AAAH my scalp is burning!

[Fethenwen]

I used a deep cleansing shampoo the other day, and it went quite well apart from a bit dry feeling in my scalp until today. My scalp is killing me! :wail:
I've tried AVC with rosemary EO just a while ago, it soothed it for a while, but now it itches again. AVC usually helps to all sorts of scalp problems. But this one is a real bugger, I will never use such a harsh shampoo ever again!
Is there anything else I can do? Oil treatment? Clay? Conditioner? I did an SMT after the shampoo, thank God, I think the shampoo would have destroyed my hair and scalp completely if I hadn't. So my hair is feeling fine, I had to put on quite a lot of coconut oil yesterday, it still drinks it up. Should I maybe do another SMT? Or would that be too much?
Any suggestions are highly appreciated!

[Rohele]

Do you think there is some shampoo residue left behind that's still irritating your scalp, or is it tight and dried out from the shampoo? Or is it more of an allergic type reaction?

If it were me I'd try rinsing for a long time in case there was shampoo residue on my scalp and then try to add moisture to my scalp. When I had a burny itchy scalp from sunburn, a long soak with conditioner on my scalp the next time I washed it made it feel loads better. There was a thread not too long ago about how to soothe a sunburned scalp and a lot of people recommended aloe vera gel to soothe it. (I know your not sunburned, just irritated from product, but maybe those suggestions would help?).

[Gulbahar]

I'd try oiling the scalp. My mother sometimes has problems with her scalp being itchy and dry because of aggressive shampoo. So I told her to try olive oil from time to time and now she is quite happy with that.

[EtherealOde]

If it's an allergic reaction you could add some hydrocortisone gel to your aloe vera gel and dab it on your scalp or maybe put it in a tiny bottle with a pointed tip and get it all over your scalp that way? That would soothe the itch some. If it is dryness, mix a bit of jojoba oil and a light leave in conditioner (and the hydrocortisone wouldn't hurt either as it relieves itch) and get that on your scalp. the jojoba is supposed to closely mimic natural sebum so it should help immensely if that is your issue. In any case, good luck, I hope this resolves itself soon. :hug:

[Madame J]

Are you allergic to ragweed or chamomile? If not, you might try brewing some chamomile tea, chilling it, and pouring it over your head. It would probably be a temporary fix, but it would soothe things. Sometimes ACV irritates my skin a little. And maybe do a little jojoba oiling to help the dryness, then stick it in an updo and try to ignore it for a day or two. Good luck!

[Fethenwen]

Thanks for the suggestions! I wish I had some aloe geel, it would probably help. I really don't know if it was an allergic reaction, might be. But than again I have sometimes got itchiness from other shampoos as well, not as severe as this though.
Chamomille sounds like an easy solution, but I don't have any at the moment. I think I will try some oiling.

[Spring]

I was just going to suggest spraying aloe vera juice on the scalp. Was the shampoo a clarifying shampoo? I made the mistake of using a clarifying shampoo the same way I would use my moisturizing shampoo (every other day) and I had to moisturize my scalp and hair with conditioners and oils in a plastic cap for hours, because my scalp was very irritated. After the deep conditioning treatment things were back to normal the next day.

[may1em]

Are you allergic to ragweed or chamomile? If not, you might try brewing some chamomile tea, chilling it, and pouring it over your head. It would probably be a temporary fix, but it would soothe things. Sometimes ACV irritates my skin a little. And maybe do a little jojoba oiling to help the dryness, then stick it in an updo and try to ignore it for a day or two. Good luck!

Do ragweed and chamomile have that thing where if you're allergic to one, the other bothers you?

If so, I'll forgo any chamomile hair experiments - though it would explain why my nose couldn't handle the smell of the chamomile shampoo I used to have.

OP- I'd use some sort of oil in a dropper or squirt bottle - just enough to soothe your scalp. Oil usually makes my scalp stop itching.

[Madame J]

Do ragweed and chamomile have that thing where if you're allergic to one, the other bothers you?

If so, I'll forgo any chamomile hair experiments - though it would explain why my nose couldn't handle the smell of the chamomile shampoo I used to have.

OP- I'd use some sort of oil in a dropper or squirt bottle - just enough to soothe your scalp. Oil usually makes my scalp stop itching.

Eh, I've been told that ragweed and chamomile are related, and that if you're allergic to ragweed, you shouldn't use chamomile or echinacea. That said, I've used both of those herbal remedies with no problems, and I have a scratch-test verified ragweed allergy. I just figured that if some tiny allergic reaction was going to happen, it would be bad to happen on an already-irritated scalp.

[spidermom]

What is AVC?

When I worked as a cosmetic consultant, we were told to use milk to counter-act negative reactions, so if all else fails, try pouring milk over your scalp with a bit of massage before rinsing.

[Fethenwen]

I massaged jojoba oil thoroughly in my scalp, it did the trick! No more itch.

I was just going to suggest spraying aloe vera juice on the scalp. Was the shampoo a clarifying shampoo? I made the mistake of using a clarifying shampoo the same way I would use my moisturizing shampoo (every other day) and I had to moisturize my scalp and hair with conditioners and oils in a plastic cap for hours, because my scalp was very irritated. After the deep conditioning treatment things were back to normal the next day.
Yes, it was a clarifying shampoo. It had a long list of chemicals and many different sulfates, they worried me, well now I know I had a reason too.

What is AVC?

When I worked as a cosmetic consultant, we were told to use milk to counter-act negative reactions, so if all else fails, try pouring milk over your scalp with a bit of massage before rinsing.
Sorry bout dat :p I meant ACV (apple cider vinegar). Thanks for the tip.

[jera]

Tea Tree oil or Neem oil can be beneficial for an irritated scalp. :) Especially Neem oil. That stuff cures everything, but it has a strong smell.

[Spring]

I'm glad you're feeling better :)

[Spring]

I love tea tree oil and neem oil, but isn't tea tree for fungus or bacteria control?