My scalp needs a lot of washing, but my hair doesn't seem to like it.

[Aviara]

My scalp gets oily at a moderate pace, but if the oil builds up, my scalp hurts a lot. I'm aware of low-wash regimens (my mother has been washing her hair with only water for years) for decreasing oil production, but I seriously cannot tolerate the scalp pain I get during the adjustment period. Since I started working from home, I've been showering and washing my hair with shampoo every 2-3 days. Before, I had good results showering daily and using shampoo every 3-4 days or when I went swimming, massaging my scalp with water otherwise. I also lightly comb out my not-yet-dried hair with the wide-toothed end of a styling comb to get air to my scalp, or else moisture gets trapped and my scalp develops that "dirty, about to hurt" sensation.

However, I think this is contributing to my huge problem with split ends. I have extremely gory split ends, often with multiple splits on a single strand and splits up to 2 inches into the strand. I recently cut off a few inches to get rid of the split ends because they were causing noticeable tangling, and I had noticeable split ends again within the month. I've also noticed that if I touch my hair at all when it's a few days unwashed, it's extremely prone to tangling and feels brittle: just running a hand through my hair seems to cause hairs to break. This doesn't happen the day of or after a shampooing.

I've entertained the hypothesis that I'm hypersensitive to or tend to overgrow malassezia on my scalp, and have been using Nizoral semi-regularly for two months. (I did the prescribed first few treatments on the box, then went to using it every few shampoos.) However, the only effect I've noticed is a temporary decrease in pain development that goes away after I use another shampoo. It also seems to dry out my hair a bit more. I recently finished my big bottle of Aussie 3-Minute Miracle conditioner, which made my hair feel soft but also less clean and tangle-prone (I could see bit of lint and dust in my hair basically all the time, compared to when I used conditioner samples).

Does anyone else have this problem? Does anyone have product recommendations?

[Aviara]

I should also mention that I don't use a hair dryer because I'm concerned about it causing split ends, but I realize that that's a possible solution to the issue of my scalp collecting moisture. I just don't know if it's a good trade-off.

[Neorago]

Hello aviara I have the same issue and tried everything. Fine medium thickness blonde hair and oily genetics. I've tried; sulfate free shampoo, co-washing, baking soda + vinegar, trying to stretch washes, scalp massages with oils, dry shampoo. Only thing I have success with is L'oreal clay shampoo (sulfates). I can go up to 3 days without washing with it and it doesn't build up on my length. I use mineral oil in my hair after shampooing (about 6 drops, waist length hair) and then silicone free conditioner for dry hair. Shampoo has to be for oily hair and conditioner has to be dry hair but silicone free to avoid it being weighed down too much (YMMV). That's what I've had success with. The mineral oil detangles my hair and doesn't leave a residue. I haven't had build up with the shampoo either.

[lakhesis]

Have you tried scalp only wash? People usually do it by braiding their hair, putting the braid under the bra strap and then just washing the scalp without getting the length wet. That way you could test if the harsher shampoo works better without drying out the ends.
(I have to admit I tried it like twice and I was clumsy enough to wet all of my hair both times, but I know other members have done it successfully :) )

[Aviara]

I'm so grateful someone else on this forum has this problem! Sometimes I think I'm going insane and just imagining the problem, especially since it's gotten worse specifically during the pandemic. I've also had issues with shampoos that are too gentle: my boyfriend uses baby shampoo sometimes, but when I try it it doesn't even get rid of the pain.

[baanoo]

I am terrible at successfully performing the scalp-only wash, so I condition the lengths heavily before shampooing my scalp in order to protect them.

If I feel like my scalp is being extra sensitive, I use a blowdryer on the warm/cool setting with the diffuser attachment, head flipped over, to encourage the quickest possible drying at the roots. I hope you find a good solution!

[lapushka]

Don't depend on shampoo to moisturize, that is totally the job of a conditioner or mask, so I do WCC, wash condition condition, so I slather my hair in conditioner or a mask twice after washing.

I used to wash 2 to 3 times a week, and I have SD (seborrheic dermatitis). So have to use Nizoral 2% sometimes and harsh sulfate shampoos all of the time, because I just have to, otherwise my scalp goes bonkers.

But I just moisturize well afterward. No split ends, no white dots. I don't have any of it.

Just get a good conditioner. If from the drugstore, get the products for "dry, damaged hair" for conditioner and for shampoo for "oily hair". That's what I do, and it's amazing!

ETA/ I now wash once a week, so every Sunday. And I love it. But my hair can take it. I haven't had a bout of SD in about a year.
BTW, the link to the WCC "method" is in my signature, should you be interested. :) HTH!

[Aviara]

What particular ingredients should I be looking for in a good conditioner? "Proteins"?

[lapushka]

What particular ingredients should I be looking for in a good conditioner? "Proteins"?

Nope. Any conditioner for dry, damaged hair will do. Elvive total repair or Garnier Fructis treats are good examples of great masks, for instance. The Garnier whole blends line is good, the L'Oréal Elvive line is good.

Are you looking for anything in particular, though?

[Aviara]

Since I use conditioner in large volumes, I mostly just desire for it to smell good (or not too strong). Also, I live in Canada so I was looking for ingredients of note just so that I can inspect the products easily available here.

[lapushka]

Since I use conditioner in large volumes, I mostly just desire for it to smell good (or not too strong). Also, I live in Canada so I was looking for ingredients of note just so that I can inspect the products easily available here.

Well it also depends on what you want to use, right? Do you use silicones in your conditioners, or not? Do you want some kind of preservative over another? That kind of thing. If you don't mind, just go towards a couple brands, select "dry/damaged hair", and go with it.

[ZoeZ]

I have very fine hair with a scalp that gets oily after a couple of days, it gets itchy and annoys the heck out of me. So washing every day would dry my hair out horribly. I now put a hair butter or conditioner on my length from the neck down after getting it wet, and shampoo the scalp only, the conditioner protects the ends and the length quite nicely, I find. No splits and it's nice and soft. Very occasionally I'll actually shampoo the lengths, but not very often, if they don't feel dry, I just scrub the scalp. Then I condition all over, and rince, then rinse with a leave in. Serum goes on the ends after towel-drying.

I've tried stretching washes, but it just doesn't work for me, my hair looks lank and greasy.

[lapushka]

I have very fine hair with a scalp that gets oily after a couple of days, it gets itchy and annoys the heck out of me. So washing every day would dry my hair out horribly. I now put a hair butter or conditioner on my length from the neck down after getting it wet, and shampoo the scalp only, the conditioner protects the ends and the length quite nicely, I find. No splits and it's nice and soft. Very occasionally I'll actually shampoo the lengths, but not very often, if they don't feel dry, I just scrub the scalp. Then I condition all over, and rince, then rinse with a leave in. Serum goes on the ends after towel-drying.

I've tried stretching washes, but it just doesn't work for me, my hair looks lank and greasy.

Basically that's the CWC method. :) Maybe that's also something Aviara could look into?

[lakhesis]

What particular ingredients should I be looking for in a good conditioner? "Proteins"?

You don't mention your hair type, so I feel like it is important to say that too much protein can definitely work against you if your hair doesn't like it. If I used protein heavy conditioner every single wash, my hair would definitely freak out and I would see more breakage. But some can use it all the time without an issue.

I agree with lapushka, that a conditioner for dry hair is probably the best choice now :)

[baanoo]

:scissors:

...I now put a hair butter or conditioner on my length from the neck down after getting it wet, and shampoo the scalp only, the conditioner protects the ends and the length quite nicely, I find. No splits and it's nice and soft. Very occasionally I'll actually shampoo the lengths, but not very often, if they don't feel dry, I just scrub the scalp. Then I condition all over, and rince, then rinse with a leave in. Serum goes on the ends after towel-drying.. .

