Scalp Acne

[Nox_Inber]

The last 3 or so months I've noticed that I'm developing scalp acne, especially on the temples, the top and sides of my head. I've never had scalp acne in my entire life so I'm a bit perplexed as to what's causing it. I was hoping it would go away after I switched off shampoo bars, that maybe there was soap residue on my scalp causing the problem even though I didn't have acne for the first 3 months of using them. Well it's been over 2 weeks since I switched to my regular shampoo and conditioner and nothing had changed. The only thing I can think to blame is the heat.

I'm living with my dad and he doesn't use the air conditioning nearly as much as I'd like. My room gets between 80F to 85F right now because it's the end of summer and the sun hits my room the worst. I feel sweaty by the end of the day and overnight while I wait for the house to cool off naturally. I'm also breaking out around my nose a lot because I get oily there and it doesn't seem hormonal as far as I can tell.

I'm currently washing every other day and by the day I do wash my roots are pretty darn greasy. Maybe my scalp needs daily washings right now? I can't think of what else would be causing this. I don't use conditioner or oil on my scalp since I'm already on the oily side right now. I might be missing something obvious, any thoughts or suggestions are appreciated, thank you for reading :)

[Kalamazoo]

Would some witch hazel help?

[lapushka]

What were you using before you started to develop these pimples?

And how often were you washing.

[Nox_Inber]

What were you using before you started to develop these pimples?

And how often were you washing.

I was using Chagrin Valley shampoo bars, primarily Summer Sunshine. I used ACV as my acidic rinse and in the last month and a half I've added citric acid. I used the shampoo bars for about 4 months before I started breaking out. I washed every other day.

Interestingly enough I put some water on my hands and rubbed it on my scalp last night to give it a mild cleaning and today the acne seems less irritated and sore.


Would some witch hazel help?
I've never considered witch hazel before, do you have a favorite method of applying it?

[lapushka]

I was using Chagrin Valley shampoo bars, primarily Summer Sunshine. I used ACV as my acidic rinse and in the last month and a half I've added citric acid. I used the shampoo bars for about 4 months before I started breaking out. I washed every other day.

Interestingly enough I put some water on my hands and rubbed it on my scalp last night to give it a mild cleaning and today the acne seems less irritated and sore.

And what were you using *before* the shampoo bars? The shampoo bars might have not done a great job at cleansing your skin. At some point you switched to these, right? Did you have the issue before that?

[Nox_Inber]

And what were you using *before* the shampoo bars? The shampoo bars might have not done a great job at cleansing your skin. At some point you switched to these, right? Did you have the issue before that?

Oh, duh lol. I tried Lush's Jumping Juniper shampoo bar which dried my hair out incredibly bad so that only lasted two weeks. Then before that I believe it was Art Naturals Moroccan Argan Oil S&C. I also used some Paul Mitchell Tea Tree conditioner on and off, it belonged to someone else but I'd use it when mine ran out. This was all during my bad hormone and bad health phase where all my hair broke off and shed out, no product seemed to help, hence the confusing bouncing around to save my hair. Then before either of those products I used the Ion Color Defense shampoo, that's what I'd been using for years. I probably shouldn't have stopped :headache:. I didn't have scalp acne before or during that time, these last 2-3 months are the first time I've ever had it. I thought for sure switching off the shampoo bars would help but I'm still getting acne spots. I do agree that they probably weren't cleansing enough for my scalp especially with the hot weather and lack of air conditioning here. I'm pretty much sweating all day!

[Kalamazoo]

I've never considered witch hazel before, do you have a favorite method of applying it?

One video I saw of somebody with 4c hair in a protective updo, the lady was pouring a few drops of witch hazel on a cotton cosmetic pad and rubbing her scalp with it, to cleanse her scalp before it was time to take out her 'do.

I however? I take my hair down & squirt the WH directly on my scalp. That works for the top of my head. To get the sides, I pour a small quantity (a teaspoon? I don't measure.) into the palm of my hand & splash it exactly where I want to go. When my entire scalp's wet, I like to bend forward & massage my scalp 'til the WH dries.

