Pretty bad product buildup..

[minorking09]

Hey everyone. I registered here just to ask this question! I'm a male with long hair (long for a guy). It's short of that shaggy haircut. After reading about no and low-poo, i tried it out, hoping it would cure my hair's dryness. Well it was good for a while, but after about a month i noticed buildup towards the top/middle of my scalp. Ya know, that spot where males usually start balding. Anyway, I am pretty sure it is from Biolage Conditioning Balm Conditioner (which was amazing , and SLS/silicone free) . It got pretty bad so i stopped no poo and went back to regular ways, hoping normal shampoos with sulfates and what not would be strong enough to clean the buildup and get it out. Well, they haven't, and although the build up is less noticable, its so damn hard to get out. My hair is all limp and disgusting now, and I just wanna get this **** out! Any help?

[Madame J]

How thick is your hair? I mean, when you put your hair in a ponytail and measure around it, how big around is it? I have pretty thick hair, that's also greasy sometimes, and I've found that that spot is where I tend to miss washing if I'm not careful. What I do now is when I shampoo, after I lather up, I take an extra little dab of shampoo and part my hair down the center to make sure I work the shampoo into that spot at the crown of my head. If you're clarifying often enough (when you start to notice greasiness), you should be able to use conditioner washing the rest of the time to help with dryness.

You might also want to check your products for silicones. Using silicones for conditioner washing can lead to faster buildup for some people, and lead to lank, greasy-looking hair. You can clarify with any sulfate shampoo, provided it doesn't have silicones in it (Suave Clarifying shampoo has silicones, but VO5 doesn't). Good luck.

[Brat]

I'd look for a "clarifying shampoo and conditioner." Their job is to get rid of product build-up. You may have to rinse and repeat the shampoo a time or two to get it all.

[Carolyn]

The shampoo is the clarifying part. The conditioner is just made to go along with the shampoo. The conditioner does not clarify.

[ademtce]

you need a good clarifying shampoo. i suggest Malibu Un Do Goo its SLS free and works great!
also are you washing your hair the "correct way", shampooing and gently scrubbing with the pads of your finder on your scalp for a minute and rinsing for 2/3 mins.

sounds crazy but when you try it, it makes a huge difference.

[spidermom]

I find that running my fingers from face area back toward nape over and over again, in a slightly different position each time, cleans and massages my entire scalp. Also, if you have tried a clarifying shampoo and it did not satisfy, you can mix 1 teaspoon full of baking soda into 1 pint of warm water, and then slowly pour it over your head and through your hair. Massage your scalp the same way as you would wash it, then rinse and rinse. You can follow with 1 teaspoon of vinegar to a pint of warm water to restore proper pH. You should be good to go after that!

(also - only use conditioner on the ends)

[minorking09]

I have washed it many times, with baking soda and vinegar; a clarifying shampoo, and other sls shampoos. It still won't come out...

[ademtce]

how long did you leave the clarifying shampoo on? if you haven't clarified before or in a long while it coud talk multiple washings to get it all out. i suggest you wash it again (twice) wash it quickly the first time, then the second time leave it on for about 3-5 minutes.

remember to rinse for a good while after, at least for 3-4 minutes longer than you think you need to.

[minorking09]

what is a good clarifying shampoo i can buy at the drug store? (preferrably silicon free)

[spidermom]

Maybe it's not buildup but some sort of skin condition. What you've done should have removed buildup, except for something like Vaseline, which can be removed with Dawn dishwashing liquid (accept no substitute).

[Eryka]

Sounds like Seborrheic Dermatitis. Your scalp gets hyper oily, flaky, and there is a noticeable build up. My recommendation is Nizoral shampoo, you can get it at Walmart.

Hope that helps.

[Fractalsofhair]

I'd also suggest Dawn. CO washing can take a lot of oil out, so maybe try a cheap conditioner first, then use a VERY harsh shampoo after rinising the conditioner out, and then only use conditioner on the ends.

