scalp on fire after washing it

[LittleOgre]

For some reason when I wash my hair. It feels like ants crawled over my scalp and it burns. Not extreme pain but enough to set me off a little. Has anyone had this issue and have anyway to resolve it? Itchy burning scalp after a wash?

[Ylva]

Perhaps you're allergic to some ingredient in your shampoo?

You mentioned adding peppermint EO or something to something (perhaps your shampoo?) in your other thread. Maybe you're adding too much?

[lapushka]

1/ locs too tight, apparent when manipulating when washing?
2/ too much EO?

Could either of those be it?

[Cate36]

My scalp itches quite a bit at times, which always leads me to believe my hair needs washing.... but the itch can continue after washing also .. so I figured it may be down to a naturally dry scalp.. ? (although I have no dandruff...) Also if you do itch..with your nails.. it's like an itch on skin, it makes it worst..

Does your scalp feel sore?

[Ylva]

so I figured it may be down to a naturally dry scalp.. ? (although I have no dandruff...)

As far as I've understood, dandruff is a problem of oily scalps and is yellow-ish in colour. Thin, white flakes are dry flakes, which are totally different from dandruff.

I may be wrong, though. That's just how I've perceived it.

[akurah]

For some reason when I wash my hair. It feels like ants crawled over my scalp and it burns. Not extreme pain but enough to set me off a little. Has anyone had this issue and have anyway to resolve it? Itchy burning scalp after a wash?

Without knowing what you do to your scalp, we cannot help you. I remember in the other thread you posted, you use:
onion juice
pepperment essential oil in both your shampoo and your hair oil

You mentioned wanting to use cayenne pepper, but I don't know if you've used this yet.

My personal diagnosis is "you're pissing off your scalp with these experiments" and my suggested treatment is "stop it" and throw out everything and return to unadulterated shampoos and conditioners that you get off the shelf and have been scientifically formulated and tested to be safe. If your scalp is unhappy, your hair growth can slow, or end up with significant shedding.

Without knowing what else stuff you are putting on your hair and scalp, we can't help you. And because you are doing too many things to your hair at once, it is unlikely we are going to be able to narrow down a culprit.

[lapushka]

akurah, oh gosh yes, I forgot about the onion juice, and the cayenne.

OP, could you tell us what you are currently using on your scalp, and how often?

[amiraaah]

I agree with akurah and lapushka!you have to mention the stuff you’re using on your scalp.i’m certain plain oils do not cause itch or burnning sensation.however,garlic/onion/ginger/cayenna/green/ pepper/some essential oils may cause that.it may be an allergy to the shampoo .i experienced that once when i was using a sulfate-free shampoo
Does the burning happen after using shampoo or before?

[LittleOgre]

akurah, oh gosh yes, I forgot about the onion juice, and the cayenne.

OP, could you tell us what you are currently using on your scalp, and how often?

I use onion juice weekly and wash my hair with shampoo that I add peppermint oil to and I use a hair growth oil daily. I don't think it's the onion juice because I've been using it for a while now and it actually helped with a lot of issues I had with my scalp esprcially itching I used to have but I just started trying the growth oil a couple weeks ago and it's helped with my edges and it keeps my scalp clean. Idk how to explain but I use to get dirty flakes on my scalp and when I scratched my scalp there would be stuff under my nails but ever since I oiled my scalp. All of that is gone and I just get sebum. Lots more of it. I might look into. I don't think it'd the peppermint since I used to use it in a shampoo when I was loose natural. So I'm not exactly sure. Maybe it's because I wet my head daily. .-. It came out of nowhere this last week

My family seeing the growth has used it to. I make onion juice for them and they use the growth oil I bought and we use the same shampoo that a pretty much done now hut they don't have any issues.

[languagenut]

It very well could be the peppermint oil; when I use essential oils repeatedly on the same area, especially minty ones like that, it's fine at first but over time my skin becomes sensitive to it, and stings if I apply the oil again. So I have to wait a few weeks before using it again. I'd recommend laying off the peppermint for a while and seeing if that helps.

ETA: And water drives EOs into the skin, which would intensify the effect.

[enting]

It could still be the peppermint oil if the dosages are different. Even one drop more than what didn't bother your scalp could bother your scalp now. "Scalp on fire" sounds very much like either a sensitivity or an allergy and the only way to make it stop is to reduce or stop using what you're using that could be causing it. Peppermint oil can absolutely make your skin feel on fire if not diluted enough. Additionally, if not diluted enough one can develop a sensitivity to essential oils. In that case you would need to stop using it permanently, so I really hope that's not the situation, but I would strongly recommend using less or not using the peppermint at all for a while to see how your skin is. Cayenne can absolutely set your skin on fire, please be cautious with it. Misuse of essential oils in general can actually burn you, so please check how diluted your oils are.

Whether your family has issues or not is mostly irrelevant. Your body is reacting and therefore that is what matters. Especially when it comes to herbs and essential oils, different people can respond better or worse to the same things. You may also have longer exposure to these items and may have triggered a sensitivity in yourself that they have not had the time to develop. It may also be something in the particular combination that you're using right now. For instance, the onion and shampoo may be fine, but not together with the growth oil. Onion and growth oil but without the mint in the shampoo might end up being fine too. Or some other combination. You may simply be going overkill on something and your body is telling you it's not happy with it.

[lapushka]

Seconding the advice to lay off the peppermint EO and onion juice for at least a couple weeks until your scalp has normalized!

