exfoliating your scalp??

[bunnii]

Lately i've been having an itchy scalp, I CO and do vinegar rinses. So I thought I was going to have to use shampoo, which I really hate as it removes any build up but leaves my scalp so dry that it itches and doesn't get rid of the problem at all :silly: There didn't seem to be any build up on my hair, just my scalp, whenever i scratched (I tried avoiding doing that) there was loads of white stuff under my nails, YUK!!

So I needed a way to get rid of the gunk, and I thought to myself 'A sugar scrub!' I'm sure I read about that here so I gave it a go. I got my hair wet and mixed a little EVOO into some sugar and rub it into my scalp, then rinsed. Then I thought the oil might stay on my scalp and the problem wouldn't go away, so I got some more sugar without the EVOO and rubbed that in too, then I washed as normal, and the itching has all but gone!!

Just thought i'd share to anyone who is looking for a shampoo free way of helping with scalp buildup.

Also has anyone else done this? I'm sure I read about it here :)

[LisaJaney]

Bunnii, There was something similar (conditioner with brown-sugar in it) in Lorraine Massey's Curly Girls book. Would that be what you're thinking of? I get that white-stuff sometimes, too, and it's DISGUSTING. I try to really CLEAN that scalp with the conditioner when I "wash" (CO washer here, too) and that helps. And I brush with my BBB. Head upside-down, brush til my scalp tingles, then I COwash my hair and really work that conditioner in.

I may try to brown-sugar scrub again, though. It's been awhile since I've done that. Thanks for reminding me!

(good to see you again!)

[earthdancer]

What a brilliant idea! Shampoo doesn't solve the problem for me, and I tried baking soda and water but it is very drying.

The sugar-and-oil mixture ought to be called "The Sugar Solution".;)

[jera]

I'd lve to be able to exfoliate my scalp the way I do my face but so far all I use for that is SLS free shampoo once every two or three weeks. Otherwise, I'd get those white thingies too. :o I'll be watching this thread for more ideas and solutions. :eyebrows:

[goodluckcharm]

Interesting! I get those white flakies too, which sometimes look like dandruff but I think it's different, and haven't yet found a solution. I think I'll try a sugar scrub during my next wash!

[bunnii]

Ah, I was sure i'd seen it mentioned before :)

I hope it works for other too, I always hate the dry itchies after shampoo, which is probably why I left it 2 months between build up removal this time :o

Thanks LJ, it's good to be back :D

[magpielaura]

I'll probably give this a go next time I get a flare up. Does anyone else get one area that is always bad? The patch above my right ear is terrible. After last wash I mixed a tiny smear of coconut oil with aloe gel and massaged it in to that bit before it dried. It was better, so maybe dryness makes it worse in some instances.

[ZaBasDa]

I use a coarse sugar-conditioner scrub about once or week, at least I try to. Otherwise, I get ferociously awful white gunk on my scalp and it itches and starts to scab. And I only add just enough conditioner to make the sugar stick together a bit.

[Norai]

This is a really good idea. :)

[renarok]

I know I've heard about this before, with great reviews, but could someone refresh me? What ratio of sugar to conditioner? How long do you let it sit? Should the scalp be scritched or brushed ahead of time? I am anxious to try this because I am still a scalp washer. I just haven't felt clean enough on my scalp with a CO wash. Though I've pretty much eliminated shampoo from the length.:)

[Teazel]

I have seborrheic dermatitis, and sometimes in desperation I've used brown sugar to exfoliate the horrible flakies away.

Sugar mixed with shampoo (or conditioner) dissolves too quickly for me, so I mix it with almond oil - the same way I do for my face. After a good scrub it's into the shower for the usual S & C, and a bright shiny scalp is the result. :D

[LisaJaney]

My sugar always wants to dissolve, too, so I have to move fast. I put about 1/4 cup of conditioner, and about 2 Tablespoons of sugar. Roughly 1:3 ration, sugar:condish. And I only use that on the scalp area. The REST of my hair just gets the conditioner.

And I always take a few lumps of the brown sugar to eat. I have ALWAYS loved brown sugar lumps...

