian]

I don't know if all these things are so beneficial to the follicles - they are fragile and fickle. I don't think, personally, that scalps need exfoliation. If you have things like dandruff or SD, there are other, gentler options (like medicated shampoos). Personally, I'm not for this, what to me is "roughness". :flower:

But if it's working for you, then by all means, all the better. :)

I don't have any diagnosed scalp condition, but I am prone to buildup and I find skin and scalp scrubs to be enormously beneficial especially in the winter. Brown sugar is relatively fine grained, and mixed with oil as a lubricant, it is very mild when massaged in gently. WB at science-y hairblog has written positively about the benefits of mild scalp scrubs, and while I don't really believe in going all in on any particular method/product/what have you just because someone says it's a good idea, I do find her to be a reliable source. So if you are getting good results with medicated shampoo, that's great! I can't use a lot of strong shampoos, personally, because they make my skin dry and peel, so occasional scrubs are a better way for me to deal with that.

I suppose my point is only really to agree that yes! whatever works is the right choice, but to observe that some people's scalps (like mine) DO benefit from exfoliation and may not find medicated shampoo to be a relevant or necessary alternative. So of course it's not going to work or even be a good thing for everybody, but I don't think it should be discounted as something that is inherently unnecessary/damaging/pointless.

[PixieP]

This sounds soooo nice. And it sounds like a better way of getting rid of the mild psoriasis flares than scratching at it (medical shampoo don't help and the liquid cortisone I have makes my hair fall out so I prefer to use it as little as possible!). My scalp is 99% good now but I'll get a dry spot now and then that will build up into a worse spot if I don't get rid of the flakes.

I already make a oil and brown sugar scrub for my skin so I gotta try it on my scalp too :D (I also have honey and aloe vera in it, my skin loooves it!)

[Ophidian]

This sounds soooo nice. And it sounds like a better way of getting rid of the mild psoriasis flares than scratching at it (medical shampoo don't help and the liquid cortisone I have makes my hair fall out so I prefer to use it as little as possible!). My scalp is 99% good now but I'll get a dry spot now and then that will build up into a worse spot if I don't get rid of the flakes.

I already make a oil and brown sugar scrub for my skin so I gotta try it on my scalp too :D (I also have honey and aloe vera in it, my skin loooves it!)

It does feel lovely :). I find it gentler than scritching. I usually use it mostly around my hairline and the front part of the top of my head because that's where I tend to get the most sebum buildup and dryness in the winter. I've added a few drops of essential oils before but I bet honey and aloe would be nice additions and very soothing.

[lithostoic]

I have a bag of organic unrefined brown sugar ... I may try.

[meteor]

Do you guys notice increased shedding from scalp scrubs?

I found that I always shed significantly more if I manipulate my scalp more, be it brushing, scritching, massage, oiling or scalp treatments that need to be rubbed in... But I have no way of telling if this is excessive shedding from hair being pulled out without noticing or just the hair that was ready to come out later anyway...

[PixieP]

Do you guys notice increased shedding from scalp scrubs?

I found that I always shed significantly more if I manipulate my scalp more, be it brushing, scritching, massage, oiling or scalp treatments that need to be rubbed in... But I have no way of telling if this is excessive shedding from hair being pulled out without noticing or just the hair that was ready to come out later anyway...

On the Nightblooming-scrub it says it's normal to loose a bit more hair, but that's it's only hair that would have fallen out in a day or two anyway.

[lapushka]

Do you guys notice increased shedding from scalp scrubs?

I found that I always shed significantly more if I manipulate my scalp more, be it brushing, scritching, massage, oiling or scalp treatments that need to be rubbed in... But I have no way of telling if this is excessive shedding from hair being pulled out without noticing or just the hair that was ready to come out later anyway...

Same goes for me. When I was a teen, I did many hairstyles, like French braids, Dutch braids, and anything that touched the scalp and required manipulation made me shed more. So that's why I just do as little as possible to it these last years.

[parkmikii]

Do you guys notice increased shedding from scalp scrubs?

I found that I always shed significantly more if I manipulate my scalp more, be it brushing, scritching, massage, oiling or scalp treatments that need to be rubbed in... But I have no way of telling if this is excessive shedding from hair being pulled out without noticing or just the hair that was ready to come out later anyway...

Yes, I recently started to use burdock oil on the roots before washing and I was massaging the scalp and leaving it in for about an hour or two. Gave me quite a shed so I'm pretty scared to try it again...