It makes my hair soft, fluffy, more voluminous, and it feels clean. I like doing this when I've gotten hot & sweaty. I do this in place of dry shampoo.

I understand WH's supposed to be good for helping hair grow, and it has several other health benefits, too.

The brand I've been using is Thayer's Original Astringent Witch Hazel, Aloe Vera Formula

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Thayers-Witch-Hazel-Aloe-Vera-Formula-Astringent-Original-12-oz-HEALTHY-SKIN/401545695160?hash=item5d7dfd0fb8:g:d~cAAOSwx6pYrem Z

I like it best WITH alcohol. I tried the alcohol-free. For me, it works better WITH; but different people are different.

[Nox_Inber]

Kalamazoo, thank you for the advice and a product reference! It's on Amazon as well - faster gratification mwahaha! I particularly enjoy herbal care as long as my body doesn't rebel against it. Plus I can try it for facial care, all after patch tests of course :D Lapushka is the master of scalp cleansing knowledge and as soon as the word cleansing came up I was like oooh end of the day scalp cleaning sounds beneficial! This seems like a good thing to try so I can get my skin clean at the end of the day aside from plain ol water while taking down existing acne. My skin has been known to react badly to alcohol so I found the alcohol free version. If this all goes well then maybe it's not a product problem as I've never had acne in the past, just a "help my body is harming itself with its own sweat" scenario :) I'm probably creating enough sebum to slick down a bowling ball alley right now :laugh:

I'll be sure to post an update to this as the situation progresses. If end of the day cleansing isn't cutting it then I'll need to explore other options (sulfates?) but hopefully it won't come to that :)

[Kalamazoo]

Dear Nox_Inber,

I'm so glad to be able to help!

I just tried following my own instructions. In actuality, my scalp did NOT get dried while I was inverting & massaging -- I just got to the point after a few minutes where I felt like I'd done enough, so I did a loose cinnabun on my crown. The length & tips don't have WH on them, so it's just the scalp that's still drying. So it'll dry "up" & have more lift to it when it comes down. Sort of like back-combing without back-combing. I mean, I'm one of those girls whose hair always lies flat, glued to her scalp, so this is a way for me to get more body...

And then I went outside into all the heat & humidity to walk the dog, with my hair still damp with WH. It had a pleasant cooling effect.

[AutobotsAttack]

Do you get any acne flare ups on your face?

If you do, think of your scalp as an extension of your face. However you go about face care, make it match with your scalp care.

[Nox_Inber]

Do you get any acne flare ups on your face?

If you do, think of your scalp as an extension of your face. However you go about face care, make it match with your scalp care.

That's a very good point :agree: I've been having acne flare ups on the oiliest parts of my face, around the nose. What helps is washing it thoroughly with soap by evening/night. Water alone is better than nothing but water and soap helps even more. I massaged a lot of water onto my scalp tonight until it didn't feel so "sebumy". Aaaaand I just realized I had a plastic squeeze bottle I could have used to apply it *facepalm*. Looks like I know what to use next time :D

[Nox_Inber]

Kalamazoo that cracked me up! Also that's a smart way to get more volume :) My mom used to tell me to blow dry my hair upside down for more volume but only my scalp reacted well - the rest looked like straight FLOOF.

I love the tingly feeling you described, after washing my scalp tonight I sat in front of my fan and it felt fantastic! I'm surprised the hot humid weather in Texas was cool enough to recreate that feeling. I used to live in south Texas and even at night I'd sweat outside sometimes!

[AutobotsAttack]

That's a very good point :agree: I've been having acne flare ups on the oiliest parts of my face, around the nose. What helps is washing it thoroughly with soap by evening/night. Water alone is better than nothing but water and soap helps even more. I massaged a lot of water onto my scalp tonight until it didn't feel so "sebumy". Aaaaand I just realized I had a plastic squeeze bottle I could have used to apply it *facepalm*. Looks like I know what to use next time :D

I have to do the same. My sebum and sweat from my scalp actually aids In the formation of acne on various parts of my temples, cheeks, and forehead. So I’ve had to rearrange my face and scalp cleansing to compliment eachother.

