Gross layer on scalp (TMI)

[ilovelonghair]

*For those who can not deal with gross stuff, don't read!* At certain times of the year (not sure when, but now) I have this issue with my scalp: a layer that builds up if I don't regularly scratch it off carefully. It's oily, yellow or white and mostly situated at the top of my scalp. It takes time to build up, mostly between a week and two weeks. I make sure I wash out shampoo real well and never put conditioner on my scalp. I was my hair about 3 times a week at the most. At the same time, my hair 'snows' a lot *shudder* HELP!

[Juneii]

Find a clarifying shampoo, and try an ACV rinse to get rid of the buildup? Maybe it's your water? Maybe it's the oils on your head that is unable to spread to the rest of the hair, have you tried distributing the oils with a fine toothed comb?
I know I get a lot of oily buildup before I started clarifying often, my scalp would feel really heavy and no matter how hard I try to wash out the shampoo, it's not the culprit.

[christine1989]

I have gotten that before. It is sort of like wet dandruff if that makes any sense (which is odd considering that I never get dry dandruff). I put jojoba oil on my scalp, rub it in really well then shampoo it off. For some reason it works better than just shampooing alone. If it is a form of dandruff I hear that rosemary oil works well but I have never tried it for myself. I am still baffled as to what causes it though. Product buildup? A result of damp bunning? Who knows.

[ilovelonghair]

I got jojoba oil, I'll try that. I got to find my clarifying shampoo too, but it's from an obscure brand :(

[Othala]

Wow, how cool (from a biological point of view). Sounds like adult vernix caseosum, if there was such a thing. Have you tried to have it analysed or diagnosed?

[dianehair]

Sounds similar to what I used to get at the back of my head.

It was a result of my products used, once I switched, it never came back. Only if I put my hair up when it is wet do I ever get itchy build up on my scalp.

Try rinsing with ACV or an alternative is a spray of rosemary.

Boil up some fresh rosemary sprigs for 5 or so minutes. Leave in pan to steep for a few hours, covered. Then put in pump spray bottle.

Use this regularly as a damp mister on your hair in general, before braiding, before bunning, etc and also on any itchy scalp areas. It will soothe and the rosemary oil will solve any scalp issues you have.

[JayLee]

It sounds a little like cradle cap, that babies get. It is probably not the same but it is probably difficult to get out.
In order to get it all off, I used jojoba oil, let it penetrate that crust and massaged the scalp alot before a wash.

[Arianwen]

It isn't seb. dermatitis? My ex-husband had the same 'gross' layer on his scalp and it was extremely flakey etc. I'm 100% sure it was seb. dermatitis..

[Jean Stuart]

I get that sometime too. I think mine is worse in the winter. so I did baking soda scrubs a few times a week with apple cider rinse. also I made sure to massage my scalp between washes and bought a copper brush to use on just my scalp. It helped alot I have not felt the need to use the baking soda all summer and last winter I only felt the need a few times. campared to the winter before. Good luck.

[Coffeebug]

Could be worth trying a medicated shampoo to see if it sorts it out? I do think some shampoos can cause that sort of mischief too though so it could be worth trying a different brand?

[SpinDance]

My son (now 17) had this when he was younger. My stylist at the time recommended this which I have found on Amazon as well as other places:

http://www.amazon.com/Bumble-Tonic-Shampoo-Ounces/dp/B000BIZSX0/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&s=beauty&qid=1283456604&sr=8-7

It seemed to take care of the problem for him.

[spidermom]

I've noticed something like this when I restrict fats in my diet and/or don't drink enough water. It's like my sebum gets tacky and doesn't flow. The last time this happened, I combed my shampoo solution over my scalp (just my scalp area, not through my length) very thoroughly twice (rinsing between). It cleared right up. Then I make sure I use oil and vinegar on my vegetables to get enough healthy fat, plus drink more water.

[loralie]

Definitely baking soda.

If it's a fungal thing, you could try doing a treatment with Monistat to help clear up the yeasts on your scalp. Hope you figure it out soon!

[spidermom]

Baking soda can actually cause fungal problems because it disrupts the acid mantle that scalp/skin must maintain to be healthy.

