Stupid scalp. *flaking*

[Heavenly Locks]

For the last year I have been primarily CO every 3 days or so. I've been using the suave naturals conditioner and been pretty happy.

However, recently I picked up a bottle of Herbal Essences Drama Clean (http://www.productreview.com.au/uploads/images/items/95229_herbal_essences_drama_clean.jpg) shampoo. I intended to only use it once in a while for clarifying... *but*

Of course there's a "but", right?

I've been using it for more frequent CWC's because it's just been so cold that I want to get in and out of the shower fast. COing takes a while and even then I don't get it right sometimes and I end up with heavy feeling scalp hair.

I am in LOVE with my hair when I use the diluted shampoo on the scalp and CWC. However my scalp is flaking and it looks pretty gross. My hair is soft, shiny and oh so happy. What should I do? I am really liking that I'm only needing to wash weekly with this method.

Who do I make happy, my scalp or my glorious hair? The flakes are happening primarily in my front hairline where my bangs are.

[Copasetic]

I don't have any advice for you, because I have the exact same problem. I bought an Herbal Essences shampoo, liked the results hair-wise, and then ended up with flakes around my front hair line. It is so annoying! I have since switched shampoos, but haven't seen much of a difference yet. And one day when that spot was really itchy I rubbed some coconut oil on it and that seemed to help.

[missjessiecakes]

I think you should strive to make the scalp happy. Its where your hair comes from. Maybe you just need to do your bangs more often? Do you do anything to them?

[StephanieB]

I agree with Jessiecakes.

If you must choose - make your scalp happy. I don't see how you can have happy hair from an unhappy scalp, ultimately.

Can you just wash your bangs (maybe over your sink?) between total hair washes?
It might help. At the least - it'll prove or disprove if that will help.

[Trixie]

I have the same flaky scalp problems if I use any harsh shampoos with SLS. I even noticed that SLS makes all of the skin on my body flaky! So I agree with what the others say - try to keep your scalp happy! My perfect balance is to CO for a couple of days and then shampoo with a gentle poo (I love Giovanni Tea Tree, it really calms my scalp). Hope this helps!

[Arrow Juniper]

I'm in the same boat as you are -- not with the Herbal Essences, but with the front hairline flakes. I'm moisturizing the areas that give me most trouble to see if it's a dry skin issue, before moving on to heavier stuff. Right now, I have to baby my scalp to the extreme. It's much better to take care of the scalp, I think, so that the problem doesn't grow worse (new forms of fungi-yeast- dandruff may feed off of the flakes, mefears). Good luck! I'll post back if I have success with moisture.

[yellowchariot]

As the winter hit hard with severe cold weather, I always get very dry scalp and skin, I couldn't sleep at night it because I was scratching myself to death. So I put an end to it. I went to the store and bought head and shoulders geared for moisturizing, Suave dry scalp conditioner, and a big bottle of off brand coco butter lotion. Every night I baste myself like a turkey before bed :D. I haven't had an itch in over a month! :thumbsup:

[inty]

My answer to the flakes turned out to be ACV. After any washing/conditioning method. Works like a charm of me. :cheese:

I read here it's not recommended more than twice a week tho, I use it once a week usually. HTH...

[Laurenji]

I still haven't figured out what makes both my scalp AND my hair happy. I've been CO-ing for a couple months now, and my hair is happier than ever, but my scalp is flaky and crazy-itchy. AVC rinses have also been doing wonders for my hair, but haven't really helped my scalp at all.

T-gel has always made my scalp happy, but it's expensive and harsh on my hair, and I have to wash basically every day for it to work, which is a pain. I've started using it again though, since my itchy scalp is driving me crazy! The other day I scratched it so hard it bled... :(

I kind of want to try washing it with borax-water now, since they seemed to be getting such good results over there in the Borax thread.

[erinsbigsister]

Try this:

http://fiascofarm.com/herbs/oils.htm#heal

I have some and I love it...for lots of reasons. It has helped me with this same problem in the past. When I switched to Organix Tea Tree Mint shampoo, my scalp was happier for awhile, but winter seems to be the main antagonist for me.

Molly's Marvelous herbal salve is awesome though!

:)

[tinker bug]

I have the same flaky issues with my scalp, so this is usally the checklist I go down when it flares up:

*SLS shampoo. This is usually the culprit, but also the hardest for me to fix because its pretty hard to find an SLS-free and no cone shampoo. I reccomend Queen Helene Mint Julep shampoo, its in a concentrated form so you can decide how watered down it needs to be. Even when I use the purely concentrated form, its doesn't sting or make the flakes more itchy like other shampoos do. I buy it at Sally's for around $3 USD, but you can also order online.

*ACV rinses really help the flakes to chill out and oddly enough if you have any scabs from the flakes or excema, it kinda feels like it disinfects them. Not sure if this is true, but to me it feels like all the gunk on top of them comes off with the ACV rinses.

*If your flakes are getting crazy bad, Tea Tree Oil in its pure form REALLY helps to heal up wounds, even on other parts of your skin. It stinks to high heaven, so this is usually my last resort, lol. You can find this near the vitamin supplements at grocery stores (I bought mine at Walmart for around $7 USD; it also works as a no-chemical treatment for lice, and worked better for me than RIT did) Tea Tree oil lasts forever, I've had my bottle for about 4 years no, and its not even half-way empty.

Good luck with your scalp, I know this can be really difficult and unomfortable when you feel like everyone is focusing on your scalp and not your beautiful hair :flower: