Build up problem

[monichella]

Hi everyone, I've a problem with my scalp and I'd like to have some suggestion about it. I usually wash my hair twice a week with an organic shampoo followed by an acid rinse. This frequency it's due by the fact that the fourth day begin to scratch the skin and the hair finally become dirty.
I've tried to stop scratching but sebum accumulates.
Although after shampooing the sebum is removed it is reconstituted in a few days. That is not a normal fluid sebum but a hard one, that remaines under the nails! It's very nasty. :(

Please help me!!

[monichella]

Any suggestion?

[Athena's Owl]

uh, what is the name of your organic shampoo and what are the ingredients in it?

[FluffSpider]

Isn't it a small dandruffy thing that can look like sebum?a bit of dandruff+sebum+scratching=white residue under nails. It happens to me on days 5-6-7 of the 7-day hair wash cycle

[Ishje]

I have the same thing as FluffSpider wrote about, applevinegar rinses help me a great deal!

[teela1978]

Wash more often? Use a stronger shampoo?

[FluffSpider]

@teela1978: I think that would be counterproductive. When I washed often my hair would get the flakies around day 3 or 2, now on a seven-day cycle it's weekend before my hair shows signs of it. I would try to discourage the production of sebum. Also, on the coconut oil thread(or something similar) I read that some LHC-ers have seen improvement in their dandruff issues by using the said method. I say give it a shot, if you can get your hands on some coconut oil- it certainly can't do you any harm:)

[teela1978]

If flakies show up 2-3 days after washing your hair, wouldn't more frequent washing (e.g. before day 2) eliminate them?

[monichella]

This is my shampoo: Aqua – Disodium Cocopolyglucose Citrate – Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside –Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate - Sodium Lauroyl Glutamate - Glycerin - – Sodium Chloride – Yucca Vera Extract – Calendula Officilalis Extract – Malva Sylvestris Extract – Camomilla Recutita Oil – Acetum. This is very strong, I use it once a week, the other time I wash with a more gentle shampoo (always organic). When I tried to use SLES I've experimented immediate rebound effect.
It could be dandruff, do you suggest tea tree oil? what else? I alredy use vinegar.
Now I'm trying lemon on the scalp, I need to feel clear!
Thank you very much, and sorry for my english!

[FluffSpider]

@teela1978: That would treat a symptom, not the cause. It's like having oily skin and washing it with harsh chemicals all the time-it's going to produce even more sebum to recover from the loss.
@monichella: I would suggest using that coconut oil, if you have access to it. Also, zync seems to be very helpful in these cases, you could take supplements or look for shampoos with Zync or zync derivates in them.
I can't tell much from the composition of your shampoo, I'm not familiar with organic shampoos.
Do the two shampoos have the same effect on your hair? Does one let your hair grease up faster than the other? Does one produce more build-up than the other?

[monichella]

I'm growing my hair till 2008 and at the beginning I washed my hair almost every day. I'm trying to increase the time between the washes because, even if I don't use dryer, my hair are very delicate and I'm afraid of damaging them.

[monichella]

@monichella: I would suggest using that coconut oil, if you have access to it. Also, zync seems to be very helpful in these cases, you could take supplements or look for shampoos with Zync or zync derivates in them.
I can't tell much from the composition of your shampoo, I'm not familiar with organic shampoos.
Do the two shampoos have the same effect on your hair? Does one let your hair grease up faster than the other? Does one produce more build-up than the other?

Yes the shampoo I posted leaves my hair cleaner than the other but I prefere to use both because my hair are very delicate and tend to split ends, I'm afraid of damaging them with a degreasing shampoo using that so often even if it's (almost) good on the scalp. I don't use conditioner so I apply that shampoo only after a natural hair mask of oil and something else to nourish and protect the lenght from washing. In other words I have the skin that wants to be washed ""strongly"" and the lengths that do not like it at all.

I have coconut oil somewhere and will give a look for zync, thanx!

[FluffSpider]

I've always mixed my conditioners and shampoos to calm down some or to make others stronger. perhaps you can attempt this with your shampoos?
after what you said there I understand the harsher shampoo is still great for your scalp, and I assume you wouldn't be too happy about switching to the milder one permanently, so you could try grabbing an empty bottle and mixing different ratios of each so you can get the best of both worlds(sorry for the Hannah Montana slip:laugh:

[teela1978]

@teela1978: That would treat a symptom, not the cause. It's like having oily skin and washing it with harsh chemicals all the time-it's going to produce even more sebum to recover from the loss.

Everyone's hair is different. If I try to use gentle shampoos on my oily scalp I just end up having to either wash more frequently or live with greasy hair (and yes, I've tried adjusting for several weeks to many alternative washing methods). Washing regularly works very well for many members on this site.

[teela1978]

Yes the shampoo I posted leaves my hair cleaner than the other but I prefere to use both because my hair are very delicate and tend to split ends, I'm afraid of damaging them with a degreasing shampoo using that so often even if it's (almost) good on the scalp. I don't use conditioner so I apply that shampoo only after a natural hair mask of oil and something else to nourish and protect the lenght from washing. In other words I have the skin that wants to be washed ""strongly"" and the lengths that do not like it at all.

I have coconut oil somewhere and will give a look for zync, thanx!
Is there a reason you don't use conditioner? I would think your hair would respond well to a CWC routine, protecting the length with conditioner while you wash the scalp and then follow up with a final conditioning.

[monichella]

I don't use conditioner 'cause I don't need it (I don't have knots in my hair) and I experimented my hair remains more shiny and clear if I only have an ACV after shampooing. So I alternate a milder shampoo with a strong one, but if I have a strong washing I apply oil on the lenghts before, to protect them.

I would underline my scalp is not usually oily neither dry but only "normal". My hair looks dirty after 4-5 days. I started having skin problems a month ago, don't know why :(

I'm going to buy a organic shampoo with zinc soon: aloedermal esi, dandruff.
Now it's war!!

[Red Leo]

If they only started a month ago mabe you have came in contact with some thing new?

[monichella]

I had a streessing period at university, I suffer of atopic dermathosis on my body and has worsened at the same time. mamaybe it is only stress, my routine is almost always the same.

[Rebecka_N]

Beautiful hair!
Have you tried rasul mud? I use it, it´s great against build up and greasy hair. :)

[monichella]

Yes I bought it a years ago and I liked a lot. Then I experimented with chickpea flour because it's cheaper and easier to find for me (I'm Italian). The effect it's similar!
I'd like to use theese methods more often but sometimes I'm lazy :oops:

[little_cherry]

monichella, I would try diluting your shampoo. It may be too strong and irritating the scalp.

[monichella]

I do already! ;____;

[cataphract]

I've had a lot of issues resolved by just using baking soda water instead of shampoo. My scalp seems to stay cleaner longer when I use that followed by an acid rinse.

[monichella]

The day before yesterday I put a solution water-lemon juice on the scalp for 1/2 hour before shampooing, now I'm trying to not scratching the scalp. But if the problem is dandruff I'll buy that specific shampoo I said the previous page and let you know how the story goes

[monichella]

I've had a lot of issues resolved by just using baking soda water instead of shampoo. My scalp seems to stay cleaner longer when I use that followed by an acid rinse.

This is very interesting, how much baking soda do you use for a wash? I'm always little bit scared about basic ph but could make a try!

[monichella]

I'm experimenting indigo and I noticed a build up reduction. Cool!

[monichella]

:cheese: Build up is completely gone since I stopped using glycerin-shampoo. My scalp hates it!!
Maybe this could help someone else ;)