[sweet*things]

When I went cone, paraben & SLS free a few months ago I had a similar problem. There was a bunch of waxy gunk all over the first couple inches of hair on the top of my head. I started double washing (shampoo, rinse, shampoo, rinse and then condition) until my hair felt clean and after a couple times doing that the problem was gone. I think it was just a massive amount of cone buildup letting go all at once. Whatever it was, it was gross.

Good luck!

[minorking09]

i washed with dishwashing detergent... twice. And it's still in my hair.. wtf? It is seemingly coming out realllllly slowly though...

[spidermom]

i washed with dishwashing detergent... twice. And it's still in my hair.. wtf? It is seemingly coming out realllllly slowly though...

I hope it was Dawn; nothing else works as well.

[RocketDog]

My go-to clarifying conditioner is the one made by Suave. It'll strip pretty much anything out of hair - it pulled latex hair glue out of mine several times when I wore synthetic dreadlocks! When I'm really trying to de-gunk I'll apply a good amount of it and let it sit in my hair for 15-20 mins before washing it out.

Another thing to consider is going without conditioner if your hair is still fairly short, and just use a lighter conditioning spray on the ends instead - I like Giovanni's spray-on vitamin stuff, it's on the spendy side for me but the little bottle lasts a remarkably long time, and it's conditioning enough that it would probably work for your shortish hair. Good luck getting things worked out!

[RavennaNight]

Get the suave or VO5 clarifying poos. These poos will clean those poos right out of your hair.:lol:

[minorking09]

suave clarifying shampoo seems like a good choice. and yes it was dawn dishwashing detergent. wouldn't dishwashing detergent be stronger than shampoo? this **** is frustrating =\

[spidermom]

Of course the dishwashing liquid would have a higher percentage of detergent because it's designed to dissolve all kinds of grime. Shampoos are made milder. I only suggested this because of the difficulty you describe. I wouldn't overdo it, though; I'm sure the DW liquid is very drying. You can put moisture back into your hair with deep treatments once the buildup is gone, if it is - indeed - buildup. I'm not so sure anymore. It shouldn't be this hard, even if you used styling product for months and months without ever washing your hair. I fear you might have something like seborrheic dermatitis.

[missy60]

Im sort of confused you say build up, what exactly are you experiencing? Is it on your scalp?

[minorking09]

no it's not really on my scalp its on my hair.. mostly towards the top of my head? don't know how to describe it. but it looks sort of like there is gel on my hair (except it's not cripsy looking, just like clumped together) and is also flat and limp. when i run my fingers through my hair when its wet, it doesn't go back down- it stays in the position i leave it. and when i shake my head when its wet, the hair with the buildup barely shakes. it just kinda lies there

[missy60]

Wow thats strange after all that washing with dish detergent. I had a problem with bad water and doing CO only. Conditioner only was not strong enough to remove the minerals from my hair and after the build up shampoo wasnt either. It set up like cement on my hair and I had to use a chelating product. Malibu has a great one and its gentle on the hair. Heres a good one http://www.malibuwellness.com/content/Cn_malibu_makeover_original.aspx. Its around 3 dollars or so. I would get a couple packs to use over an extended time. I also have used the one from Redkens and I was adviced to use it a few times and leave it on for around 15 mins. I always followed up with a conditoner.

[minorking09]

anyone else? I really need help- this is bad :\

[Shastrix]

I don't have any suggestions to add that haven't been mentioned already, but I think at this stage it would be more productive if you could provide a photo of the problem hair. You can remain anonymous as we don’t need to see your face and could use a free service such as Photobucket to host the image.

[minorking09]

alrighty, i'll post a pic in a little while, but it'll be deleted by myself quickly

[minorking09]

http://i35.tinypic.com/v7qjgm.jpg

That's the best picture I could get. My hair is wet in that picture but you can tell how the top part looks as if it has glue in it..

It was a lot worse but has somewhat come out after washing it with detergent and clarifying shampoos a few times..
however it's still there

[Willow]

Try the Malibu Original Gel treatment. I think you can get it at sally's. It comes in a small blue-green packet and you mix it with water. Apply, leave on for up to 30 mins. If you can get some heat on it, it will work better. Use a hair dryer if you have one. It may just be easier to have it done at a salon. It should be fairly cheap. Just call and ask around to find one that will do it. The heat is what really gets things moving and they have dryers you can sit under.

