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Latin Tea
December 30th, 2009, 08:08 AM
Okay, I hope I got your attention! Seriously, I have an issue that is somewhat embarrassing to talk about. Here it is:

It's my scalp. The hair is manageable, but my scalp has been a problem for at least 10 years now. It's almost embarrassing to write about, but I really want to fix this so I can concentrate on growing my hair.

I have this residue on my scalp. I saw a derm and he told me it was dandruff, but it seems stranger than that. I've NEVER run into anyone describing what I have on my scalp.

Okay, when I take my fingernail and (and this will sound gross!) scrape my scalp, I come away with what seems to be a thick, almost a soft cheesy (now that IS yucky) substance. I can take the yellow to white gunk and smoosh it between my fingers and it feels slightly oily, yet waxy....would this be sebum? I should have this figured out by now and that is why I went to the doctor, but still have no clue. I've seen dandruff on other people's heads and mine does not look like that. There is no obvious flaking seen on the scalp, but I feel it all the time. There's a dull itching going on.

I also have areas on my neck's hairline where my skin breaks out in reddish bumps, not many, just one or two, but it's like the shampoo is hurting my skin. They itch too and look nasty so forget buns on me. The only thing that helps is doing coal-tar shampoo once a week just in that area. Also, hydrocortisone will stop the itch for awhile.

I have used regular shampoo, clarifying shampoos, Head & Shoulders, and shampoo without sulfates all to no avail. They ALL eventually lead to irritation on my neckline and may be causing the other gunk on the rest of my head. :confused:

Will shampoo bars help me in any way with these two issues? I am about to order tea tree shampoo, but I distinctly remember that not helping either.

I shampoo 2xs a week with COing the lower area. I used to wash every other day (before coming here), but still had the same amount of residue. Maybe I should go WO? Any help with this would be appreciated.

Anje
December 30th, 2009, 08:12 AM
Sounds like seborrhoeic dermatitis to me. We've got a number of members who deal with it.

What works varies from person to person, but I think a lot of people get some relief from rinsing with diluted vinegar. I think I've also read that people have had good results using shampoo bars, but that generally requires vinegar rinses too.

ETA, rather late...
As others have said below, some sebum is totally normal, and to have an absence of any oily white-to-yellowish gunk under your fingernails after a day or two of not washing would be a bit unusual and would probably contribute to having dry hair. SD occurs when you have unusual amounts of it, irritation/itching, and perhaps some bug/fungus/whatever that's proliferating in the excessive sebum. Lots of the SD pictures look really nasty. Also look up "cradle cap" -- it's the same thing essentially, but tends to be the name in babies and small children.

spidermom
December 30th, 2009, 08:25 AM
It sounds like sebum to me, although seborrheic dermatitis is certainly something to consider. When I go a few days without washing, I can scratch up a thick waxy substance, too. I'm sure it's sebum. I think my scalp skin would get smothered if I went WO or - heaven forbid! - SO. A good wash gets rid of it, also combing/brushing to spread it down my hair helps a little bit, too. I only get itchy bumps if I wait too long to wash it.

Latin Tea
December 30th, 2009, 08:34 AM
Let's see. When I washed every other day, I still had the residue and the nasty bumps on my neck were there. It seems some shampoos actually make that area upset sooner than others so I do think that's a shampoo issue. I did try the vinegar rinse one time (yes, I was expecting a miracle) and it didn't take the gunk away so maybe I need to try that again and just give it time. Maybe let it soak? I used Hairever I Scalp Treatment yesterday and that did help to take alot of it off. I just looked at it again and I got the color wrong. There is NO yellow there, just whitish looking.

I don't think it's seb dermatitis as pictures of that look pretty nasty. I don't have redness like that or crusting anywhere.

Yes, now I'm thinking more washing, not less would be a good thing. Maybe every day. That is something I don't want to contemplate though. It would lead me to consider cutting this gob of hair.

