Dandruff

[beckybourbon]

About a year ago I started washing my hair every 3 days. Every since then I’ve had itchy scalp and dandruff. I ALWAYS use natural scalp oils before every wash which I leave on for several hours but I seem to still have dandruff. Could it just be cold weather?

[akurah]

Honestly, you may not be washing your hair enough or you may have some kind of yeast infection on the scalp. I would buy anti-dandruff shampoo, wash your hair with it, and leave it on your hair for 10 minutes before rinsing out, to see if that fixes it.

[lapushka]

About a year ago I started washing my hair every 3 days. Every since then I’ve had itchy scalp and dandruff. I ALWAYS use natural scalp oils before every wash which I leave on for several hours but I seem to still have dandruff. Could it just be cold weather?

I have "severe" dandruff aka SD, or seborrheic dermatitis. If you need to wash your hair that much it is not dry, it's oily and the flakes are probably due to a yeast overgrowth so the approach is different.

Oils are a no-no, and anything moisturizing for the scalp as well. No silicones (preferably) on there either.

The key here, for me, when I get this way, is to cleanse properly. But this is all out the window once you actually have flakes and so: a flare-up. In a case like that you need medicated shampoo (like Nizoral 2%).

You might get this better with Head & Shoulders but wash, let it sit for 2/3 minutes, wash some more, then rinse clear.

The key to shampoos like this is to let it "sit" for a while, same with Nizoral (but that's more like 5-10 minutes).

If you can't get it to clear on your own (regular shampoo is not going to cut it once you have actual flakes), please go see a dermatologist.

[Lucy McLucyFace]

Dandruff can have a lot of different causes so it's a tricky one. If you started getting dandruff after changing your hair care regimen I'd look to that. As the previous replies say you probably have an oil build up on your scalp.
Try changing your routine to something that doesn't involve oiling the scalp and get a good shampoo. If the problem persist, see a dermatologist

[MusicalSpoons]

How often did you wash your hair before that, and was your scalp fine then?

[Firefox7275]

About a year ago I started washing my hair every 3 days. Every since then I’ve had itchy scalp and dandruff. I ALWAYS use natural scalp oils before every wash which I leave on for several hours but I seem to still have dandruff. Could it just be cold weather?

Self treating a self diagnosis may worsen a skin complaint. Consider consulting a healthcare professional (eg. doctor, pharmacist) for a diagnosis.

What do you mean by "natural scalp oils"? What are thd ingredients of all your haircare products?

[beckybourbon]

Everyday, and yeah i had no dandruff

[MusicalSpoons]

Oh, then yeah your scalp is definitely unhappy. It'll either be because of the oils (what exactly are you using?), because it needs washing more often, or a combination of both.

What prompted you to wash less frequently and to use oils?

It might be that you can get away with every 3 days if you don't use oils, if not then maybe every 2 days, or your scalp might be one that needs washing every day - the average scalp doesn't, but with averages there are by definition always some either side ;)

[lapushka]

Every day? Then I would go back to that for a while and see if it helps. Spoons is right about either oils or either stretch the washings, but not both.

Also, undercleansing to the point of flakes can cause plenty of issues, such as hair loss. I always have hair loss when my SD flares up!

[shelomit]

If you have it all time, then it's probably not "just" the cold weather (though I suppose that could exacerbate it). Go back to daily washing if that worked well for you before!

[beckybourbon]

Wouldn’t my hair get super dry if I wash it too much? To the point where it won’t grow fast anymore? I thought the quickest way possible to grow hair is to wash it less, but obviously if my scalp is irritated from it then I should go back to washing it more

[beckybourbon]

I’m using Amalaki oil by blue beautify and there’s a bunch of herbal and essential oils in it so I figured it was good. And I wanted to wash my hair less because I heard it helps your hair grow. I seriously didn’t know I could wash my hair frequently and it still would grow the same

[akurah]

Wouldn’t my hair get super dry if I wash it too much? To the point where it won’t grow fast anymore? I thought the quickest way possible to grow hair is to wash it less, but obviously if my scalp is irritated from it then I should go back to washing it more

Your hair won't grow if your scalp is upset with you. Scalp health trumps all. I could wash my hair daily if I wanted and it'd be fine and my hair is knee length. I don't, I wash it every second day, but if my scalp required it, I'd wash daily.