[ChloeDharma]

On the topic of witch hazel, it is amazing! I have used it since I was a teenager on my face or iritated skin generally. I have also used it on my scalp when I've had scalp acne and it does a great job of soothing that sore inflamed spot and helps bring down the swelling reducing the pressure causing the pain.

When I use it on my scalp I use a cotton wool pad and soak it in witch hazel wiping over my scalp in sections, or just on the areas with spots on. I find using the cotton wool also helps to remove oil or whatever needs cleansing rather than just spraying it on and leaving it there. I've also added essential oils to the cotton wool pad with the witch hazel and if it's a zingy one like peppermint then that feels amazing.

I have found quite a difference in witch hazel strengths. I usually have always used distilled witch hazel B.P.C and that works wonderfully. I tried one from a beauty supply shop and found it much weaker though still somewhat effective. There is a brand called something like "witch" that markets itself towards acne prone and oily skin. I haven't used that one myself as witch hazel tends to be lower down on their ingredient list and I prefer to just use buy it pure and then can choose to add something to it or not depending on my needs but that's just me.

Slightly off the topic of witch hazel and more on the scalp acne in general, do you wear hats? I wonder because if the acne is developing at your temples it might be from contact with a hat or whatever you sleep on at night. Just a thought.

It's also worth considering Lapushka's point about returning to what worked before if this is a new thing and seeing if that helps. I love the natural products and DIY's and do find them very effective but also, when my scalp has an acne flare I'm happy to go in with some nice strong antidandruff, sulphate containing borderline paint stripper strength stuff if it gets rid of the problem and brings my scalp under control!`

[Kalamazoo]

Kalamazoo that cracked me up! Also that's a smart way to get more volume :) My mom used to tell me to blow dry my hair upside down for more volume but only my scalp reacted well - the rest looked like straight FLOOF.

I love the tingly feeling you described, after washing my scalp tonight I sat in front of my fan and it felt fantastic! I'm surprised the hot humid weather in Texas was cool enough to recreate that feeling. I used to live in south Texas and even at night I'd sweat outside sometimes!

Dear Nox_Inber,

:disco:

Actually, at least some of that tingly feeling I had was due to Alcohol being the 2nd ingredient on the WH label (of my preferred flavor).

[lapushka]

I'll be sure to post an update to this as the situation progresses. If end of the day cleansing isn't cutting it then I'll need to explore other options (sulfates?) but hopefully it won't come to that :)

WOW, wait. Have you ever clarify-washed in between, WITH sulfates? If not, I'd do it!

[Br33]

Hi, products that help scalp acne: sea salt water or citrus scalp antiseptic. I've tried both, the sea saltwater stops the itch, but the citrus scalp antiseptic stops itchiness, scalp odor, inflammation, and flare-ups. But hair and scalp first have to be cleansed with mild shampoo.

[maborosi]

I get acne on both my scalp and face. Sadly for me, the ONLY way I've found to really avoid a breakout on my scalp is to thoroughly shampoo it every day. If I miss more than one wash, the breakouts are really painful.

[Nox_Inber]

I can't believe how many responses I've gotten, you're all too nice :o I've never paid my scalp any mind before this and now I'm learning about a new realm of body care from some many different view points. The whole site is filled with kind hearted hair wizards, my favorite place on the internet!


I have to do the same. My sebum and sweat from my scalp actually aids In the formation of acne on various parts of my temples, cheeks, and forehead. So I’ve had to rearrange my face and scalp cleansing to compliment eachother.

This makes a lot of sense to me. I was exfoliating my face at the end of the day but not my scalp. I'm not sure why I didn't make that connection before now, the skin under my hair might as well be a foreign land in my eyes! It's actually easier to clean both at once instead of trying not to get water on the edges of my hairline. Are there any products you find particularly useful in cleansing your scalp?


On the topic of witch hazel, it is amazing! I have used it since I was a teenager on my face or iritated skin generally. I have also used it on my scalp when I've had scalp acne and it does a great job of soothing that sore inflamed spot and helps bring down the swelling reducing the pressure causing the pain.

When I use it on my scalp I use a cotton wool pad and soak it in witch hazel wiping over my scalp in sections, or just on the areas with spots on. I find using the cotton wool also helps to remove oil or whatever needs cleansing rather than just spraying it on and leaving it there. I've also added essential oils to the cotton wool pad with the witch hazel and if it's a zingy one like peppermint then that feels amazing.