Dreams_in_Pink
December 30th, 2009, 08:47 AM
eh, i'm sure this will sound quite "harsh" but, last time when i washed, i scratched my whole head lightly with my fingernails. It made my scalp feel better and both my dandruff and that gummy substance lessened considerably. Itchiness is gone too :) I suppose shampoos, even the harsh ones, cannot take all the gunk away *shrug*

ChloeDharma
December 30th, 2009, 08:55 AM
My first thought was similar to Spidermom's, it very much sounds like sebum. Some people have quite dry sebum that can be scraped under a fingernail a bit like a wax.
It might be worth looking at your diet, especially at the type of fats you eat. A lack of essential fatty acids can contribute to drier sebum. Bartrams encyclopedia of medical herbalism suggests evening primrose oil to improve sebum quality. Oiling the scalp can lso help to dissolve it making it easier to wash off, jojoba would be especially helpfull for that as well as being antifungal in case that's contributing to the problem.
Lavender essential oil might help, diluted in the scalp oil for soothing the red irritated section and ylang ylang is used to balance sebum production.
In India shikakai is said to be particularly helpfull to wash hair with for removing "scurf" on the scalp, personally my scalp is always happiest when i herb wash and shikakai is the cleansing herb of choice for me.
Rosemary used as a final rinse is also excellent for scalp problems and i always keep some growing where i live as my scalp can have a tendancy to flare up now and again, usually a rinse of rosemary sorts it out though.
Apple cider vinegar would be especially helpfull against fungus and is helpfull for scalp health in general as it re-establishes an acid ph, though i find it most effective used as a final rinse as rinsing it off allows the water to raise the ph of the scalp again, skin ph ideally is about 5.5, water has a neutral ph of 7.
I hope some of that is helpfull, good luck :)

lilish
December 30th, 2009, 09:12 AM
Remember dandruff isn't the stuff a lot of shampoo commercials try to tell you it is. It is a real medical condition that a doctor can diagnose. Flakes are not the same thing as dandruff, so if his diagnosis seems strange to you, the shampoo commercials probably had a hand in that. Seborrheic dermatitis can manifest itself differently in different people. You can get it without redness. What did your doctor say to do about your dandruff?

seethruugirl
December 30th, 2009, 09:42 AM
I have that stuff on occasion also. I used to have it wayyyy worse. Henna has REALLY helped my scalp. In fact now I can tell when its time to henna again based on my scalp. If you don't want to use it for color you could let it dye release completely before you apply it and just rub it into your scalp real good. I've been hennaing for 2 years now and its done wonders for my hair and scalp! Good luck!

DMARTINEZ
December 30th, 2009, 09:49 AM
How about scritching? If you do a search you will find threads on it. I think....? Its
where you use a special comb to loosen up the sebum,etc then wash. Im sure
others would have more info on it. Good Luck!


Deb

pepperedmoth
December 30th, 2009, 10:09 AM
I have the same waxy-gunk-under-my-fingernails problem, and what really clears it out for me is to mix a handful of salt or sugar (just the plain table variety) into my shampoo and SCRUB my scalp with it. I don't do this every wash, just when it's bugging me (you may have to do it more frequently).

ratgirldjh
December 30th, 2009, 10:38 AM
Hmmm - I get this when I use Garnier products - I think the 'fruit waxes' build up on my scalp! I've found that if I use a good shampoo bar and scrub my scalp and then do an ACV rinse that it goes away.

I agree with the others that it may be sebum and maybe brushing your scalp with a boar bristle brush nightly may help and scritching too.

I also agree that shikakai can definitely help scrub it off as can sugar or salt added to shampoo or conditioner.
djh

squiggyflop
December 30th, 2009, 10:45 AM
hmmm i have the gunk aswell.. the only thing that works for me is clarifying shampoo.. its less gunky now because i switched to mainly using clarifying shampoo.. my gunk is sebum..

rexy
December 30th, 2009, 10:54 AM
Try using Shapley's MTG

http://www.horse.com/Original-M-T-G-BKG01.html?email=MRHSGOOG&mr:trackingCode=B5951270-C194-DE11-93DB-0019B9C043EB&mr:referralID=NA

I had this problem you are describing and this stuff cleared it right up!! Its Amazing!