[lapushka]

Yes, I recently started to use burdock oil on the roots before washing and I was massaging the scalp and leaving it in for about an hour or two. Gave me quite a shed so I'm pretty scared to try it again...

Some people don't tolerate oil or conditioner on the scalp well, and shed more - it's a "thing". It's more common than you'd think. I have it too!

[sumidha]

Every so often, like maybe once or twice a year, I'll do a salt and coconut oil scrub on my scalp, to go the extra mile and get rid of any persistent dead skin or whatever that shampoo and brushing hasn't taken care of. In general though, I find that thoroughly brushing my scalp before washing is enough exfoliating for me.

[Zesty]

I don't mess with my scalp. I've finally found something that works, and that something is medicated sulfate shampoo, and I'm not about to tinker with that. When I've put oil on my scalp in the past it was a bona fide disaster. Obviously a YMMV thing, and more power to you if it works, but my scalp is finicky and I try not to put anything on it if I don't have to.

[Doreen]

I've just tried the Dp Hue ACV salt scrub (I got a sample with my Ulta order) and I had trouble getting the product actually onto my scalp. The salt crystals were rather large and my hair kept them from reaching the skin. I wasn't about to start sectioning my hair and scrubbing tiny individual sections when I only really wanted to use up the sample anyway. I think anyone with hair longer than maybe 3 inches would have the same problem. My scalp feels a bit drier than usual but I can't tell any other effects. I don't think I will be trying a scrub again.

[MusicalSpoons]

Do you guys notice increased shedding from scalp scrubs?

I found that I always shed significantly more if I manipulate my scalp more, be it brushing, scritching, massage, oiling or scalp treatments that need to be rubbed in... But I have no way of telling if this is excessive shedding from hair being pulled out without noticing or just the hair that was ready to come out later anyway...

This is my experience as well. Touching my scalp results in extra sebum and extra shedding, basically! It's a shame though because I think scalp massages probably are otherwise beneficial.

I'm also interested in the idea of exfoliation because I don't seem to be removing everything as thoroughly as I used to :confused: - but I'm also not keen on the idea of anything actually harsh to damage the hair. Maybe brown sugar in light conditioner might work, or something like that (I never had success with spreading oils onto my scalp - most of it always ended up in the hair).

Does a shampoo brush work as well as an exfoliant for people who've tried both?

[maborosi]

I wonder about AHA and BHA for scalp- I love doing a glycolic peel weekly and it has done great things for my skin...I’ve found that I’m prone to scalp acne, which sucks. I feel like doing a gentle chemical exfoliant may help.

[nycelle]

No extra shedding as far as I can tell. My shedding depends on how long I go in-between washing. The longer I wait, the more I shed daily.

I use a shampoo brush every time I wash, and I always wash my scalp twice. I do this because I'm SLS free and like having a very clean scalp.

I've exfoliated using Briogeo Scalp Revival Charcoal + Coconut Oil Micro-Exfoliating Shampoo. It was so gentle, felt like a normal shampoo even though I felt the granules in my hand. But no extra shedding.

[Riot Crrl]

I wonder about AHA and BHA for scalp- I love doing a glycolic peel weekly and it has done great things for my skin...I’ve found that I’m prone to scalp acne, which sucks. I feel like doing a gentle chemical exfoliant may help.

I haven't heard of AHA hair products but I know there are BHA shampoos available. Neutrogena T/Sal and DHS Sal have salicylic acid 3% as the active ingredient.

I haven't tried these but I might give the T/Sal a try at some point. I have used the T/Gel which has coal tar as the main ingredient and found that it dried my hair out pretty bad, but just looking at the T/Sal ingredients it looks like it might be a lot gentler. I like that it's fragrance-free. (The coal tar version is not, probably because coal tar reeks so bad.)

[Alibran]

Sugar scrubs (unrefined sugar mixed with conditioner) are popular with followers of curly girl, especially with people who can't be bothered to do the amount of scalp massaging the method requires. (That would include me - just in case anyone thinks I'm being snarky.)

[gustavonut]

If it counts, I use a tangle teezer to help distribute shampoo through my hair and also massage my scalp.