Also nothing can really make your hair grow faster.

[beckybourbon]

This helps me so much. Thank you!!! I can’t believe that this whole time I could’ve washed my hair more. I hate greasy hair anyway

[Ylva]

akurah is correct. Causing yourself scalp issues is a surefire way to sabotage hair growth. Some of us simply need to wash more often than others; there really isn't any universal right or wrong way there but each individual has to know their own scalp. This is probably the most important lesson to be learned on the LHC. :)

[Firefox7275]

I’m using Amalaki oil by blue beautify and there’s a bunch of herbal and essential oils in it so I figured it was good. And I wanted to wash my hair less because I heard it helps your hair grow. I seriously didn’t know I could wash my hair frequently and it still would grow the same

The scalp oil is likely causing or worsening your symptoms.

Essential oils are loaded with known allergens/ known irritants. IIRC limonene, linalool, geraniol and citral are all on the EU list of 26 fragrance allergens.

Sesame seed oil is fairly rich in oleic acid which is the primary irritant in seborrhoeic dermatitis (greasy dandruff), and other research suggests may damage the skin barrier.

HTH.

[lapushka]

Wouldn’t my hair get super dry if I wash it too much? To the point where it won’t grow fast anymore? I thought the quickest way possible to grow hair is to wash it less, but obviously if my scalp is irritated from it then I should go back to washing it more

That's what conditioner is for! There are 2 methods here on the site that might help you out. CWC or WCC, this means you apply conditioner twice to the hair (ears down) just on various moments depending on the method. The link to the WCC method is in my signature; and the CWC thread is around here somewhere.


Your hair won't grow if your scalp is upset with you. Scalp health trumps all. I could wash my hair daily if I wanted and it'd be fine and my hair is knee length. I don't, I wash it every second day, but if my scalp required it, I'd wash daily.

Also nothing can really make your hair grow faster.

Yes, nothing makes hair grow more than it already does (1/2 inch on average).

I second akurah when she talks about scalp health. That is the root, the stem, the basis of your hair getting long in the first place. You need to treat that "ground layer" well. If the soil is good, it will grow. And most "plants" errr scalps don't need fertilizing (oils).

Just turn to loads of conditioning for "moisture" in the hair. The scalp itself can not dry out, unless you are allergic or have problems with sulfates or the like.

BTW, do you wash sulfate-free or with sulfates? What's your shampoo?

[MusicalSpoons]

Wouldn’t my hair get super dry if I wash it too much? To the point where it won’t grow fast anymore? I thought the quickest way possible to grow hair is to wash it less, but obviously if my scalp is irritated from it then I should go back to washing it more

If your lengths are happier with being washed less then you can try scalp-only washing, keeping the lengths dry. If that's no good you can also oil the lengths before washing to protect them a little bit (particularly good in combination with the CWC method as the initial conditioner gets the oil out better than shampoo without being harsh on your hair).



Yes, nothing makes hair grow more than it already does (1/2 inch on average).


Just turn to loads of conditioning for "moisture" in the hair. The scalp itself can not dry out, unless you are allergic or have problems with sulfates or the like.

Mm, these are a bit misleading. There are loads of us on here for whom the scalp very much can and WILL dry out (dehydrate), not necessarily even due to sulphates but due to overwashing or using too harsh a shampoo (sulphates or not). However I completely agree that for the OP this is unlikely to be an issue as they were okay with daily washing before.

Also there are things that can be barriers to growth, and removing those makes the hair grow faster than it already was - such as not quite enough vitamins, circulation, dietary protein, etc. I know what you're saying, in that nothing can increase the genetic maximum growth rate, but removing any barriers to reaching that maximum can help. But again I agree that for most of us that's not the case and we're stuck with the rate we have anyway ;)

[beckybourbon]

That's what conditioner is for! There are 2 methods here on the site that might help you out. CWC or WCC, this means you apply conditioner twice to the hair (ears down) just on various moments depending on the method. The link to the WCC method is in my signature; and the CWC thread is around here somewhere.



Yes, nothing makes hair grow more than it already does (1/2 inch on average).

I second akurah when she talks about scalp health. That is the root, the stem, the basis of your hair getting long in the first place. You need to treat that "ground layer" well. If the soil is good, it will grow. And most "plants" errr scalps don't need fertilizing (oils).