Latin Tea
December 30th, 2009, 11:09 AM
Such amazing and varied advice! I am hopeful that one of these suggestions will actually help. That is VERY exciting to me. It's so helpful to know there are others with this problem. I really thought I was the only one out there. :( But I'm not. :)

ratgirldjh: I have used these products (currently use the newer Triple whatever it's called) so that's a possible source. And thanks for the confirmation on the sugar/salt scrub. I'm gonna try that one!

pepperedmoth: Thank you for letting me know that you have this too! AND about the sugar/salt scrub. That sounds like a very doable solution. I'll let you know how it works.

DMARTINEZ: I will look up scritching. I think I heard something about that before, but never took the time to look into. I'm ready to buy a bunch of hair stuff so a special comb sounds great!

seethruugirl: I didn't know you could do henna without getting color or that it helps the scalp. Interesting.

lilish: The doctor said that it was dandruff and gave me some coal tar samples to try. I think he didn't really understand what I was telling him. It was awhile ago so maybe I ought to get looked at again. It sounds like the red bumps on my upper neck are more of a concern than the gunk as I'm not seeing much on clearing those up.

ChloeDharma: Wow, you have a wealth of knowledge about natural remedies! I will look into those you mentioned. And yes, my diet needs more essential fatty acids! You nailed that one. I was taking supplements, but not regularly. I had better think about doing that again. Oh, and I was going to buy some jojoba oil in the next week. Thanks for reminding me of that AND the vinegar. Yes, I need to do that. Maybe I can avoid every day washings afterall. :)

Dreams_in_Pink: I was thinking about doing that, but was concerned I would be doing more damage and break hair off. I'm 50 and don't have that youthful resilient hair anymore. :( Maybe I can do it 'gently' though.

Anje: Geez, I hope there's no bug up there! I thought about that, but since it's been over 10 years and no one else in my family has this problem, I think it's not spreading. :D JK I know what you mean. I think it could be a fungus (mixed with the sebum) and I'm gonna fumigate with some vinegar tomorrow!

Spidermom: I just wanted to say I love your hair! That's my ultimate goal...to sit on the counter with my hair that long. :)

Hey Squiggyflop and rexy, you posted while I was writing this rather long reply! I'm going off to read your replies now. Thanks!

Latin Tea
December 30th, 2009, 11:14 AM
Try using Shapley's MTG

http://www.horse.com/Original-M-T-G-BKG01.html?email=MRHSGOOG&mr:trackingCode=B5951270-C194-DE11-93DB-0019B9C043EB&mr:referralID=NA

I had this problem you are describing and this stuff cleared it right up!! Its Amazing!

I did a little searching and found this: http://suluhair.com/?
What do you think?

rexy
December 30th, 2009, 11:23 AM
I did a little searching and found this: http://suluhair.com/?
What do you think?

Its the same thing supposedly... except marketed to humans. Its a little more expensive and is supposed to smell much better. The original MTG stinks really really bad. Some say it smells like bacon. To me it smells exactly like the smoked hooves you give dogs.

Here is the original for cheaper
http://www.adamshorsesupply.com/browse.cfm/4,7336.html

Or check your local feed store. Its where I bought my bottle.

I can't verify how the suluhair works as I haven't used it. But the MGT is so great I used it one time and it cleared up 90% of the scalp residue. One more time and it was GONE!

Latin Tea
December 30th, 2009, 11:33 AM
How often do you use it? Is this an every time you wash thing or once a month or just when you see some build up happening? I guess I could stand the smell if I didn't have to do it very often. Does the smell go down the drain or linger? Also, what is the magic ingredient? I am going to buy some jojoba oil so maybe that's it?

GoddesJourney
December 30th, 2009, 11:38 AM
I'm going to have to agree with the scritching. One thing you might want to consider is daily washing. Some of us just can't let time go in between washes. I had a pretty disgusting scalp after two days. I switched to SLS/cone free stuff so I don't have to feel bad about what I'm doing to my hair, but I still had this permanent itchy, scrapable dandruff thing I couldn't get rid of because my scalp had gotten into a cycle. I used that Head and Shoulders extra strength stuff (the stinky one in the dark blue bottle) and it worked great on me and my husband's ten year dandruff (that was a lot like yours by the way). It wouldn't hurt to try. It could be that you've been doing the right thing, but that your scalp is trapped in a cycle so it's still acting up even after you've stopped doing whatever caused it. If you can break the cycle, you can probably be happy with a much simpler routine.

rexy
December 30th, 2009, 11:40 AM
How often do you use it? Is this an every time you wash thing or once a month or just when you see some build up happening? I guess I could stand the smell if I didn't have to do it very often. Does the smell go down the drain or linger? Also, what is the magic ingredient? I am going to buy some jojoba oil so maybe that's it?

