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View Full Version : Scalp Issues, bad habits, etc



GlacierLacie
November 7th, 2019, 11:17 AM
I know there are a few threads about this topic but none seem to help my situation..

I have a bad habit of running my fingertips on my scalp..... like all day. I started this because i get random sores on various parts of my scalp and i started to pick at them. I never thought about it until recently.. when i was younger i had very thick hair and now it has become very thin. Could this be due to clogged pores and not washing enough? Theres sometimes when im brushing my hair and i get to my scalp that it's so itchy that i press my brush against my scalp rather harshly. I don't think it is my water, as I've lived in the same city for 21 years now.

I've started using a clarifying shampoo (https://www.paulmitchell.com/paul-mitchell/clarifying/shampoo-three/) every now and then to remove buildup, it seems to help but I still get sores. Perhaps I should try a new clarifying shampoo? I know I need to stop the habit of playing with my hair, perhaps im putting more dirt on my scalp by doing it. :confused: Has anyone ever had this problem? How did you handle it?

The-Young-Maid
November 7th, 2019, 11:51 AM
How often are you currently washing? How often were you washing while your hair was thick? Washing frequency can absolutely have an effect on scalp health. I've experienced it myself. I used to wash daily then began stretching to once a week. My scalp was terribly itchy, oily and sore. I lost probably half my thickness. When I began washing 2x per week the symptoms lessened. I now wash daily and have been for 2+ years and I have a ton of new growth from around that time.

It could also be from the shampoo you're using. What shampoo do you normally use? The clarifying one is probably fine. I cannot use creamy/pearlescent shampoos because they are too moisturizing and leave residue on my scalp which causes hair loss for me.

I used to scratch at my scalp all day because of how uncomfortable it was. But now that my scalp is happy I don't need to. I think you just need to work out your scalp problem and don't worry about running your hands through it at this point.

If nothing seems to be helping it's very important to talk to your doctor.

MusicalSpoons
November 7th, 2019, 01:43 PM
One of the hardest things might be just leaving the spots and sores alone - perpetuating them might be the main things keeping them going, even if everything else is fine. If nothing else, if you can leave them alone, you'll then be able to gauge exactly how effective any other changes are.

I've been there with scabs and dry flakes (from almost every shampoo being too harsh for my scalp and dehydrating it) and leaving them alone was almost as long a battle as finding the right shampoo!

Laurab
November 7th, 2019, 02:00 PM
Perhaps switching to a dandruff shampoo would help?
you could try just head and shoulders to start, and if that doesn't work try selsun blue.

lapushka
November 7th, 2019, 02:51 PM
If you have sores on your scalp and you have lost considerable thickness, you need to visit a doctor! Honestly, a product is not going to magically undo this if you don't know what is causing it.

For all you know it might be deficiencies in your blood (certain vitamins) that cause the hair loss. Might also be hormonal - how old are you? Puberty? Menopausal? Pregnancies?

I would call for an appointment asap. Things like this aren't normal and need to be addressed by someone qualified.

Shorty89
November 7th, 2019, 03:01 PM
I sometimes get sore, weepy spots, or just sore spots from my scalp eczema, especially when it gets cold and dry outside. It could be something like eczema or psoriasis. I second the suggestion to visit a doctor.

Positivitea
November 7th, 2019, 03:18 PM
I think for this you need to go to a doctor. Maybe you can think about what has changed in your routine that might be related to these sores. Maybe you're using a shampoo with agressive ingredients? Or maybe a difference in washing frequency?
To me, (and I'm by no means a doctor, so take this with a big grain of salt) it sounds like psoriasis. I know people who had the same symptoms as yours and the neutrogena t/sal really helped.

GlacierLacie
November 7th, 2019, 04:26 PM
If you have sores on your scalp and you have lost considerable thickness, you need to visit a doctor! Honestly, a product is not going to magically undo this if you don't know what is causing it.

For all you know it might be deficiencies in your blood (certain vitamins) that cause the hair loss. Might also be hormonal - how old are you? Puberty? Menopausal? Pregnancies?

I would call for an appointment asap. Things like this aren't normal and need to be addressed by someone qualified.