Just turn to loads of conditioning for "moisture" in the hair. The scalp itself can not dry out, unless you are allergic or have problems with sulfates or the like.

BTW, do you wash sulfate-free or with sulfates? What's your shampoo?

Lapushka, thank you for the helpful info. I shampoo and condition with sulfate free and it doesn’t have anything “harsh” in it. It’s basically the most natural a shampoo can get. But now I’m thinking that I should go more toward a cheaper shampoo with those chemicals(I’m calling them that because that’s all I know them to be) which my hair might need.

[Ylva]

Lapushka, thank you for the helpful info. I shampoo and condition with sulfate free and it doesn’t have anything “harsh” in it. It’s basically the most natural a shampoo can get. But now I’m thinking that I should go more toward a cheaper shampoo with those chemicals(I’m calling them that because that’s all I know them to be) which my hair might need.

Strong sulfate shampoos are very useful for people who get issues with oiliness. You might be able to stretch your washes better with them than using these sulfate-free ones, and without the oiling of course.

Of course, there is no reason to try to stretch washes if your scalp simply isn't happy with that, no matter what shampoo you use.

[beckybourbon]

If your lengths are happier with being washed less then you can try scalp-only washing, keeping the lengths dry. If that's no good you can also oil the lengths before washing to protect them a little bit (particularly good in combination with the CWC method as the initial conditioner gets the oil out better than shampoo without being harsh on your hair).



Mm, these are a bit misleading. There are loads of us on here for whom the scalp very much can and WILL dry out (dehydrate), not necessarily even due to sulphates but due to overwashing or using too harsh a shampoo (sulphates or not). However I completely agree that for the OP this is unlikely to be an issue as they were okay with daily washing before.

Also there are things that can be barriers to growth, and removing those makes the hair grow faster than it already was - such as not quite enough vitamins, circulation, dietary protein, etc. I know what you're saying, in that nothing can increase the genetic maximum growth rate, but removing any barriers to reaching that maximum can help. But again I agree that for most of us that's not the case and we're stuck with the rate we have anyway ;)


Yes my ends dry out very quickly, but my roots gets greasy fast. I will definitely try that method of washing the roots only. And I’ll also try the CWC method. Thanks again

[beckybourbon]

The scalp oil is likely causing or worsening your symptoms.

Essential oils are loaded with known allergens/ known irritants. IIRC limonene, linalool, geraniol and citral are all on the EU list of 26 fragrance allergens.

Sesame seed oil is fairly rich in oleic acid which is the primary irritant in seborrhoeic dermatitis (greasy dandruff), and other research suggests may damage the skin barrier.

HTH.

Thank you, this is very good to know

[beckybourbon]

akurah is correct. Causing yourself scalp issues is a surefire way to sabotage hair growth. Some of us simply need to wash more often than others; there really isn't any universal right or wrong way there but each individual has to know their own scalp. This is probably the most important lesson to be learned on the LHC. :)

I’m very happy I joined this community. I literally believed that there was one way to hair growth but this has opened up my eyes.

[lapushka]

If your lengths are happier with being washed less then you can try scalp-only washing, keeping the lengths dry. If that's no good you can also oil the lengths before washing to protect them a little bit (particularly good in combination with the CWC method as the initial conditioner gets the oil out better than shampoo without being harsh on your hair).



Mm, these are a bit misleading. There are loads of us on here for whom the scalp very much can and WILL dry out (dehydrate), not necessarily even due to sulphates but due to overwashing or using too harsh a shampoo (sulphates or not). However I completely agree that for the OP this is unlikely to be an issue as they were okay with daily washing before.

Exactly what I meant.

[lapushka]

Lapushka, thank you for the helpful info. I shampoo and condition with sulfate free and it doesn’t have anything “harsh” in it. It’s basically the most natural a shampoo can get. But now I’m thinking that I should go more toward a cheaper shampoo with those chemicals(I’m calling them that because that’s all I know them to be) which my hair might need.

Ah that's good to hear. I can't go sulfate-free due to scalp issues, but you should be fine. A sulfate-free shampoo can't nearly stretch as long for me as a sulfate one. So maybe that came into play for you as well?

No if you have found a shampoo that is good (or go back to the one that didn't give you issues), stick with it like glue!