Once a week is fine. I put it on during the day, sleep on it, and then wash it out in the morning. It helps hair growth too. The smell is gone once you shampoo it out. If you want to buy just oil, buy mineral oil first and try that. Mineral oil is what people use the treat cradle cap in babies. Sulfur, the other ingredient is really good for treating skin conditions, too.

GoddesJourney
December 30th, 2009, 11:42 AM
Found it, Head and Shoulders Intensive Treatment with 1% selenium sulphide. This stuff is amazing. It stinks but it works. I would suggest trying it for a week. If it works, just use it once a week for maintenance. If that works, once ever two weeks, etc.

Gothic Lolita
December 30th, 2009, 11:45 AM
If it's really a mild case of dermatitis and you've got "dandruff" than trying Head & Shoulders might work for. I suspect that I have a mild form of it, my aunt has it much worse, but it looks the same on my head. If it's just sebum, scritching hould do a fine job for you. For me, Tea Trea Oil also helps with this gunk, I just put a drop into my shampoo and wash. Ylang ylang is also said ti help.

halo_tightens
December 30th, 2009, 12:56 PM
If I'm interpreting your words correctly, I have the exact same stuff on my own scalp. I personally believe it to be sebum, but I guess I have no "proof" of that.

The amount that I have is tied to the length of time since washing my hair and scalp. Immediately after a wash, there's little to none. The next day there's a little more, and even more the next day, and so on. If I go longer than four or five days without a good scrub, the gunky feeling and itchiness is almost intolerable.

I scritch my scalp with my fingernails while washing it, every time. It seems to be the only way that I can get rid of the stuff completely. Then my scalp is momentarily clean, and it immediately starts building back up again.

Mine is also usually white, though it can sometimes have a yellowish tint. For a week or two after hennaing, it's orangey-brown. It's a bit annoying then, because every time I scratch a tiny itch on my head without thinking, I have a bunch of cr@p under my nails... :D

I've tried the whole routine of using a brush to distribute the scalp's oils throughout the hair, but this waxy stuff is too dry and "stiff" to really spread around. The only way it stays under control for me is making sure to wash and scritch often enough. Speaking of which-- tonight is going to be a wash night, not because my hair is really that dirty, but because I can feel the buildup.

bumblebums
December 30th, 2009, 01:05 PM
OP, I think I missed something--how do you know it's stunting your growth? How long have you had this problem? Have you been measuring your growth before and after the problem developed?

RoseRedDead
December 30th, 2009, 01:13 PM
It sounds like sebum to me, although seborrheic dermatitis is certainly something to consider. When I go a few days without washing, I can scratch up a thick waxy substance, too. I'm sure it's sebum. I think my scalp skin would get smothered if I went WO or - heaven forbid! - SO. A good wash gets rid of it, also combing/brushing to spread it down my hair helps a little bit, too. I only get itchy bumps if I wait too long to wash it.

Holy moly, spidermom, I could have written that post...

Ever so often (maybe 3-4x a month) I'll scritch my scalp (with my fingernails) really well the night before a wash. Of course this looks gross (and no I don't have a filthy head or anything), but I do honestly believe it's just a build-up of hardened sebum and shed skin cells... If I let it sit, though, it can get itchy and is undoubtedly (once again, my humble, non-medical-background opinion) bad for growth.