I wouldn't say that i've lost my thickness in a short time period, more like as I've gotten older. I'm 21 right now but it's definitely quite a change. I don't see a dermatologist at the moment but I will keep it in mind :)

Nox_Inber
November 7th, 2019, 05:32 PM
When I used shampoo bars for months on end I started getting horrible, itchy acne all over my scalp especially once summer hit. Switching to a sulfate shampoo and using conditioner only on the length has helped immensely. You said a clarifying shampoo helped, so that makes me think your current shampoo isn't strong enough. Or maybe you're allergic to something in what you're currently using?

I wash every other day and use citric acid as my final rinse to combat the hard water since it gives me hair and skin problems. Stretching washes simply doesn't work for me, so don't feel like you have to do that for healthy hair! It still might be worth seeing if you have a fungal or bacterial infection on your scalp if it's sores though. Best of luck to you! I hope you find some relief soon :)

Natalina
November 7th, 2019, 07:13 PM
I've an issue with scratching/touching my scalp too, but not because my scalp is unhealthy rather it's one of my ways to cope with anxiety.

I used to have scalp issues though, I found out that my scalp is sensitive to silicones. This led me to really pay attention to the ingredients of my shampoos (conditioners are fine since I don't put them on my scalp), and surprisingly, even some so-called "clarifying" and "cone-free" shampoos still contains them.

So maybe check all your shampoo ingredients and see if it contains them, including your regular and clarifying shampoos. And if they do, try using a cone-free one and see if it makes any difference. Good luck!

lapushka
November 8th, 2019, 03:17 PM
I wouldn't say that i've lost my thickness in a short time period, more like as I've gotten older. I'm 21 right now but it's definitely quite a change. I don't see a dermatologist at the moment but I will keep it in mind :)

That's great. Do go when it's at its worst, don't wait for it to get better or something, they need to see it "the way it is". So if you are still hesitating to go, I really wouldn't. Sores and such, it can lead to further hair loss.

When I don't immediately address my SD (seborrheic dermatitis) I get so much hair that falls out. It took me years to go to a dermatologist and all I needed was a simple medicated shampoo that I could have gotten OTC from the pharmacy here in Belgium (Nizoral 2% is OTC here). And there I was trying to figure it out on my own, losing so much hair in the mean time. :flower:

gin
November 8th, 2019, 03:34 PM
I know there are a few threads about this topic but none seem to help my situation..

I have a bad habit of running my fingertips on my scalp..... like all day. I started this because i get random sores on various parts of my scalp and i started to pick at them. I never thought about it until recently.. when i was younger i had very thick hair and now it has become very thin. Could this be due to clogged pores and not washing enough? Theres sometimes when im brushing my hair and i get to my scalp that it's so itchy that i press my brush against my scalp rather harshly. I don't think it is my water, as I've lived in the same city for 21 years now.

I've started using a clarifying shampoo (https://www.paulmitchell.com/paul-mitchell/clarifying/shampoo-three/) every now and then to remove buildup, it seems to help but I still get sores. Perhaps I should try a new clarifying shampoo? I know I need to stop the habit of playing with my hair, perhaps im putting more dirt on my scalp by doing it. :confused: Has anyone ever had this problem? How did you handle it?

I get scalp sores. Well, I used to get them a lot, now that I've figured out things that were making it worse, my scalp is a lot happier now. For me, it was a combination of washing a little more often, and reliving my scalp of updo tension as much as possible. When my scalp was at it worst, I was keeping it up all/most of the day to protect my hair, but over time my scalp started rebelling. It was so sore and in pain that I couldn't put it up in a bun or ponytail anymore. I kept it loose as much as possible (difficult since I climb and workout a lot) until my scalp calmed down, and now I make sure to not leave it up in the same style for more than a couple hours and give my scalp frequent breaks. For the washing, I was washing twice a week on the same days every week, i.e. Wednesday and Sunday. I added an extra day (Friday) in the beginning, but now I do every 3 days (so two days in between washes). Basically, I noticed that my scalp was fine with 2 days in between, but 3 days in between was too long and would cause more sores/pimples/hair shedding.

Oh, the most important and relevant thing: I also went to a dermatologist, though not until a month after my scalp was at its worse since that was the earliest they could see me. Even though my scalp was mostly calm by the time I saw them, I still got a subscription topical solution that I use on pimples and sores when they come up, and it helps them stay contained and disappear much faster. So would recommend seeing a dermatologist if that's an option!