[almostghost]

I tried using the hand scrub I made a few weeks ago (brown sugar, coconut/avocado/jojoba oils, benzoin/sandalwood/lavender EOs) on my scalp yesterday for a little pre-poo exfoliation. Starting with dry hair, I massaged the scalp with the scrub gently for 20 minutes or so, then took a shower to rinse it out and shampoo/condition as usual. It was easier to rinse out than I expected, and I didn't notice any more shedding than I usually get with a wash.

I'm pleased with the results - my scalp feels nice and refreshed. :) Also my lengths are wonderfully soft and shiny, probably due to the oils getting all over my hair because I'm not very good at putting scalp stuff only on the scalp - it always gets everywhere :p I'll definitely do this again occasionally, because my scalp sometimes tends to get icky.

[Begemot]

Like gustavonut, I too use my Tangle Teezer to brush and massage my scalp (but before washing, helps to get all shedding hair out before getting my hair wet). My skin/scalp can be a little problematic at times (seborrheic dermatitis, tinea versicolor) and it gets dry and flaky during winter. I'd really love to see reviews of scalp exfoliating products here. KC Professional Exfoliating shampoo sounds promising to me so I'm going to try it some time soon. Ingredients include rice and lactic acid.

[SallySue]

I wouldn't buy a whole special exfoliating shampoo or product, because how often are you going to use it, really? I have exfoliated my scalp (rarely in the case of going too long between washes and getting abnormal itchies) using a paste of cornmeal and water. Works well, washes out easily afterwards with shampoo.

[Kat]

I use a shampoo brush for scalp exfoliation as well (yay SD). I would be worried, with any kind of scrub, that anything heavy-duty enough to exfoliate skin would also damage my hair-- the friction that removes skin is also right against the hair shaft, after all, and wouldn't it abrade the hair just as much? (I figure the tines/bristles of the shampoo brush would be more like to just slide through the hair as the pressure will be straight down against the scalp.)

[FennFire911]

Hey I really like the ideas I've seen in here of adding various forms of sugar to conditioners or oils. That sounds absolutely luxurious. I would probably only do it once a month or so as a special treat or something. I don't think exfoliating in general is ever supposed to happen more frequently than once weekly, and scalp skin is relatively delicate skin so I wouldn't want to overdo it.

Lots of great ideas being thrown around in here! Thanks everyone. :)

[Begemot]

I'm checking back on this thread :) didn't buy the KC exfoliating shampoo since it had quite a price for such small amount of product. Still considering it though, since I wouldn't be using it often.

I see the scalp brush popping up here and there and while I actually really like the idea, I don't think I could use it (at least not on wet hair and scalp, like it's advised if I remember this right). I also don't think I would use a DIY scalp exfoliant like sugar and oil mix. I'm looking for a chemical exfoliant. A hair salon near me does fruit acid peels for scalp apparently and I'm pretty tempted to give it a try.

[FennFire911]

A fruit acid peal sounds refreshing!
I don't really use an exfoliating product lately. I'll scritch a little bit with my fingers or with a comb. It keeps things simple. I haven't tried a sugar and oil mix, quite frankly because I keep forgetting. Eventually I'll sit down and enjoy it I'm sure.

[Longlegs]

I''ve heard of raw sugar, and another one that was mentioned in the curly girl authors latest book was Quinoa. I tried the Quinoa but noticed no difference in my scalp, and it was quite annoying to rinse it all out, I would'nt bother again.

[Ophidian]

I have done scrubs before but they tended to make me shed a lot all at once which I found alarming. They did feel nice though!

Lately I have been using a shampoo with salicylic acid as the main ingredient (chemical exfoliant) once a week or so and have really been liking it. And then I'll use a bit as a face wash, because I am cheap like that :p.

[Servana]

I get a lot of build up and it gets really itchy so I recently bought a scalp exfoliating treatment as well. I use it once a week and I've been enjoying the results so far. My scalp is very sensitive to some chemicals and gets cystic pimples if I use sulfates, so a physical scrub helps a lot rather than using a medicated shampoo.

[Begemot]

A fruit acid peal sounds refreshing!
I don't really use an exfoliating product lately. I'll scritch a little bit with my fingers or with a comb. It keeps things simple. I haven't tried a sugar and oil mix, quite frankly because I keep forgetting. Eventually I'll sit down and enjoy it I'm sure.

It does! I'll report back in this thread if I try it. Let us know if and when you try sugar and oil :D

I would love to hear what products people here have tried so drop names if you'd like to recommend something :)