You might have something more severe, I dunno. You might want to get it checked out by a head doctor (not inside head, but scalp, haha)...

halo_tightens
December 30th, 2009, 01:19 PM
Yep, I'm totally with RoseRedDead and spidermom. :)

Latin Tea
December 30th, 2009, 02:41 PM
This has all gotten me to really think this through. I do believe it does get worse with less shampooing. And yes, I can brush to distribute the oils, but this stuff is harder, thicker and doesn't move. The sebum build up is always there though. I can wash my hair and while it's still wet, I can get the stuff under my nails. It's like nothing penetrates it. But now, I have some better weapons to try.
Vinegar
Jojoba and tea tree oil
MTG treatment
Head & Shoulders Intensive
Scritching
Salt or Sugar rub
Shampoo bars
More natural helpsI will experiment and let you all know how it goes in a week or so. Thanks!

Natalia
December 30th, 2009, 03:22 PM
Hi Latin Tea :). Im glad you have a game plan,just thought id chime in with another vote for shampoo bars (or just a naturally derrived liquid shampoo like AO's) and vinager rinses. when i figured out SLS was a big problem for me i tried two different SLS free ones before Aubreys and i find aubreys the best. As im also cone free its far more conveinient than the others that i have to mail order. Another thing about SLS free stuff is that not all of them are as effective yet gentle as others. I have better luck with the more obviosuly natural ones than the more complex "naturally derrived" chemcial combonations of several orgins. Just a personal observation though and you have to take into account that i have several chemical sensitivites so it gets complicated :p.

I hope your experiments go well :) i will be thinking good thoughts for you!
Natalia

P.S. One more thing to try if you havent already is a good long (like hour and a half or more) SMT session. I was really really sick not to long ago so regular showering/washing wasnt happening so i would have a few weeks of gunk on my scalp (yeah thats embarrassing to admit :o ) and since SLS bothered me so much i decided to give it a shot and it worked alot better than a quick shampoo. And it was more convienient since it shortened my shower time to just rinsing and body washing.

Spring
December 30th, 2009, 03:58 PM
Latin Tea, I've had this for years and I have to agree with you that frequent washings are definitely better (something I didn't discover until last year). I just started a pre-shampoo treatment in December, that has been a true blessing. This treatment might be too sticky for some hair types, but it has worked wonders for my scalp.

In a pointed nose bottle I put about:

* 2 ounces of conditioner
* 1/2 ounce or more of castor oil
* 25-35 drops of tea tree oil

I shake this up and squirt onto my scalp and leave it in for 20 mins before shampooing. After shampooing and conditioning, I rinse with apple cidar vinegar and water.

HTH :)....

girlcat36
December 30th, 2009, 04:12 PM
Spring's tip sounds like a good one.

This sounds like fungus to me, which I struggle with. I do not get flaking, but I do have candida on my scalp, which manifests as sore scalp, hairloss, and sore red bumps sometimes.

I keep to an antifungal routine for my scalp. Going Water Only or CO will not help a fungal problem in my experience.
I use a shampoo called Everclean, and use an ACV rinse after shampoo/conditioner. In my ACV I add rosemary EO, and a few drops of grapefruit seed extract(antifungal).
In between washings I use an antifungal scalp massage oil, or if I don't want oil on my scalp, I mix my EO's with aloe vera gel.

emi77
December 30th, 2009, 04:52 PM
I'm just wondering, because everyone seems to be saying this stuff is white, whether it could be excess keratin- kinda like keratosis pilaris of the scalp?

Latin Tea
December 30th, 2009, 06:08 PM
emi77: I don't think it's keratosis pilaris as I don't have bumps on my scalp at all, just on hairline where I do believe my skin is just more sensitive to shampoo in general. But I will keep that in mind if all else fails. Thanks!

girlcat36: Hairever is a 'sister' product to Everclean. I see that Everclean has tea tree oil in it along with salicylic acid and pine tar. These both would help in dissolving the sebum/dandruff/fungus stuff. It does have sulfates which may or not matter.