[Loviatar]

Can you answer a few questions for me please minorking?

Are you washing your hair in the shower? Or in bath water?
If you are showering, are you standing under the shower or bending forward at the waist to wash with your head upside down?

When you have been washing your hair recently, are you using any conditioner afterwards?
If yes, are you putting that conditioner anywhere near your scalp?

Could you post your regular conditioner's ingredients? I note you say that the build up is from Biolage conditioning balm; I use Biolage myself and as it is silicone-free, I don't feel like I get build-up. I'm not saying it's impossible, I'm just trying to explore all avenues here.

Do you use a styling product at all?

Do you know your water hardness?

To be honest, your wet hair pic looks pretty normal to me, but then I have fine to medium hair and it goes 'flat' pretty quickly. I'll try to help if I can though. After all your washings, any build-up should be gone, especially with the last Dawn wash.

To clarify I use Tresemme vitamin C deep cleansing shampoo diluted in a little water with a teaspoon or two of baking soda added. I do this maybe every 2 months. (I don't condition after a clarifying treatment, but I like to see how my hair is holding up naturally - to check whether I need more moisture or more protein. I do a deep conditioning treatment with my next wash though.)

[missy60]

[QUOTE=Willow;849035]Try the Malibu Original Gel treatment. I think you can get it at sally's. It comes in a small blue-green packet and you mix it with water. Apply, leave on for up to 30 mins. If you can get some heat on it, it will work better. Use a hair dryer if you have one. It may just be easier to have it done at a salon. It should be fairly cheap. Just call and ask around to find one that will do it. The heat is what really gets things moving and they have dryers you can sit under.[/QUOT

This is the product I recommended, it will remove any minerals from your hair that a normal clarifying treatment cant. You never did tell us what kind of water you have

[minorking09]

i don't know what kind of minerals I have in my water. But I'm pretty positive that what caused the buildup is the Biolage Conditioner (probably cause i used way more than i should have)

[Arctic]

Does the Biolage conditioner have protein in the ingredients? I wonder if your hair is over-moisturized/over-conditioned? In that case a protein treatment should help. Here is a great article that explains the balance of protein and moisture in hair's chemistry: link (http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/278612/the_fine_art_of_protein_and_moisture.html?cat=69). About over-conditioning (http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1476956/protein_and_moisture_balancing_in_black.html?cat=6 9).

The other thing that also comes to my mind is your water: is there any chance you have moved recently when the problem started? Even if the water is soft it can have minerals in it, as hardness only refers to calcium and magnesium content of the water. These minerals are tricky to remove, you need a special chelating shampoo or for example ascorbic or citric acid, used as a rinse.

ETA: Regular vinegar rinses (diluting is usually recommended, but I've used full strength when I had hair of your length; any type of vinegar will do; test before pouring over head for skin irritation), might help too.

[Flynn]

That doesn't look or sound like product buildup. Any product should almost entirely come out with normal washing, and using detergent should strip anything out of it.

I'm going to second all of Loviator's questions, and also ask you if it could be a wax or resin from a tree, a structure, ...I don't know, a surfboard, etc. These are the only things I can think of that would make your hair look like this and be borderline impossible to get out, as you have experienced.

As a surfactant has not done the trick, how do you feel about oiling it, keeping it warm for some time, then washing it out in HOT water (with shampoo)? If it's a resin, or something along the lines of vaseline, or anything like that, this might succeed where just trying to clean with a surfactant has failed. Might.

Can you scrape any off? Does it have a smell?

[minorking09]

I should probably notice that my hair is usually very dry (hormonal problems) but now it feels "fake soft" . Even after washing it with the detergent, when it dried it wasn't extremely puffy and dry-looking like it usually is. I can still tell that it's dry, but whatever is in it makes it feel soft. Also I should notice that I tried a few things during the past month or two to get my hair shiny/ soft. This includes a few drops of olive oil in my hair over night two or three times, and putting kitchen maiyonaise in my hair once or twice. Maybe that's what caused it? Doubt it..
Anyway, answers are in bold


Can you answer a few questions for me please minorking?