[windinherhair]

I also tend to have an itchy scalp. I never related it to the use of shampoo though. My scalp really only becomes itchy when I "think" it needs to be washed again, which I have tried to avoid itching and focus more on trying to wash my hair less. I also don't scratch because I also end up with the white under my nails. Then it can be seen through my hair. Yuck, I know.

I will try the sugar scrub and see if it will work for me too.

[MadPirateBippy]

I'm so glad you posted this. My scalp has been itchy with white gunk for a couple of weeks now and it's been driving me CRAZY.

I'm going to try this soon! :)

[HotRag]

Using massage brush has reduced itching, flakes and build up for me.

IHW and egg wash reduced itching, flaking and sebum production even more.

I massage scalp with massage brush every night.
With that I can get the scalp without scrubbing hair in the same time.

It can be used when washing too. To massage in schampo or conditioner more effective to solve scalp gunk, without scrubbing or ripping hairs.

I have this massage brush:
http://di1.shopping.com/images1/pi/26/51/89/30707284-177x150-0-0_.jpg

[Calanthe]

I'm so going to try this when I next wash. Thanks for the idea. I hope, it works for me...

[Ndnlady]

I actually forgot about that whole brown sugar mix! Thanks for reminding me, I need a good scalp exfoliation too.
ETA: I LOVE brown sugar lumps too! I always had to eat a couple lumps before I made my mix.

[BittSweetCherry]

Sounds invigorating. I think I might give it a try.

As a CO washer, I also get that solid white gunk build-up which my weekly wash with conditioner alone just can't cut through. I currently rub a generous amount of coconut oil into my scalp and through my length the day before washing, and really work it into my scalp. The chemical nature and melting point of the coconut oil seems to make the sebum more readily removed by conditioners, but I think the brown sugar scrub would give me an extra edge.

[Brownie]

Can I replace the sugar with sea salt? I've got quite a lot of salt at home :D
My scalp has been itchy and flaky with white build-up for a few months and it really gets on my nerves :o It got better after I started to clarify regularly, but it's still irritating.

[sukhi_v1023]

Brownie, I was going to ask the same question.

I've gotten advice to take a dollop of coconut oil and some salt and rub it into your scalp for a good scalp exfoliation. Has anyone here tried it?

[Samikha]

Brownie, I was going to ask the same question.

I've gotten advice to take a dollop of coconut oil and some salt and rub it into your scalp for a good scalp exfoliation. Has anyone here tried it?

I have! It works well and the salt doesn't dissolve the way sugar seems to.

People, that white gunk is sebum and dead skin cells - hate it all you like, but call it by its name;)

[sukhi_v1023]

Ouuu... Thank you, Samikha. I've always had issues with sugar dissolving too quickly, so I think I'll try the salt and coconut oil mix. Woo hoo!

[goodluckcharm]

I tried this last night, with good results. I used regular white sugar instead of brown and used much more sugar than conditioner. I got my hair damp in the shower, and then put some of the mixture on my finger tips and gave myself a scalp massage, adding more mixture when needed. Rinsed it out, followed by conditioning the ends. Today, I have way fewer flakes than I normally do. I think I'll be adding this in once a week!

[AlleyKitten]

In my experience salt is harsher than sugar -- I can use a sugar scrub on my face and it loves it, but the time I tried it with salt I was afraid I'd scoured my skin off. So if you're going to give salt a try, be gentle with it.

My only problem with scalp exfoliation is that the oil tends to be hard to wash out of the hair right by my scalp, since I CO or use diluted shampoo...I might have to just suck it up and use my shampoo stronger, I'm not sure I trust sugar and conditioner to make anything other than a sticky mess!

[GeoJ]

I'll probably give this a go next time I get a flare up. Does anyone else get one area that is always bad? The patch above my right ear is terrible. After last wash I mixed a tiny smear of coconut oil with aloe gel and massaged it in to that bit before it dried. It was better, so maybe dryness makes it worse in some instances.

Yes, I get one annoying spot that always has a lot of white gunk. It is right on the crown of my head. I don't think I have ever had to wash my hair because it was getting greasy, I think all of my washes have been due to either dirt or because I accidentally scratched that spot!

[bunnii]

Alley Kitten - I didn't mix mine with conditioner, although I might try it next time. I didn't have any problem with stickyness I rinse loads and COed after and my hair was shiney, not itchy, and not sticky :D

My especially itchy bit is above my ears about an inch up and it drives me round the bend! I'm not sure if I will try salt, could it be drying? I suppose it would be good if you had alot of excess oil you wanted to absorb? The coconut oil and salt sounds lovely, but I may use sugar, actually I think i'm going to try everything :cheer:

Oh and I don't think I mentioned that I used plain old white sugar too.

[Samikha]

I didn't find the salt scrub drying, but I never use it more than once a month :) And it's been a long time since the last one. If you rub too much your scalp is going to be a little red, but other than that it doesn't seem damaging. Sugar would be gentler, of course.

ETA: Use ordinary table salt, and you should be fine. Don't use anything rougher than that.

[GoddesJourney]

This is great. Ever since I started trying to take care of my hair, I've been getting what looks like dandruff since I've been trying not to wash my hair everyday as I've done my whole life. I was trying to think of a way to get rid of all that without having to go back to daily washing. I may have to start getting away from thick waxy kinds of "cone" products if I'm not going to wash as much. I keep hearing about the Queen Helen stuff. Maybe I'll get some in hopes that it reduces the buildup, but I'll probably try this too. I'm tired of this "dandruff" looking things that I've never had in a lifetime of daily washing with "cone" shampoos and conditioners. Thanks everyone!

[Laurel32]

Thank you for this board!

I mixed some brown sugar with my conditioner and gently rubbed it throughout my scalp. No itches yet! (My hair is usually itchy by now)

[Calanthe]

OK, I tried it this morning. Still, can't say much yet, as my hair is still damp. Here's what DH said: "You are not washing your hair with sugar, are you?!" And than he gave me a look which said quite clearly: now she's lost it for good...:D

[cynthia.md]

Ohh I'll have to try this tomorrow, thank you!

[RetroKitten]

People, that white gunk is sebum and dead skin cells - hate it all you like, but call it by its name;)

I don't know which amount of sebum & dead skin cells is normal to have on your scalp, but wouldn't symptoms like that mean that my scalp needs a lot more moisture in general?

[Deborah]

Actually I think that removing any scalp build-up is one of the main historical reasons for using a hair brush rather than just a comb. :)

[Aang]

Thanks for this! I always have problems with an itchy flakey scalp - but the one time I tried Head and Shoulders it gave me a chemical burn. Very sensitive scalp, so hoping this will work!

I'll report back (I'm showering tonight) but thanks for the tip!

[UrsaMama]

I'm gonna have to try this! I have a spot in the middle on the top of my head towards the front hairline that does this all the time!

[Calanthe]

It seems to work. Less flakes than before, I think. I will keep this up for a few washes to see if it really works for me. And I don't have such bad halo hair, which I always have after washing with a poo bar or hair soap for a few days, so it seems less stripping. Again, thanks for the idea and method. :D

[bunnii]

It seems to work. Less flakes than before, I think. I will keep this up for a few washes to see if it really works for me. And I don't have such bad halo hair, which I always have after washing with a poo bar or hair soap for a few days, so it seems less stripping. Again, thanks for the idea and method. :D

My halo seemed to be tamed a bit after trying it too, It's still there, just a bit smaller :cheese:

[Carolyn]

I haven't done a sugar/brown sugar/salt scrub in ages. I remember when the brown sugar thing was one of those LHC fads. The scrubs are really nice and invigorating. Don't scrub too hard. Be gentle and just use the pads of the fingertips. Also don't let your mixture sit around before using it. Make it up and then get it on your head immediately. You'll have less dissolving this way. Any leftovers can be used on the body. I love it on my arms and decollete.

