Itchy/flaky/dry scalp question

[Onebeauty]

Me and several members of my family have itchy dry scalp/dandruff. We've had that problem anyway but after treating for headlice it has intesified. I am not sure what to do to solve the problem.

My normal once-a-week washing routine was this:
wash scalp with shampoo
rinse
ACV rinse
rinse
conditioner from ears down
rinse
air dry

My boys (close to the same hair type as me) have oily hair but huge itchies and flakes usually wash every couple days.

Trouble now is that I absolutely can't stand the itchies in between shampoos.

Help!

[Nevermore]

I'd try conditioner only, it's what cured my flakes and itchies, plus you can do it as often as you like pretty much.

[Nynaeve]

I don't know, I've been having a lot of trouble with this lately, ad it doesn't matter if I CO, if I oil, if I wash more or less often. It's very white, so I assume it's just hair scalp being dry, but nothing I do helps. RIght now I'm switching up my routine again, I'll let you know if anything helps. :)

[akurah]

I can't stand itchiness either, so I wash my hair whenever it itches (usually CO), and if it's itching bad, I break out my head and shoulders.

Have you considered using some manner of dandruff shampoo? You don't necessarily have to use head and shoulders, I'm sure there are others out there that people find more gentle (though admittedly, I don't find head and shoulders in the least bit harsh, but I'm odd). I don't have dandruff or flaking scalp, though, just itchiness.

[tsf]

I switched to an organic no SLS shampoo. It seems to be helping but it has not cured it.
I don't itch anymore but if I do scratch then there are flakes. So, of course, I am then compelled to continue scratching. The shampoo was "Aloe 87" from a health food store. It helped but did not cure the issue, so today I bought a bottle of another SLS free one brand name Jason.

The really annoying thing is that I had not had that problem for years and years - it started when I tried CO. My hair loved it, my scalp hated it, and it's been a year and I'm still dealing with the problem.


t.

[Lady_Evalyn]

I used to CO like over a year ago. It made my scalp itchy. Then I started using Giovanni shampoo. It's an organic one, and the Triple Tea Treat is a nice one.

[angelthadiva]

Do the boys do the same hair routine as you? The ACV should really calm down the itchies and flakies...We were dealing with the same issues, dry, itchie, flakie and lice...GRRRR, the winter months didn't help matters much, but since we are going into warmer months, I've noticed that the dry, itchie and flakies have vanished...

I do CWC every 2 days or so, followed w/ACV usually only once a week.

[lookingglass]

The lice tx could have irritated your scalp. I know it did mine (we later switched to the Cetophil tx, henna and/or olive oil method~minor hijack)!

I oiled (helps assure lice are gone), and washed when I felt like I had to. It took a while for my scalp to calm down. It is a bit of a trauma!

[suicides_eve]

i agree with all that suggested co only and ditching SLS. Both of those have helped with my itchies.

[manderly]

My head has been really itchy and flaky lately, so bad I bought myself a bottle of H&S for the tingling sensation!

I'm not really sure why it happens, and since I'm still dealing with it on a smaller scale, I can't really say how to fix it, but the H&S did definitely help.

[tmmycat]

I totally agree to stop using shampoo, try CO. your routine seems like it would be very drying to the scalp, and irritating on top of that if your skin is sensitive. If I washed my body with shampoo and then left it to dry on its own with no moisturizer my skin would be pretty flaky too. And itchy. scalp is no different.

I think it would be very soothing to drench your scalp in jojoba oil, let it sit for an hour or two, and then wash it out with conditioner. and then no more shampoo ... it is very irritating to sensitive skin and very drying.

[lyrl]

I had an itchy flaky spot on my scalp that turned bright red - my mom said it looked like it was taking over my head.

I ended up going to a doctor and being diagnosed with eczema. Treatment for eczema is basically keep the area as moist as possible, and it's been sloooowly getting better. A characteristic of eczema is "persistence", which means even with good care patches take a long time to heal.

For me, the dandruff shampoo helped with the itchiness (some kind of anesthetizing effect, I suspect), but seemed to make the underlying condition actually get worse. Which makes sense: dandruff is a fungus, and the anti-fungal chemical in the shampoo is probably pretty drying.

I've been using a leave-in conditioner and bunning my damp hair right over the affected area, if that's any help.

[Nynaeve]

I can't stand itchiness either, so I wash my hair whenever it itches (usually CO), and if it's itching bad, I break out my head and shoulders.

Have you considered using some manner of dandruff shampoo? You don't necessarily have to use head and shoulders, I'm sure there are others out there that people find more gentle (though admittedly, I don't find head and shoulders in the least bit harsh, but I'm odd). I don't have dandruff or flaking scalp, though, just itchiness.

I found a few more gentle ones, but nothing has seemed to work, then again I have no where near exhausted all options at this point. :o

[NightingaleLHC]

I am having this problem as well. It started out as just being flakes, but now it itches really bad! I've never had this problem before! Olive oil helps with the flakes. I leave it as an over night soak. But I have to use it every time before I wash or the flakes come back. Dandruff shampoo helps some, but doesn't totally get rid of the flakes. This itching is driving me crazy! I tried Monistat last night hoping the anti-fungal property would help, but it's made the itching worse! :mad:

[Nynaeve]

I am having this problem as well. It started out as just being flakes, but now it itches really bad! I've never had this problem before! Olive oil helps with the flakes. I leave it as an over night soak. But I have to use it every time before I wash or the flakes come back. Dandruff shampoo helps some, but doesn't totally get rid of the flakes. This itching is driving me crazy! I tried Monistat last night hoping the anti-fungal property would help, but it's made the itching worse! :mad:

Too bad the monistat didn't work. If I had a working car and enough time I would go buy SOMETHING that might help. I would try to soak my head in honey if it wouldn't lighten my hair. :(

[florenonite]

I've got ACV, a bit of tea tree oil, and water in a mister that was originally for use on my face as a toner, but which I've started putting on my scalp every evening as well, which has helped with the itchies and flakies. I've also started to dilute my shampoo more (before I was diluting about equal parts water and shampoo, now I put a squirt into a jug and half-fill the jug with water.