Are you washing your hair in the shower? Or in bath water?
If you are showering, are you standing under the shower or bending forward at the waist to wash with your head upside down?

Shower. I do a little bit of both.

When you have been washing your hair recently, are you using any conditioner afterwards?
If yes, are you putting that conditioner anywhere near your scalp?

Like I said, I was using ( a good amount of ) Biolage Conditioning Balm as conditioner in the shower two or three times a week. Yes, I rubbed the conditioner all over my hair/scalp/head. I was also doing Low poo, switching between ACV washes and Co-washing with Suave naturals mostly using the Biolage to combat the dryness the acv rinses were giving me.

Could you post your regular conditioner's ingredients? I note you say that the build up is from Biolage conditioning balm; I use Biolage myself and as it is silicone-free, I don't feel like I get build-up. I'm not saying it's impossible, I'm just trying to explore all avenues here.

Water (Aqua), Propylene Glycol, Myristyl Alcohol, Cetrimonium Chloride, Cetearyl Alcohol, Decyl Oleate, Phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Goldenseal Extract (Hydrastis Canadensis), Rosemary Leaf Extract (Rosemarinus Officinalis), Bladderwrack (Fucus Vesiculosus)

Do you use a styling product at all?

No. If my hair was really dry though, I would put some more Biolage in my hair as a leave- in, I heard that was okay to do.

Do you know your water hardness?

No.

To be honest, your wet hair pic looks pretty normal to me, but then I have fine to medium hair and it goes 'flat' pretty quickly. I'll try to help if I can though. After all your washings, any build-up should be gone, especially with the last Dawn wash.

If you really look at it, you can see that the top part of my head has a few clumps of hair that look like they're glued together. The pictures don't do much justice, but it's there- it changes the way my hair looks, feels, and acts.

To clarify I use Tresemme vitamin C deep cleansing shampoo diluted in a little water with a teaspoon or two of baking soda added. I do this maybe every 2 months. (I don't condition after a clarifying treatment, but I like to see how my hair is holding up naturally - to check whether I need more moisture or more protein. I do a deep conditioning treatment with my next wash though.)


That doesn't look or sound like product buildup. Any product should almost entirely come out with normal washing, and using detergent should strip anything out of it.


Yeah I know. that's why it's frustrating. Come to think of it, it has been building up for give or take a month, but I haven't really noticed it until lately.

I'm going to second all of Loviator's questions, and also ask you if it could be a wax or resin from a tree, a structure, ...I don't know, a surfboard, etc. These are the only things I can think of that would make your hair look like this and be borderline impossible to get out, as you have experienced.

I dont think that it could be wax or resin... vaseline maybe?

As a surfactant has not done the trick, how do you feel about oiling it, keeping it warm for some time, then washing it out in HOT water (with shampoo)? If it's a resin, or something along the lines of vaseline, or anything like that, this might succeed where just trying to clean with a surfactant has failed. Might.

I mean, I'm fine with that but I don't wanna go trying a million different things , you know? If it has a good chance of working though, I'll try it.

Can you scrape any off? Does it have a smell?

I dont think it has a smell. I haven't tried scraping it off though.. what would i scrape it off with?

[minorking09]

Update- I scraped my hair with a butter knife and a lot of whitish/gray dust- like stuff came proceded to appear from the area that the buildup was on. It's not dandruff, it's more like.. IDK, dust? I don't know how else to describe it. I'd love to scrape it all out but that would probably ruin my hair lol.

[Flynn]

Hot oiling is actually very good for your hair. ^__^ It might be a good thing to do anyway after you've hit it with all that detergent!

As for scraping, I mostly meant just with your fingernail, but a butterknife works, too!

The fact it's so localised... it just doesn't seem like it could be simply product build-up...

Grey-white dust stuff... did it feel waxy? It probably looks like dust just because you got such fine scrapings out.

[minorking09]

Does my hair feel waxy? Yes, that's the best way I could describe it. Are you talking about about the white stuff though? cause that is kind of too small for me to even be able to tell what it feels like. But if anything I would say it's almost like a powder.. but a little less fine.