Spring: I don't think your formula would be too sticky for me as my hair needs more moisture and I don't have oily hair. I may have some castor oil here, but will need to purchase the other. I've got a LONG list so far. ;)

Natalia: Thanks for the good thoughts! Appreciated here. I am buying a heat cap so I should try the SMT soon. I also am contemplating which shampoo bar to buy. I have a few in my shopping bag right now! Glad you are feeling better. :)

piratejenny23
December 30th, 2009, 06:51 PM
hi, i have had the gunk too, as well as itching, flaking, and red bumps for 20 years. i never had it diagnosed, so i don't know whether it was dandruff, psoriasis, or something else. btw, some articles on dandruff say there are 2 kinds; flaky and waxy.

i tried all kinds of things, including diet changes, EFAs, herbs, kelp, vinegar rinses, Listerine & witch hazel (!); Head & Shoulders worked for me but i HAD to wash every other day or every 3rd day at most. a couple of months ago got the gunk under control and was able to switch to CO; i can now go 4 or 5 days between washes!

you already have a long list of things to try but here is what helped me (and they're all inexpensive):

1) i too use MTG! it smells horrid but it washes out easily (even with CO)

2) Sea Breeze astringent. sounds like a harsh or drying thing to put on your scalp but it was recommended to me by a very good hairdresser, and i have had very good results. it gets rid of itching, flakes, and gunk. sometimes i just blot it on to itchy spots, sometimes i douse my whole scalp and leave it in overnight.

3) Liquid iodine supplement (not kelp tablets). i take it in water and i also sometimes put a few drops right on my scalp in problem areas. there is a brown kind you can get at the drugstore (i got mine for 89 cents) that you can paint on your skin but should not take internally. i take Atomidine or Liqui-Kelp. initially this literally cured me overnight, after 20 years of suffering! it has come back mildly & sporadically because i forget to take it regularly!!!, but more iodine or the Sea Breeze clears it up.

Good luck!!!!! :flowers:

Latin Tea
December 30th, 2009, 08:11 PM
So glad you replied, piratejenny23, as I tried the Sea Breeze (after reading your other post about it). I left it on for an hour and then washed, but the residue was still there on my scalp. Maybe I should do it again or leave it on longer?

And I'm going to look into that Liqui-Kelp stuff. Sounds like some of that yucky green stuff. Yucky, but good for you! AND now one more vote for the MTG. I think I'm getting closer to ordering that. Now, I just have to figure this all out.

Thanks!

piratejenny23
December 30th, 2009, 09:20 PM
So glad you replied, piratejenny23, as I tried the Sea Breeze (after reading your other post about it). I left it on for an hour and then washed, but the residue was still there on my scalp. Maybe I should do it again or leave it on longer?

And I'm going to look into that Liqui-Kelp stuff. Sounds like some of that yucky green stuff. Yucky, but good for you! AND now one more vote for the MTG. I think I'm getting closer to ordering that. Now, I just have to figure this all out.

Thanks!

ummm...well...maybe the Sea Breeze just isn't right for you :( or maybe you need to "scritch" after you apply it & let it soak in, and then wash your scalp and apply SB again within a day or two. because the Sea Breeze might loosen it up, but if you have a serious layer on there it might take a couple of applications. like i said, i've left it on overnight.

for many years i tried moisturizing and oiling my scalp because what i had did seem similar to cradle cap, and oiling & scritching is how you get rid of it on babies; also, my head just itched so much, i felt like dunking it in a bucket of lotion!!! however, it never helped; but i felt like the Sea Breeze "clarified" my scalp. herbs & vinegar & henna & other stuff people recommended might work too, or work better; but Sea Breeze is an easy & cheap way to start out!

and don't worry about the Liqui-Kelp; it is a clear liquid and you just take a few drops! not muddy green stuff :) i get mine at vitacost.com if you can't find it at a local health food store.

also, i know you don't have flakes the way i did, but i used milk of magnesia (MOM) on my scalp a couple of times, and it really relieves itching, and it left me with a very clear, but not dried-out, scalp. actually, the day after i used it, i found HUGE flakes hovering in my hair 1/4" above my scalp!!! however, they were easy to brush out, and i feel like MOM is good for exfoliating/sloughing--for me anyway! MOM is very alkaline, so after i found out that the scalp prefers lower pH, i would follow it with a vinegar rinse.

http://www.google.com/search?q=milk+of+magnesia+for+dandruff&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a

if you happen to have a fungus or bug of some sort, there's a good chance MTG will take care of it.

i think i'm going to try a salt or sugar scrub sometime, too! there are some great suggestions on this thread, and isn't it nice to know that we're not alone with our scalp gunk :o

Bellona
December 30th, 2009, 09:48 PM
I'm not sure if anyone suggested this, but I have had problems with gross "gunky" and weeping spots from being allergic to certain hair products.