I have found quite a difference in witch hazel strengths. I usually have always used distilled witch hazel B.P.C and that works wonderfully. I tried one from a beauty supply shop and found it much weaker though still somewhat effective. There is a brand called something like "witch" that markets itself towards acne prone and oily skin. I haven't used that one myself as witch hazel tends to be lower down on their ingredient list and I prefer to just use buy it pure and then can choose to add something to it or not depending on my needs but that's just me.

Slightly off the topic of witch hazel and more on the scalp acne in general, do you wear hats? I wonder because if the acne is developing at your temples it might be from contact with a hat or whatever you sleep on at night. Just a thought.

It's also worth considering Lapushka's point about returning to what worked before if this is a new thing and seeing if that helps. I love the natural products and DIY's and do find them very effective but also, when my scalp has an acne flare I'm happy to go in with some nice strong antidandruff, sulphate containing borderline paint stripper strength stuff if it gets rid of the problem and brings my scalp under control!`

That is a great success story! My teenage self could have benefited from that advice. It's 10 years too late for but I can imagine I knew better back then lol. I can see how the cotton pad is beneficial in removing the unwanted oil. It's also cost effective :)

I did see some of those "Witch Hazel cleaning pads" that are essentially a premade version of what I'm going to do but they also contained other ingredients. If I have a reaction I won't be able to discern what ingredient is causing it. Plus the pure version can have other creative applications if I find that I simply love the stuff :cool:

I wear hats a couple times a month but this is a good reminder to giving the insides a thorough cleaning. I wouldn't want to go through all the trouble of cleaning my scalp just to put a dirty hat right back on it!

My product usage was all over the place for a year and a half but I have gone back to my last regular routine (pre-hormone and product madness) which my hair is responding very well to! There wasn't much change for my scalp after 2 weeks so that's why I decided to turn to the lovely folks here at LHC for advice :) I thought for sure that between multiple clarifyings and no shampoo bars my scalp would clear up.


Dear Nox_Inber,

:disco:

Actually, at least some of that tingly feeling I had was due to Alcohol being the 2nd ingredient on the WH label (of my preferred flavor).

That sounds like such a fun experience :cheese: MORE TINGLES! MAKE ME FEEL ALIVE! :rolling: I don't think my scalp would respond kindly to alcohol but ChloeDharma's peppermint suggestion is a promising alternative :eyebrows:


WOW, wait. Have you ever clarify-washed in between, WITH sulfates? If not, I'd do it!

I've clarified several times with clarifying shampoo to get rid of the build up :) That was actually the first thing I did because I wanted all traces of the shampoo bars and build up off of my head. I'm hoping I won't have to turn to sulfates as a regular shampoo because my hair goes very dry, but there are ways to mitigate that (like dilution or not slathering full strength product on the length lol!) so I'll keep an open mind to explore all options. Thank you for the helpful advice :D


Hi, products that help scalp acne: sea salt water or citrus scalp antiseptic. I've tried both, the sea saltwater stops the itch, but the citrus scalp antiseptic stops itchiness, scalp odor, inflammation, and flare-ups. But hair and scalp first have to be cleansed with mild shampoo.

The citrus antiseptic sounds very interesting, is there a certain form of it you've found to be the most effective? Essential oils, diluted juice concentrate, that sort of thing?


I get acne on both my scalp and face. Sadly for me, the ONLY way I've found to really avoid a breakout on my scalp is to thoroughly shampoo it every day. If I miss more than one wash, the breakouts are really painful.

That sounds like a very unpleasant experience, I'm sorry to hear that. Are you able to shampoo primarily your scalp and not the length? My face sounds similar to yours. I went to bed the other week without washing and I swear I had 5 new zits overnight. Do you find that it fluctuates based on time of year? I'm never oily in the winter which makes me think that living somewhere so hot with so little air conditioner suddenly is putting me in an unusual circumstance and giving me unusual scalp reactions. Being sweaty for an hour or two is one thing, being sweaty day and night is a whole other beast. I'd love to be engineered into an ocean creature (in this daydream pollution and plastic don't exist) so I can always be clean. I seriously want to live in my shower sometimes!

[Nox_Inber]

Progress Update: I've rinsed my scalp two nights in a row and the easier to see/clean acne responded well to me rubbing it clean with my textured face towel. My face likes to be scrubbed right now so hey, why not my scalp? The acne was a bit itchy this morning but only sore to the touch on the spots that were rinsed and not scrubbed. I ended up washing my hair and everything this morning (a day early but I deep conditioned the length) and really massaged my scalp and worked the shampoo into it. My scalp feels decent and I'll rinse it again tonight. Very hot weather coming up 100F+ so I've ordered Thayer's Alcohol Free Witch Hazel (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000S823S6/?coliid=IF5JOKLUY6CP4&colid=3E3AZHM83PCC5&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it) and Biodegradeable Cotton Pads (Thayer's Alcohol Free Witch Hazel http://). I should receive both by Tuesday so I'm very excited to try it out :D

[Kalamazoo]

:hollie::disco::rockerdud

[lapushka]

Progress Update: I've rinsed my scalp two nights in a row and the easier to see/clean acne responded well to me rubbing it clean with my textured face towel. My face likes to be scrubbed right now so hey, why not my scalp? The acne was a bit itchy this morning but only sore to the touch on the spots that were rinsed and not scrubbed. I ended up washing my hair and everything this morning (a day early but I deep conditioned the length) and really massaged my scalp and worked the shampoo into it. My scalp feels decent and I'll rinse it again tonight. Very hot weather coming up 100F+ so I've ordered Thayer's Alcohol Free Witch Hazel (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000S823S6/?coliid=IF5JOKLUY6CP4&colid=3E3AZHM83PCC5&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it) and Biodegradeable Cotton Pads (Thayer's Alcohol Free Witch Hazel http://). I should receive both by Tuesday so I'm very excited to try it out :D

That sounds like progress! :)

[maborosi]

I can't believe how many responses I've gotten, you're all too nice :o I've never paid my scalp any mind before this and now I'm learning about a new realm of body care from some many different view points. The whole site is filled with kind hearted hair wizards, my favorite place on the internet!

LHC is really awesome like that! :flower:


That sounds like a very unpleasant experience, I'm sorry to hear that. Are you able to shampoo primarily your scalp and not the length? My face sounds similar to yours. I went to bed the other week without washing and I swear I had 5 new zits overnight. Do you find that it fluctuates based on time of year? I'm never oily in the winter which makes me think that living somewhere so hot with so little air conditioner suddenly is putting me in an unusual circumstance and giving me unusual scalp reactions. Being sweaty for an hour or two is one thing, being sweaty day and night is a whole other beast. I'd love to be engineered into an ocean creature (in this daydream pollution and plastic don't exist) so I can always be clean. I seriously want to live in my shower sometimes!

Yeah, I shampoo the scalp, and allow the suds to run down the length- I don't really care at its current length (my hair is BSL at the moment), but when my hair was longer and more fragile at the ends, I'd find ways to shampoo just the scalp that involved using a shower cap and tying it off to keep the length dry and free of shampoo. To be honest, though? I think that while shampooing all the hair probably is not the best thing in the world for it, sometimes you just have to do what you have to do. I've found that protein + moisture treatments regularly (moisture treatment every single wash, protein 2 times a week), oiling, gentle handling, and keeping it in protective updos was always far more important for my hair's health than whether I got shampoo on it or not. But for some people, that is definitely not the case.

I live in an environment where it is VERY hot and humid- at this time of year especially. The only time here where I can get away with stretching my washes is the dead of winter, when it's hovering around freezing, and the air is drier. My skin stays clearer then, too. I am the same way where, if I miss washing my face even once, my skin will break out overnight. In fact, it happened to me last night and I woke up to several new bumps. Oops. Funny enough, my skin also really likes lots and lots of hydrating toners, masks, and moisturizers, and it seems like it helps my acne heal up faster if I keep it MORE hydrated.