[minorking09]

also, it's not solely on the top part of my head.. it feels like it is effecting all my hair everywhere. It's just really bad on the top part of my head that i circled in the picture.

[Flynn]

Oooh, okay. I thought you just had a patch of it.

I'm still going to push the oiling and heat. If detergent hain't got it, dissolving it up into oil, and removing that is the last thing I can think of. >_o

[spidermom]

If you could remember to keep conditioner away from your scalp from now on, that would be a good thing. Use it on the botton 1/2 to 2/3 of your length only. I have to do this.

I've been following your saga along, and I think that what you have is overactive sebum glands, perhaps brought on by all this clarifying. What I would do at this point is leave my hair and scalp alone for as long as possible, until I can't possibly wait one more day to wash it. Then apply a warm oil treatment, bag your head for at least an hour, then wash it out with regular shampoo. I'd wash it once, being sure I massage the entire scalp, then repeat the whole sequence of waiting as long as I could stand it. I think your sebum glands need to settle down.

Good luck!

[minorking09]

If you could remember to keep conditioner away from your scalp from now on, that would be a good thing. Use it on the botton 1/2 to 2/3 of your length only. I have to do this.

I've been following your saga along, and I think that what you have is overactive sebum glands, perhaps brought on by all this clarifying. What I would do at this point is leave my hair and scalp alone for as long as possible, until I can't possibly wait one more day to wash it. Then apply a warm oil treatment, bag your head for at least an hour, then wash it out with regular shampoo. I'd wash it once, being sure I massage the entire scalp, then repeat the whole sequence of waiting as long as I could stand it. I think your sebum glands need to settle down.

Good luck!


thanks for taking the time to help me.
I completely see why you would think this. Except it is the other way around lol. I only wash my hair once or twice a week waiting till i cant wait any longer, and was doing low- poo when all this started... if anything my sebum glands are overactive lol. I'm a guy and my hair doesn't get greasy for a few days. This stuff isn't grease- when i wash my hair, the second i step out of the shower and look in the mirror, this stuff is still there. But I guess the oil treatment is the best choice anyway.

What kinda oil should i use?

What kind of oil should I use?

[Flynn]

Whatever you have in the kitchen.

I particularly like coconut or peanut oil for hot oil treatments, others love olive oil, palm oil, even avocado oil... canola (rapeseed) oil and rice bran oil also work fine in my experience...

So, really, it doesn't matter. Just whatever liquid oil you have in your kitchen. Slather it all over your hair, comb it through if you like (or don't... whatever works for you), add a little more, wrap your hair up in a plastic bag, or saran wrap, or a shower cap, and either rely on your body heat or use a heating pad to keep it warm.

[minorking09]

did the oil thing.. it didn't work
looks like my best bet is manually scraping this stuff off..

[missy60]

Im not sure you can manually scrap it off your whole head. I think they were just recommending scraping a little off so you could describe it, so maybe you could get some help. Im not sure though what they had in mind, but I do know I wouldnt try scraping the whole top of my head.

[Armelle]

I've skimmed through the previous messages, so forgive me if it's been mentioned already.

I discovered buildup in my hair recently (mostly in the one area in back of my head that I have a hard time rinsing). I realize this may cause breakage or split ends, but it's the only thing that worked for me. I found a comb with small tines very close together and, after brushing my hair as best I could, I slid the tines into the buildup and pried it off my scalp (yuk, I know). Then I combed the clumps slowly out of my hair. I stopped every so often to finger massage my scalp and to check for remaining buildup. After I got the mess out, I washed my hair and made sure to rinse off well.

[gnegirl]

If it is causing you that much distress, a visit to the dermatologist might be of benefit. You may have an underlying skin condition that is partially to blame.

[GoddesJourney]

I found that my husband was having a very similar problem. It was causing him incurably dandruff. One of the main reasons why this was happening to him was because he wasn't really scrubbing his scalp enough with his fingertips in the shower. He was going through the motion but not *really* massaging deep, which some people need. I need it. Also, if you have thick hair, you may not be getting all the shampoo or conditioner out. Squeegee off your scalp in the shower with your fingertips (the motion that Spidermom was talking about) to really get it all out.