Some hairsprays/shampoos/conditioners/gels/etc. just do not work on me. It used to get REALLY bad after highlights, so I figured it was chemicals in dyes and other products. I finally had to find a shampoo and conditioner that didn't bother me, and now I stay away from hair products entirely. It probably is something else that these other ladies have mentioned, but if it persists it's worth thinking about.

HildeMV
December 30th, 2009, 10:46 PM
Have you tried a fungi-killing treatment. You can get it at the pharmacy

Latin Tea
December 31st, 2009, 08:57 AM
Seeings that I have the Sea Breeze, I thought I would just try again this morning. I've got it on my head again, did some massaging into the scalp and do now notice that the itching is much less. So, that's a good sign. It's been on for 1 1/2 hours as I'm also doing an oil treatment so I'll let it soak a bit longer and then wash. And I really do think something in all the shampoos I've tried is irritating my lower hairline giving me those areas of redness. I am going to order shampoo bars so I'm hopeful that will help. Thanks again!

Natalia
December 31st, 2009, 05:08 PM
Just a side note but to help ease the itchies will you find what works for you mix a drop or two of peppermint EO into a bit of oil for a scalp massage :). I had some itchies myself today (im out of conditioner and have gone to long with the WO this week) so it reminded me to post it.

Hope you have a happy and safe new years all!

Sheltie_Momma
December 31st, 2009, 07:29 PM
Really interesting post, I'm glad you asked this question because the answers have been useful to me. I have this too, but not to the same degree and it was neat to see all the things folks have tried. I too saw it worsen with Garnier products, but for me it didn't seem to cause it so much as to not dissolve it, thereby allowing it to worsen over time. The best thing for me has been to use cold water and very very diluted shampoo (V05 strawberries & cream). I put a squirt of shampoo in a 3 quart pitcher of luke warm water and pour it through a quart at a time,really scrubbing the scalp then rinsing, and repeating this three times until the pitcher is empty. I especially have to be certain to rinse at the hairline or I will get the red bumps as well. I have been pre-conditioning with low fat coconut milk which is rich enough to stand up to the cleansing I describe and still leave me with moisture and slip afterwards.

Latin Tea
December 31st, 2009, 09:05 PM
Dear piratejenny23, Sea Breeze did help somewhat today! I just checked and I still have a bit of residue, but there is WAY less. I have a whole bottle of that stuff and will keep using it. Certainly can't hurt! Maybe mixed with some of the other suggestions I'll actually get this under control. :D

Thanks for the peppermint tip, Natalia! I will definitely try that. :)

And, something you said, Sheltie_Momma, made me sit up and take notice. The part where you make sure you rinse the hairline really well. I think I could be missing the back of my neck a bit. I am buying some shampoo bars to help, but will be sure I rinse better. Thanks!

piratejenny23
January 1st, 2010, 01:04 AM
Dear piratejenny23, Sea Breeze did help somewhat today! I just checked and I still have a bit of residue, but there is WAY less. I have a whole bottle of that stuff and will keep using it. Certainly can't hurt! Maybe mixed with some of the other suggestions I'll actually get this under control. :D


yay!!! i am so glad that it helped!!!


And, something you said, Sheltie_Momma, made me sit up and take notice. The part where you make sure you rinse the hairline really well. I think I could be missing the back of my neck a bit. I am buying some shampoo bars to help, but will be sure I rinse better. Thanks!

well i just got an instant mental image of that old-fashioned method of flipping the hair forward and pouring water over the back of the head! i always rinse with my hair just hanging down my back; maybe not a bad idea to put it into a quick ponytail or bun and really rinse/scrub the back of the neck. thanks!

prittykitty
January 1st, 2010, 01:34 AM
Try monistat 7 on your scalp. I use it for extra hair growth but I have heard that it also works great for treating fungus on the scalp too.

julliams
January 1st, 2010, 02:59 AM
Olive oil on the tips of my fingers to massage my scalp seems to help me alot. I find my scalp is reasonably clear on wash day, then gets progressively more like you describe as each day passes.