A lot of this has changed from even just a few years ago. As I get older, my skin seems to get oilier and more acne-prone. And that goes for my scalp, too. I used to be a co-washer who could wash every couple of days no problem. Now, not so much.

[Kalamazoo]

Silk pillowcase...

[Nox_Inber]

Update: Washing with water alone was helpful but not enough so I made a very diluted ACV mixture and that helped dry everything out and prevent new acne :) I got my witch hazel today and as it turns out, it's wonderful for my skin! :D I used it directly on my face after cleansing and it gets everything calm and happy without being drying. It's quite gentle and thankfully there were no bad reactions - my mom said she tried it once and it burned like crazy. I think she had one with alcohol in it as my skin hates alcohol too. Once I was sure I wouldn't ignite my whole head into being extra angry I decided to mix witch hazel and ACV, dilute them with water, then put that all over my scalp. I'm very excited to see how my acne responds overnight :) I am still continuing to do a thorough rinse each night and in the mornings I sometimes do a quick rinse if it was hot the night before. Things are going in the right direction finally :) I've prevented any new acne from appearing and now I can focus on clearing the remaining flare ups :happydance: The remaining acne seems to be shrinking slowly, they are no longer big, sore spots and some of the smaller acne might already be disappearing. What a huge difference in under a week!


LHC is really awesome like that! :flower:



Yeah, I shampoo the scalp, and allow the suds to run down the length- I don't really care at its current length (my hair is BSL at the moment), but when my hair was longer and more fragile at the ends, I'd find ways to shampoo just the scalp that involved using a shower cap and tying it off to keep the length dry and free of shampoo. To be honest, though? I think that while shampooing all the hair probably is not the best thing in the world for it, sometimes you just have to do what you have to do. I've found that protein + moisture treatments regularly (moisture treatment every single wash, protein 2 times a week), oiling, gentle handling, and keeping it in protective updos was always far more important for my hair's health than whether I got shampoo on it or not. But for some people, that is definitely not the case.

I live in an environment where it is VERY hot and humid- at this time of year especially. The only time here where I can get away with stretching my washes is the dead of winter, when it's hovering around freezing, and the air is drier. My skin stays clearer then, too. I am the same way where, if I miss washing my face even once, my skin will break out overnight. In fact, it happened to me last night and I woke up to several new bumps. Oops. Funny enough, my skin also really likes lots and lots of hydrating toners, masks, and moisturizers, and it seems like it helps my acne heal up faster if I keep it MORE hydrated.

A lot of this has changed from even just a few years ago. As I get older, my skin seems to get oilier and more acne-prone. And that goes for my scalp, too. I used to be a co-washer who could wash every couple of days no problem. Now, not so much.

That's similar to what I do right now, I let the suds run down the length. CWC helps my ends immensely, I go through lot of conditioner since I wash every other day but hey - it works :D At BSL I still wouldn't go more than 2-3 days maximum without washing, even in winter. It just doesn't work for me. Plus that was several years ago so I'm not sure I'd be able to attempt that now unless it was very cold outside. What do you use for a daily moisture treatment? I've been looking for ways to keep moisture in besides after shower oiling. Humectants aren't a good option for me because the humidity bounces all over the place here.

Yowza, hot and humid is a rough one. I used to live somewhere like that and I had to shower twice a day in the summer - I'd be sweating just from going to get something from my car! My skin also likes hydration despite sounding counter intuitive, I still put a little bit of oil on my face (yes, in the middle of the summer!) every day and it clears up the acne faster than cleansers alone. Sounds like we have similar skin troubles :) Have you ever had sugar cause acne outbreaks? Drinking a lot of soda as a teenager gave me bad acne until I switched to natural fruit smoothies for my sugar fix.

I CO washed when I was younger :D My mom thought I was nuts but she has fine hair and she always complains about it being weighed down whereas I'm more coarse. I'm 24 now and I don't think my hair would last more than 2 washes with CO only lol!


Silk pillowcase...

I've heard that those can be quite beneficial! I actually prefer textured bedding, my all time favorite is linen :) Right now I've got jersey cotton, it's a good in between since good linen is more than I can afford currently.

[Kalamazoo]

I'm SO glad things are turning around for you, Nox_Inber! That's wonderful!