On a side note, going to no 'poo is a little extreme for some scalps, especially straight from sulphate shampoo use. Your scalp didn't have time to adjust. Try sulphate free shampoo with silicone free conditioner and see how that works for you. I find it keeps my scalp in check because I can wash daily without drying out my hair. Win win. Sulphates make me all frizzy.

[Honestwitness]

Is there any chance your hair is touching a headboard while you sleep, or a wall? Could there be any substance that is rubbing in or on your hair while you sleep?

Have you inspected your pillows and bedding for telltale signs of anything unusual?

Have you tried something like Goo Gone?

[spidermom]

This is very puzzling. Like I said before, I loaded my hair with Vaseline one year for a Halloween look, tried shampooing multiple times, but nothing took it out until a friend recommended Dawn dishwashing liquid. That took every bit of it out in one wash. I can't imagine what might be in your hair that's more stubborn to remove than Vaseline. But I was thinking that with multiple warm oil treatments over time, whatever it is might slowly be dissolved and washed out. Just be sure you massage your entire scalp when you wash, especially the problem area.

You could perhaps pop into a hair salon and ask them. They have a lot of products at their disposal and have seen a lot of hair and scalps.

[pinkbunny]

I've skimmed through the previous messages, so forgive me if it's been mentioned already.

I discovered buildup in my hair recently (mostly in the one area in back of my head that I have a hard time rinsing). I realize this may cause breakage or split ends, but it's the only thing that worked for me. I found a comb with small tines very close together and, after brushing my hair as best I could, I slid the tines into the buildup and pried it off my scalp (yuk, I know). Then I combed the clumps slowly out of my hair. I stopped every so often to finger massage my scalp and to check for remaining buildup. After I got the mess out, I washed my hair and made sure to rinse off well.

That technique might work with a lice comb - that's about as fine-toothed as you can get.

If it's product buildup and it's slowly going away like you said, just keep clarifying. I used to condition all over (now I avoid my scalp) but when I tried Herbal Essence long term relationship conditioner, it left my roots a greasy mess. It took over 3 days in a row of aggressive clarifying shampooing. I used Herbal Essence drama clean and would work it into a very frothy lather and massaged my entire scalp, then let it sit for a moment before rinsing. I also avoided any conditioner and used a blowdryer on my roots (low heat with a diffuser) until the greasyness was gone.

I've also heard of using dry oatmeal rubbed into the scalp. The theory is it will absorb excess oilyness...

If your hair is normally dry and frizzy, stripping too much oil can cause your hair to produce an excess of oil to try to compensate. A hairdresser told me that shampoos and conditioners for color-treated hair are gentler and will remove grime without taking too much of your natural oils away.

[Fractalsofhair]

It almost sounds like some sort of varnish is on your hair. Try putting rubbing alcohol or nail polish remover on your hair(rinse your hair in it I guess is how I'd explain it, or rub a cotton ball saturated in the substance over the hair) They do things like that for medical tests with some frequency, though... It is VERY drying and irritation to your scalp.

[Honestwitness]

I was guessing something like varnish, too. That's why I asked about a headboard of a bed. Really old varnish on wood furniture will eventually become gummy and sticky in the places where skin oil (like from hands) is deposited repeatedly. If there's a wooden headboard involved, the natural hair oil or even hair products could conceivably be partially dissolving the varnish on the wood and depositing it on the hair.

[minorking09]

still barely any change at all.. think I'm going to try on a different forum, I guess nobody here has experienced this

thanks anyway everyone

[smilinjenn71]

still barely any change at all.. think I'm going to try on a different forum, I guess nobody here has experienced this

thanks anyway everyone

They might not have experienced this but you have been given excellent advice. Go see a professional stylist that has been in the business for a long time. And/or see a dermatologist. Sometimes we don't get the answer we want to hear.....

[minorking09]

does anybody know any highly-populated forums like this where I could ask this question?