[kimberlily]

Sulfates make my scalp itch, and so does CO. I much prefer shampoo bars. No itch at all!

[levelek]

Too bad the monistat didn't work. If I had a working car and enough time I would go buy SOMETHING that might help. I would try to soak my head in honey if it wouldn't lighten my hair. :(

If you microwave the honey it should not lighten your hair, but it will keep its moisturising properties. A honey and aloe vera soak could be great for calming down your scalp.

I recommend reading this post (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showpost.php?p=86244&postcount=13) by heidi w. There are also entries that pull together dry, itchy scalp treatments in the articles section under natural treatments.

[betsala]

i think that someone already mentioned tea tree oil, but that's what works for me. i just diluted some in a mister and i spray my scalp when i feel too dry and itchy. good luck!

[happylynngilmer]

I had been fighting itchy/dry scalp since high school. I tried Head and Shoulders shampoo before I found LHC. It stripped my hair and left it really damaged (but it cleared up my dandruff).

I thought it was sulfates, so I tried CO which aggrivated the problem.

Then I did ACV rinses, with CO-when that didn't work I added tea tree oil to the rinse, which I have heard on various other sites should do the trick. When it didn't I tired Giovanni's tea tree triple treat dish for my COs. Then I bought a really expensive shampoo called Max Green Alchemy which is designed to moisturize and heal finiky scalps. Sure, it really helped my hair, but didnt clean up my flakies. As a last resort I tried Oyin's Head to Toe Wash, before I even rinsed it out I knew it was not my knight in shining armour. My hair became a dried-out, tangly cat on my head.

Went back on sulfates at this point. Tried a few shampoos. I found I need sulfates, and I rotate between Nexxus Therappe, NG Stayin' Alive, BWC Rosemary Tea Tree shampoos. Whenever my scalp gets itchy, I know it's getting dry. I do an oil treatment every few washes (which is about every 2 weeks) of EVOO.

As for the dandruff flakes, what *finally* got rid of them was an ACV rinse with yarrow. I get yarrow hydrolate and mix it with ACV. I do this after EVERY wash. Been flake free since before the old LHC crashed :}

[Nynaeve]

I've got ACV, a bit of tea tree oil, and water in a mister that was originally for use on my face as a toner, but which I've started putting on my scalp every evening as well, which has helped with the itchies and flakies. I've also started to dilute my shampoo more (before I was diluting about equal parts water and shampoo, now I put a squirt into a jug and half-fill the jug with water.

How in the world do you get that to your scalp with a spray bottle? Do you part your hair over and over? I always have so much trouble getting to my scalp. :(


Sulfates make my scalp itch, and so does CO. I much prefer shampoo bars. No itch at all!

I've wanted to try poo bars for a long time now, but just never get around to ordering because there is such a wide selection and I'm indecisive. :shrug:


If you microwave the honey it should not lighten your hair, but it will keep its moisturising properties. A honey and aloe vera soak could be great for calming down your scalp.

I recommend reading this post (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showpost.php?p=86244&postcount=13) by heidi w. There are also entries that pull together dry, itchy scalp treatments in the articles section under natural treatments.
Thanks for the link!


I had been fighting itchy/dry scalp since high school. I tried Head and Shoulders shampoo before I found LHC. It stripped my hair and left it really damaged (but it cleared up my dandruff).

I thought it was sulfates, so I tried CO which aggrivated the problem.

Then I did ACV rinses, with CO-when that didn't work I added tea tree oil to the rinse, which I have heard on various other sites should do the trick. When it didn't I tired Giovanni's tea tree triple treat dish for my COs. Then I bought a really expensive shampoo called Max Green Alchemy which is designed to moisturize and heal finiky scalps. Sure, it really helped my hair, but didnt clean up my flakies. As a last resort I tried Oyin's Head to Toe Wash, before I even rinsed it out I knew it was not my knight in shining armour. My hair became a dried-out, tangly cat on my head.

Went back on sulfates at this point. Tried a few shampoos. I found I need sulfates, and I rotate between Nexxus Therappe, NG Stayin' Alive, BWC Rosemary Tea Tree shampoos. Whenever my scalp gets itchy, I know it's getting dry. I do an oil treatment every few washes (which is about every 2 weeks) of EVOO.

As for the dandruff flakes, what *finally* got rid of them was an ACV rinse with yarrow. I get yarrow hydrolate and mix it with ACV. I do this after EVERY wash. Been flake free since before the old LHC crashed :}

Hmmm. Now sure where to get yarrow here. Where do you get yours?

[florenonite]

How in the world do you get that to your scalp with a spray bottle? Do you part your hair over and over? I always have so much trouble getting to my scalp. :(


Pretty much, yeah. I part it down the back and pull each side over my shoulder and spray the part along the top and down the back. Then I focus on the top and, using my fingers, make different parts and spray along there. Then I flip my head upside down and do the same on the back of my head. Did that make sense?