[windinherhair]

I have been using the WC method (washing scalp and conditioning the length). I think I will try mixing the sugar in my shampoo the next time, and see if I can get the same effect. Any thoughts?

[bunnii]

My only thought is that that sugar might disolve quicker in shampoo, but it's always worth a go, I love hair experiments :D

[bunnii]

Ok, I think I found my perfect exfoliation mix for me - white sugar mixed with Tea tree and mint conditioner made by Original Source. I figure the tea tree would help with any scalp spots and the mint made my scalp all cold and tingley and my scalp felt super clean :cloud9: Might not be good for people with allergies though.

[magpielaura]

I tried sugar with my last wash. Still a tad flakey, but there was a bit of improvement! I didn't wet my hair as I usually would but globbed my "washing" condish on my head then poured a pile of sugar on the top of my head and massaged it through, then rinsed. i was going to CO wash again but my hair felt smooth and clean so I didn't bother and it dried nice and shiny. i'll try doing it once every few washes to see if it will improve.

[angelthadiva]

I've been doing this as needed for a long time. This is a great way to get rid of the scalp gunk that tends to build up. I use the brown sugar and condish method, the BS is a little more course to me and takes longer to break down than the white cane sugar IMHO. :flower:

[Lilelfen1]

Ok, stupid question: What is "scritching"? I am assuming it is a cutesy form of the word "scratching". Lol

[turtlelover]

Using Head & Shoulders dandruff shampoo once a week solves the problem for me. It really does a good job w/ "de-gunking". I don't do this year round, but at certain times of the year when this is a problem, the dandruff shampoo fixes it, even if I don't actually have dandruff.

[Kat]

Doesn't it damage your hair? I've never used exfoliating "scrubs" on my scalp because I figure if it's sharp/harsh/scratchy enough to scrape away dead skin, it's sharp enough to scrape and weaken my hair as well...

[leslissocool]

I'm kind of glad this was ressurected!


I have psoriasis, and while I do well with the mint shampoo's that are medicated I wonder if a scrub would do me well. I always thought it would be damaging, but I think I'm willing to try it...

[Naima]

I have this itchy/flakey problem too. This thread just in time: today is a wash day for me, so I' gonna give a try to a sugar scrub))

[Jane99]

May 2009 I was moving from community college on to work on my bachelors degree starting in the summer semester, then December 2013 I was graduating from grad school. It’s fun to read these old threads :)

Anyways, does anyone have any updated tips for scalp scrubs? I think my scalp would appreciate it. I think I’ll try brown sugar and conditioner on the next wash day which is Monday. Has anyone ever used activated charcoal in a scalp scrub before? I have some from the days I was trying to make my own deodorant (it didn’t work out)

[Kat]

I just use one of those "shampoo brushes" to remove buildup. I still feel that any kind of "scrub" isn't going to discriminate on whether it scrubs away skin cells/buildup or my hair...

[Mlarmour]

I just use one of those "shampoo brushes" to remove buildup. I still feel that any kind of "scrub" isn't going to discriminate on whether it scrubs away skin cells/buildup or my hair...

Same, I use a scalp brush and I love it. I found that it has helped with my itchy scalp. I found that scrubs just irritated my scalp, especially when the cause of my flaky scalp was/is eczema.

[Kat]

I keep meaning to try using it every day between washes to see if it keeps buildup from happening so much. But, as is typical for me, I usually forget to do it :rolleyes: so I still have no idea.

[keshkala]

Time to get a scalp brush!

[Julie8844]

Many hair experts maintain that regular scalp exfoliation is the key to healthier, shinier hair from the roots to the tips. I noticed that exfoliating regularly helps hair grow naturally thicker, shinier, and less oily. I use Ziohealth scalp and hair scrub from the NOPE, I like it. Also, there is a good natural way. I combine 1 egg, 1 teaspoon of coconut oil, lemon juice, 1 teaspoon of aloe vera gel, and 1 teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda., apply this mixture on the hair and wear a plastic shower cap. After 10 minutes, I rub my scalp gently in circular motions and wash it off with water. Works great for me.