Juliette

Iylivarae
January 1st, 2010, 04:40 AM
It totally sounds like the kind of gunk I have on my scalp when my seborrheic dermatitis is strongly active.

I am using a medical shampoo then.

Sheltie_Momma
January 1st, 2010, 08:47 AM
And, something you said, Sheltie_Momma, made me sit up and take notice. The part where you make sure you rinse the hairline really well. I think I could be missing the back of my neck a bit. I am buying some shampoo bars to help, but will be sure I rinse better. Thanks!

I wait to wash my face until after I've done all of whatever I'm doing to my hair in the shower then I use my face wash on my face (of course) but also all along my hairline and around the back of my neck and the hairline there too. That way I know I'm really getting any hair product residue off that area or I will totally have ugly red bumps and itchiness.

baobhan sith
January 1st, 2010, 10:42 AM
I had something which fits your description (which doesn't necessarily mean it's the same thing...). I pretty much got rid of it when i started COing, rather than shampoo. I think a fair bit of this was just because I have to massage conditioner into my scalp a lot more than shampoo, and it's the massaging that helps a lot. Also using a BBB (but wash it REALLY often. like daily.) But even now if i don't wash my hair for 4/5 days, i get it back. Of course, it's also hideously greasy so i normally don't leave it that long.

momtofour
January 1st, 2010, 06:57 PM
I have been lurking for a long time and have wanted to become an active member. Your post prompted me. My son, age 20 at the time, had the same problem that you have. I am a licensed hairdresser (gasp!) and I have always cut the hair of my family members, especially my husband and sons. S's had a build up of the same kind of "gunk" and when I would comb his hair, to cut it, there was the same waxy substance on his scalp and it had a greasy feel to it. We tried different over the counter dandruff shampoos, and if anything, the problem got worse. I finally took him to a dermatologist who diagnosed him with a fungal/yeast infection on his scalp. He said it is common. The doctor said that he sees it a lot in football players who wear helmets and sweat a lot. S is very clean person and he showers every day, so it wasn't from poor hygiene. He isn't even a hat wearer. Yeast can take over if you are run down or under stress. Anyway, the doctor gave him two prescriptions. One was for an anti-fungal shampoo that he had to use everyday, and then a steroid shampoo to use once a week. When they were used up, he told him to get Neutrogena T-Sal shampoo (over the counter), to use. T-Sal has the same ingredient as aspirin in it, and aspirin has an exfoliating property. It cleared up the problem beautifully, and it hasn't come back. Hope this helps.

Latin Tea
January 2nd, 2010, 02:31 PM
Amazing how many helpful comments there have been here on this thread! There's just such a variety and hopefully they have helped others with this same problem. As an update on me, I did another Sea Breeze treatment, massaging it in and letting it sit for 2 hours, and washing my scalp only with a clarifying shampoo (Aubrey's). I let the shampoo sit for about 5 minutes and could just feel it working! I rinsed thoroughly (especially along my hairline). It did NOT hurt my hair at all and possibly helped remove more sebum (or whatever it is!). I can happily say that I'm about 85% clearer AND, the best part, my head does not itch as I am sitting here typing. I am thrilled to say the least.

I am going to do some other treatments as soon as I get the ingredients, like the castor/tea tree oil combo, olive oil, and possibly shampoo with H & S Intensive occasionally. It's so true that all our hair responds differently, even at different times of the month. :)

Thanks again for all your help!

Spring
January 3rd, 2010, 04:43 PM
Olive oil on the tips of my fingers to massage my scalp seems to help me alot. I find my scalp is reasonably clear on wash day, then gets progressively more like you describe as each day passes.

Juliette

Juliette, olive oil in my hair is a great conditioner (my hair and scalp have a love/hate relationship with olive oil :p), but can it be used as an antifungal? Olive oil usually exacerbates my itchies and gunk problems, but for you did it clear up the gunk and itchiness?