[Antipodienne]

This is actually pretty common. It's just a buildup of sebum and skin cells. Your body may have shedding cycles where more skin cells are produced and the old ones drop off--possibly due to hormonal or dietary fluctuations. Nothing to worry about, I usually do baking soda and an ACV rinse.

[RadiantNeedle]

This happened to me out of the blue the other day. REALLY gross. I went back and rinsed my hair again very gently with lukewarm water. I'm not sure if it was the same thing, but it was certainly that yellow 'wet dandruff' being described. This is after a failed experiment of mixing shampoo and conditioner together to wash with. Maybe it kicked up a big thick layer of yuck that I didn't know was there?

[pennyroyal]

This happens to me if i don't wash my scalp enough so i actually have to wash my hair everyday to keep it from happening. :( It sucks but maybe you should try washing more often?

[ilovelonghair]

I have tried medical shampoo and monistat before, both didn't work. I'll try out some of the other tips. I bought a big bottle of ACV!
No baking soda, tried that before and is too drying, I think that will make it worse.


This is actually pretty common. It's just a buildup of sebum and skin cells. Your body may have shedding cycles where more skin cells are produced and the old ones drop off--possibly due to hormonal or dietary fluctuations. Nothing to worry about, I usually do baking soda and an ACV rinse.

It is true that my skin regenerates really fast overall, so that might make it worse on the scalp if not washed daily I guess.
I keep 2 days between washes, so I think that is quite often. I love freshly washed hair so I am tempted to wash daily, might not be so good...

[Antipodienne]

Have you recently changed your hair washing habits? Might just be that your scalp needs a little time to catch up to your new wash schedule.

[ilovelonghair]

No I didn't and had this problem for years :(

[tikitorch99]

I have been struggling with something similar for almost a year now. Lame. Sorry you have to deal with it.

I tried castor oil for the first time tonight and it felt very soothing on the spots. I'm hoping that since castor draws out impurities it might pull out whatever is causing this itchy, crusty, flaky mess. But if not, at least it felt better for a bit tonight :)

[ChloeDharma]

It sounds like dry sebum. Sebum comes in different consistanies sometimes more fluid and "oily" sometimes more dry almost powdery at points.
As spidermom mentioned the type of fats you get in your diet can effect this so i'd look at those. Supplementing evening primrose oil can help too.

I have dry sebum naturally so i always oil my scalp before washing, this allows it to be removed more easily. Jojoba is a particularly good choice for sebum issues but being antifungal it helps if that is an issue too.

[BattahZ]

I've been having this problem for the last couple of months, too! It's nuts, and my scalp gets really itchy. I absolutely have to wash every other day or I'm just miserable, though I'd love to go a little longer between washes.

I'll try the rosemary oil and report back on whether it helped.

[ilovelonghair]

Good news: the AVC is helping, after washing I poor it over my scalp, i stings a bit, but the results are good eventually. Make sure not to get it on your face and certainly not in eyes (I was clumsy...)

[cubedcoley]

I learn so much here! Thank you everybody! Glad the ACV is working. I was going to recommend that when I saw the first post. Also, I think it IS seb. derm which can flare at odd times of the year. I did not realize jojoba oil was anti-fungal (*mental note to do more research), but there IS a part of seborrheic dermatitis driven by fungus. Makes sense that the ACV helps as fungus does not like the acidity and cannot live. Awesome results with basic stuff at home, sounds like, but if all else fails, Loprox (medicated antifungal shampoo and needs prescription) rocks the house down as a scalp treatment!! :smile:

[Toadstool]

It does sound like seborrheic dermatitis to me.Glad the ACV is working.

[ilovelonghair]

I learn so much here! Thank you everybody! Glad the ACV is working. I was going to recommend that when I saw the first post. Also, I think it IS seb. derm which can flare at odd times of the year. I did not realize jojoba oil was anti-fungal (*mental note to do more research), but there IS a part of seborrheic dermatitis driven by fungus. Makes sense that the ACV helps as fungus does not like the acidity and cannot live. Awesome results with basic stuff at home, sounds like, but if all else fails, Loprox (medicated antifungal shampoo and needs prescription) rocks the house down as a scalp treatment!! :smile:


Good to hear it doesn't like acidic stuff. I tried anti-fungal shampoo but it never helped.