[JasminxCat]

I just use brown sugar, olive oil and tea tree oil on dry hair, let it sit for 30 minutes for the oils to rehydrate my scalp, then wash it out. My scalp always feels clean and fresh after

[ExpectoPatronum]

I'm still trying to find a way to exfoliating that I like. I'm experimenting with a scrub, but I've also used various brushes.

Honestly what has worked for me is a good scalp brushing with my Tangle Teezer before washing. I find it loosens up the buildup and it's easier to wash away.

I have trouble getting sugar scrubs throughout my scalp since my hair is on the thicker side. I don't have this issue with the TT.

[Jane99]

The sugar and conditioner scrub worked for me. It didn’t distribute perfectly but well enough. The sugar dissolved quite quickly so I wasn’t able to over scrub or irritate my scalp which I was worried about. I think it got some of the buildup off like I was hoping it would

[Kat]

I'm still trying to find a way to exfoliating that I like. I'm experimenting with a scrub, but I've also used various brushes.

Honestly what has worked for me is a good scalp brushing with my Tangle Teezer before washing. I find it loosens up the buildup and it's easier to wash away.

I have trouble getting sugar scrubs throughout my scalp since my hair is on the thicker side. I don't have this issue with the TT.

Yes, my shampoo brush has sort of similar bristles to a TT (but shorter and stiffer). Mine is pretty much just like these (https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41h28Nl3pIL.jpg).

[JasminxCat]

Brown sugar works better since it doesn't desolve quick. A lot of it wastes on the bath tub floor when I try massaging it in, so I use like 3 tbs so I can distribute through every part. And never, ever irritated my sensitive scalp, but I know everyone is different

[ExpectoPatronum]

Yes, my shampoo brush has sort of similar bristles to a TT (but shorter and stiffer). Mine is pretty much just like these (https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41h28Nl3pIL.jpg).

That looks like it works well! I might have to get one of those - my scalp brush looks like this (https://i5.walmartimages.com/asr/9333995e-7116-4a7b-b1bf-aa0c6efe50fc.72c6bcd6b02984511434980b6dee5732.jpeg ?odnHeight=612&odnWidth=612&odnBg=FFFFFF). It feels good for a massage but I don't think the bristles are useful for cleaning.

[Deborah]

I have been using this scalp brush by Tangle Teezer and really like it: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08ZBKBBFY/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
It's a lot firmer than a Tangle Teezer hairbrush.

[Kat]

That looks like it works well! I might have to get one of those - my scalp brush looks like this (https://i5.walmartimages.com/asr/9333995e-7116-4a7b-b1bf-aa0c6efe50fc.72c6bcd6b02984511434980b6dee5732.jpeg ?odnHeight=612&odnWidth=612&odnBg=FFFFFF). It feels good for a massage but I don't think the bristles are useful for cleaning.

That's good to know, because I had considered getting that type at some point, too. (Or, lol, the pet-store equivalent (https://www.chewy.com/kong-cat-zoomgroom-multi-use-brush/dp/45800)... and oh man, do I want this one! (https://www.chewy.com/frisco-rubber-duck-cat-dog-curry/dp/233449)) So I'm glad I didn't have to buy it to know it probably wouldn't be what I'm after.

A friend recently asked me to get him a shampoo brush because he likes a good scalp massage/scratch and had lost the last one I gave him, and I can't find the same one again. I got him this one (https://www.sallybeauty.com/tools-and-brushes/brushes-and-combs/hair-brushes/scalp-massage-brush/SBS-345898.html), but I was considering the rubber kind as well and maybe I still will as it sounds like he might enjoy it (his aim is a scalp massage, not as much exfoliation).

[Jane99]

Brown sugar works better since it doesn't desolve quick. A lot of it wastes on the bath tub floor when I try massaging it in, so I use like 3 tbs so I can distribute through every part. And never, ever irritated my sensitive scalp, but I know everyone is different

I was going for brown sugar but only had one tiny hard clump at the bottom of the bag, and that was not going to work. I’ll try brown sugar next time once I get some more. So far day 2 hair and I still have no/barely any scalp gunk.