[LittleOgre]

It very well could be the peppermint oil; when I use essential oils repeatedly on the same area, especially minty ones like that, it's fine at first but over time my skin becomes sensitive to it, and stings if I apply the oil again. So I have to wait a few weeks before using it again. I'd recommend laying off the peppermint for a while and seeing if that helps.

ETA: And water drives EOs into the skin, which would intensify the effect.


It could still be the peppermint oil if the dosages are different. Even one drop more than what didn't bother your scalp could bother your scalp now. "Scalp on fire" sounds very much like either a sensitivity or an allergy and the only way to make it stop is to reduce or stop using what you're using that could be causing it. Peppermint oil can absolutely make your skin feel on fire if not diluted enough. Additionally, if not diluted enough one can develop a sensitivity to essential oils. In that case you would need to stop using it permanently, so I really hope that's not the situation, but I would strongly recommend using less or not using the peppermint at all for a while to see how your skin is. Cayenne can absolutely set your skin on fire, please be cautious with it. Misuse of essential oils in general can actually burn you, so please check how diluted your oils are.

Whether your family has issues or not is mostly irrelevant. Your body is reacting and therefore that is what matters. Especially when it comes to herbs and essential oils, different people can respond better or worse to the same things. You may also have longer exposure to these items and may have triggered a sensitivity in yourself that they have not had the time to develop. It may also be something in the particular combination that you're using right now. For instance, the onion and shampoo may be fine, but not together with the growth oil. Onion and growth oil but without the mint in the shampoo might end up being fine too. Or some other combination. You may simply be going overkill on something and your body is telling you it's not happy with it.


Ill definitely lay off the peppermint oil. I did add a few more drops to a leftover shampoo before I washed my head today... Maybe like 20 drops because I wanted more tingles so that probably was it: /

[akurah]

If you don't think it's the onion juice, then the only remaining culprit is the peppermint oil. With essential oils, less is more, and the dose makes the poison--if you use too much, you're going to have adverse effects. Side effects of peppermint oil include skin irritation and rash, and you've got the skin irritation if your scalp feels like it's on fire.

Your safest bet is to throw out the bottles of stuff you put the peppermint oil into, and replace them. Don't re-add peppermint oil to the new bottles. If you really want peppermint oil in your shampoo, look for something formulated with that in mind already--I'd be shocked if it did not already exist.

[blackgothicdoll]

Is this during washing or a little bit after? Your scalp could be dry, so your shampoo could be a bit too harsh. Also, if your shampoo has fragrance and you are sensitive to fragrance, this has caused me problems in the past.

[LittleOgre]

It very well could be the peppermint oil; when I use essential oils repeatedly on the same area, especially minty ones like that, it's fine at first but over time my skin becomes sensitive to it, and stings if I apply the oil again. So I have to wait a few weeks before using it again. I'd recommend laying off the peppermint for a while and seeing if that helps.

ETA: And water drives EOs into the skin, which would intensify the effect.


Is this during washing or a little bit after? Your scalp could be dry, so your shampoo could be a bit too harsh. Also, if your shampoo has fragrance and you are sensitive to fragrance, this has caused me problems in the past.

A little bit after. Once I rinsed the shampoo off and the tingling subsided. I felt a burning itchy sensation. I don't know how to describe. I was using Pantene.

[Obsidian]

I'm all for natural growth remedies but I have to agree that your scalp sounds pissed about something. I would give it break from everything for at least a week, let it rest.

[MusicalSpoons]

A little bit after. Once I rinsed the shampoo off and the tingling subsided. I felt a burning itchy sensation. I don't know how to describe. I was using Pantene.

Are you currently wetting your hair every day? I find just rinsing in water actually dehydrates my skin to the point of dry, tight, cracking/flaking if I don't moisturise (and that's even with a shower filter). [My scalp is okay provided I use the right shampoo to keep it at the right pH, which I finally figured out after much trial and error. I cannot just rinse it though, which is what makes me wonder for you.] It might not have anything to do with it, or it might be something that would be fine by itself, but it could possibly be causing problems combined with everything else.

It does sound like the peppermint is the most likely culprit to be honest, but I thought I'd mention this just in case it is a factor.

[spidermom]

Any person can develop a sensitivity to any substance at any time. For example, I ate bananas without problem for over 40 years, and then one day eating a banana caused my lips to burn and a cough that I thought would never stop. Now I can't eat bananas.

Lay off everything but water rinses until your scalp fully recovers.

[amiraaah]

Any person can develop a sensitivity to any substance at any time. For example, I ate bananas without problem for over 40 years, and then one day eating a banana caused my lips to burn and a cough that I thought would never stop. Now I can't eat bananas.

Lay off everything but water rinses until your scalp fully recovers.

100% agree with this and i was just about to write that.many meds,food and even hair products used to work perfectly for me and suddenly i became very sensitive to them.

[mwallingford]

Ill definitely lay off the peppermint oil. I did add a few more drops to a leftover shampoo before I washed my head today... Maybe like 20 drops because I wanted more tingles so that probably was it: /

I hope this isn't being repeated *too* much, but that sounds like too much essential oil. The recommended usage rate of essential oils is 1-2% maximum and as many have said before, less is more. Hope you're able to resolve the problem soon, that sounds like a crappy sensation for your scalp!

[Ylva]

Yeah, 20 drops sounds crazy! Regardless of what you do, you probably won't need more than 5 drops of EO, usually 1 or 2.

[enting]

Stopping by to agree with the above, 20 drops sounds like a lot. I use a full sized bottle for my vinegar rinse and I only add 5-10 drops for the whole bottle, and it's better for me when it's closer to 5-7 rather than closer to 10.

It certainly sounds like you got the extra tingles you wanted, maybe a bit more than you bargained for!