My exact routine and I love it. Only change is I usually condition twice after washing because I’m a glutton for moisturizing.

[Shorty89]

You don't mention your hair type, so I feel like it is important to say that too much protein can definitely work against you if your hair doesn't like it. If I used protein heavy conditioner every single wash, my hair would definitely freak out and I would see more breakage. But some can use it all the time without an issue.

I agree with lapushka, that a conditioner for dry hair is probably the best choice now :)

I was going to sya the same thing. For cone free in Canada, you could try the Garnier Hair Treats conditioners or masks. There's also the Live Clean Line and my favourite, Down Under Naturals. The latter might be too light; I use it on my scalp for CO. We have lost of the usual Coney brands here like Pantene and Garnier.

[Aviara]

Thanks for the suggestions everyone, especially Shorty89 for the tips about Canadian products!

I'll give the CWC method a shot. I have some leave-in conditioner that I don't like the feel of, so I'll try applying that before I shampoo.

[Aviara]

:sigh: I can't wait until I can edit posts.

lakhesis, you mentioned that my hair type affects the suitability of protein products. I was typed as 1b/c and the strands range from medium to coarse. I get the sense that that's not the only type you mean, though... I think my hair is high porosity, or at the very least it holds shapes extremely well (it doesn't need to be wet to hold waves from a braid). What other types should I be aware of, or should I just buy a protein product and see if it causes any negative effects?

[Jane99]

I feel like we have the same hair Aviara. Moderately oily split prone hair, 1c, medium/coarse, probably highly porous. I bet 1/3 to 1/2 of my hairs are split or have white dots, I feel like I could S&D forever. I have some damage from highlights and box dye in 2019 but it was pretty split prone before then too. I used to wash daily with sulfate shampoo for my whole life, and would blow dry daily (on high but only for about a minute) for a number of years because my scalp would feel like it would get greasier faster without the blow dry. But my ends would be so damaged and break off every time I brushed my hair by the hundreds. So I changed hair care practices, these days I oil before and after every wash, my hair loves coconut oil for pre poo. The pandemic allowed me to stretch washes from daily to twice a week (I had tried 3 times every 2 weeks but my scalp hated me for that). I decided to stretch washes to limit mechanical damage and hygral fatigue. I had been trying herb washing for about nine or ten months, but it didn’t clean as well as I wanted/needed, then CO washing for a couple months. The CO washing was hard on my scalp and after about a month my scalp just hurt even right after a wash. So now I’m trying sulfate free shampoo. I was wondering about some fungal growth too exacerbated by the CO washing so I used some tea tree oil mixed with the shampoo last time I washed. I have high hopes for sulfate free shampoo. It worked well from what I remember for the 9 or so months I used it from summer 2019 to february 2020. For the scalp anyways. I’m trying to get back into using catnip tea rinses and several people on here swear it has helped minimize splits. I do wish I didnt have the bleach and dye damage so I could really accurately gage what is actually helping minimize splits. I had never dyed before 10/2019 and so there are several recent new variables that make it impossible to make comparisons from now me with better hair care practices versus my natural damage prone likely hygral fatigued mechanically damaged hair. I do believe the oils applied to the length helps despite the continued splits.

Also, my hair does like occasional protein. But I think it’s prone to overload. So although my daily conditioner has a small amount of protein in it, I do a heavier protein mask about monthly. They say the protein helps damaged hair hold moisture. But I notice if I do too much protein the hair gets almost stiff. Not like super stiff and hard but firm maybe. And I don’t want protein overload so then I back off.

[gin]

I should also mention that I don't use a hair dryer because I'm concerned about it causing split ends, but I realize that that's a possible solution to the issue of my scalp collecting moisture. I just don't know if it's a good trade-off.

So I found my scalp was also sensitive to moisture and I would get scalp acne and extra shedding when my scalp would flare up. What I do on wash day is use a hair dryer but ONLY on the scalp/roots. This allows my scalp to dry almost immediately while the rest of my hair air dries.