[Eryka]

Dude, if it bugs you that much shave your head. It will grow back.

[Loviatar]

If you havent found the advice you wanted here, I would go and see a professional, someone who can judge better than just from one photograph. If it was plain product build-up, all the washing and clarifying with dish soap and regular shampoo you have done WOULD have taken it out. As it hasn't worked, this clearly isnt regular build up, certainly not from something as mild as Biolage. I would go to a hair salon and ask there, and if you still get no luck, go and see a dermatologist or trichologist for a professional opinion.

[minorking09]

still haven't figured it out, but I figured out what a possible cause might have been.. using Dr. Bronner's all-once castile soap to wash my hair. I did this a few times and my hair now feels as it did after washing with the castile. I don't see how it is causing my hair to behave like this a month later ... but... anything's possible. Anyone pleeease help me.

[minorking09]

bump to top.

[Carolyn]

still haven't figured it out, but I figured out what a possible cause might have been.. using Dr. Bronner's all-once castile soap to wash my hair. I did this a few times and my hair now feels as it did after washing with the castile. I don't see how it is causing my hair to behave like this a month later ... but... anything's possible. Anyone pleeease help me.Dr Bronners can leave a nasty soap scum build up but if that was the case it should have been removed with all the clarifying you did.

[spidermom]

minorking09, I've been following this thread from the beginning, so if you've answered this question before, I haven't seen it, but it's not from lack of trying.

Have you had your scalp checked? There are several conditions that ooze fluids which can be tacky like you describe. As many times as you say you have clarified, if it was anything you used, like the Dr. Bronners (YUCK!), it would be gone. Nothing except tree sap clings as stubbornly as what you describe, so if you've got a habit of leaning against tree trunks, that could be your problem. Otherwise, have someone look at your scalp in that area for redness, yellowness, or any other color that isn't the same as more normal areas of your scalp. If something doesn't look right, pleasepleaseplease see a doctor. Something like impetigo (Staph infection) or even seborrheic dermatitis should not be ignored and is extremely difficult, if not impossible, to treat with home remedies.

[Tressie]

While I was sick recently, I used a generic "Biolage" conditioning balm from a discount store for a CO. Before I was ill, I had been washing about once weekly, but I decided to do the CO to get any stray virus or germs out of my hair (probably silly, but I had been sort of sweaty).

Well, my scalp got soooo itchy, it was awful, and I had to do a regular wash and then condition (length only) to straighten it out.

I don't know if it was the fake Biolage, or my scalp, but I won't be doing that again soon!

[minorking09]

minorking09, I've been following this thread from the beginning, so if you've answered this question before, I haven't seen it, but it's not from lack of trying.

Have you had your scalp checked? There are several conditions that ooze fluids which can be tacky like you describe. As many times as you say you have clarified, if it was anything you used, like the Dr. Bronners (YUCK!), it would be gone. Nothing except tree sap clings as stubbornly as what you describe, so if you've got a habit of leaning against tree trunks, that could be your problem. Otherwise, have someone look at your scalp in that area for redness, yellowness, or any other color that isn't the same as more normal areas of your scalp. If something doesn't look right, pleasepleaseplease see a doctor. Something like impetigo (Staph infection) or even seborrheic dermatitis should not be ignored and is extremely difficult, if not impossible, to treat with home remedies.

Maybe you're right. Process of elimination leads me to believe the only thing it could be is seborrheic dermatitis. The thing is, I barely have any dandruff and I don't have scaliness/ redness. I can't afford to go to a dermatologist and I don't wanna go out and buy even more products just based on a whim.. you know? I've already spent about 50 dollars buying products to try to remove this .. stuff..

I have a bottle of "Head & Shoulders 2 in 1" with pyrithione zinc. I have used it a few times in the last 2 weeks and nothing has really changed. If it was dermatitis, wouldn't I see some kind of change after using Head & Shoulders?

P.S- thanks a lot for the help so far spidermom, seriously you're very helpful and I appreciate it : ]

[Coriander]

I don't know where you're located, but a lot of cities have clinics which have sliding scales for payment. I agree that, by now, all the washing and clarifying should have cleared up everything that was suggested, and what you have is a condition that can be treated by a professional.

Try calling around, explaining your situation and perhaps you can work something out with a doctor fee-wise. It sounds as if this is taking over your life, and that's not healthy for anyone.

Good luck.

[spidermom]

You could have a Staph or other bacterial infection. Head and Shoulders would not help a problem like that. You would need an antibiotic plus need to wash the area with something like Betadine. If you had a fungal infection, I would expect the Head & Shoulders to help. Since it does not, you can cross that off the list of possibilities.

[Teazel]

I have a bottle of "Head & Shoulders 2 in 1" with pyrithione zinc. I have used it a few times in the last 2 weeks and nothing has really changed. If it was dermatitis, wouldn't I see some kind of change after using Head & Shoulders?

Not necessarily. I have seborrheic dermatitis (diagnosed by a dermatologist) and none of those treatment shampoos help me at all.

[minorking09]

Not necessarily. I have seborrheic dermatitis (diagnosed by a dermatologist) and none of those treatment shampoos help me at all.

do you think what I have sounds like seborr. dermatitis though? keep in mind I don't have itching/ redness/ scaliness

[minorking09]

I don't know where you're located, but a lot of cities have clinics which have sliding scales for payment. I agree that, by now, all the washing and clarifying should have cleared up everything that was suggested, and what you have is a condition that can be treated by a professional.

Try calling around, explaining your situation and perhaps you can work something out with a doctor fee-wise. It sounds as if this is taking over your life, and that's not healthy for anyone.

Good luck.

Who should I call ? dermatologists? doctors?

It is sort of taking over my life lol. Which is sort of sad for a male. But hey the ladies don't like seeing me like this- nor do I

[spidermom]

Not necessarily. I have seborrheic dermatitis (diagnosed by a dermatologist) and none of those treatment shampoos help me at all.

Not too surprising. Seborrheic dermatitis can have a number of causes, not all of them treatable by the anti-fungal agents in treatment shampoos.

[spidermom]

Who should I call ? dermatologists? doctors?

It is sort of taking over my life lol. Which is sort of sad for a male. But hey the ladies don't like seeing me like this- nor do I

If it were me, I'd start with my family doctor. She could get a scraping and send it off to the lab, then refer me to whatever I needed based on the result.

[Teazel]

do you think what I have sounds like seborr. dermatitis though? keep in mind I don't have itching/ redness/ scaliness

I don't have itching, redness or 'scaliness' either, just masses of peeling skin - similar to the peeling that happens after sunburn.

If you don't even have dandruff, though, you probably don't have seborrheic dermatitis. But only a dermatologist can say for sure, and you may have some other skin condition that's causing your hair problem.

[Isilme]

I know this s going to sound silly, but have you washed all your combs, brushes, pillowcases, towels etc? Everything that could have come in contact with your hair? Could be that your hair got clean and then a brush brought it back into your hair.

[spidermom]

I know this s going to sound silly, but have you washed all your combs, brushes, pillowcases, towels etc? Everything that could have come in contact with your hair? Could be that your hair got clean and then a brush brought it back into your hair.

Good thinking! Didn't even occur to me.

[minorking09]

I know this s going to sound silly, but have you washed all your combs, brushes, pillowcases, towels etc? Everything that could have come in contact with your hair? Could be that your hair got clean and then a brush brought it back into your hair.

no, but if this makes sense, it hasn't gotten clean. Every time after I wash i step out of the shower, look in the mirror, and can see that the stuff is still in my hair. It doesn't wash out

[minorking09]

for some reason my hair looked semi-normal today. let it be noted that I used two packets of Ion Crystal Clarifying treatments from Sally's on my hair within the past week. They seemed to have helped (a little). Maybe it is because I have been washing my hair with Head & shoulders

[spidermom]

Oh good; a light at the end of this particular tunnel at last. Keep doing what you're doing (according to product directions, of course).

[minorking09]

Oh good; a light at the end of this particular tunnel at last. Keep doing what you're doing (according to product directions, of course).

Thanks : ) I'll keep you updated