Can't get scalp clean-help!

[sophistiCat *]

Well no matter how much sulfate shampoo I use I just can't get my scalp clean! I feel it with my finger tips afterwards and it still feels oily, even with clarifying shampoo. I have dandruff as well that just won't shift (i wash about every 3-4 days). I've tried co washing last year but that didn't seem to help. I will be so grateful for any useful advice you guys have because this getting me down.

[Messyhair]

Have you tried going sulfate-free? My hair usually gets super oily after washing, but if I use a sulfate-free shampoo, I can usually get away with washing every other day because the greasies are kept at bay. It may be that your scalp is rebelling against the sulfates by producing more oil to compensate. That's what seems to happen with mine.

Do you condition up to the root? It could also be that the conditioner isn't being rinsed out completely. No matter how much I rinse, I can't get conditioned roots to be ungreasy. I get around that by only putting conditioner from the nape down and my scalp stays happy.

Hope you can find a solution for yourself!

[Melisande]

Why not try a peeling treatment - jojoba oil (that resembles sebum and dissolves it) with brown sugar? Don't be too rough, though.

[Lianna]

How about oiling the scalp for a few hours, than shampooing?

[sophistiCat *]

Thanks for your advice and replies everyone. I will try going sulfate free to see if that helps, thank you and I will try the oil ideas as well

[my2cats1]

You might also try the "curly girl" method of exfoliating the scalp -- mix brown sugar and conditioner to make a paste, then massage that into the scalp and rinse.

[spidermom]

Sometimes my scalp gets stubbornly oily, and what I do is comb my shampoo solution over my scalp. I almost always mix shampoo with water in an empty conditioner bottle so I can squirt the mixture all over my scalp. I make sure my hair is detangled and thoroughly combed before I get in the shower, and I'm careful to leave my hair hanging in the same position when I get in the shower. I comb over my scalp thoroughly, until I'm sure I've combed my entire scalp area. Then rinse. Also - I keep conditioner away from my scalp.

I hope this suggestion helps.

[Siowiel]

When I was still using conventional hair producta, mainly Dove, Pantene and Fructis, I always had a kind of build-up on my scalp even after washing. It was gros, I could scrape with my fingernail over my scalp and had a mass of white stuff under it, not just a light oil film!
At first I thought this to be sebum, but it disapeared after I switched to alternative products, like Lush, but I do not know what ingredient(s) caused this.

Sorry I know this is kinda different from the problem you have, but it sounds similar enough to assume your shampoo/conditioner might be the culprit, and not an over-oily scalp.

[wavymane]

get yourself a scalp brush it works wonders, so much more effective then fingertips alone

[Othala]

I suggest you wash your scalp every day with castile soap and then do a diluted ACV rinse.

[trolleypup]

The best thing I found for me, for the various scalp anger issues was finishing with a vinegar rinse. Also, my washes focus more on the scalp than the hair...so I use a strong handheld spray to reach and massage the scalp. I can use any method I like on the hair, but the scalp likes the cleaning.

[jaine]

Is the goal to have an oil-free scalp? :p I have an oil-free scalp if I shampoo too much or too often, and ... it's not anything to be happy about. When my scalp is oil-free that's when my hair looks the worst and my scalp is the least comfortable.

[Chiara]

I'm a bit with jaine on this one- if your scalp is not itchy, and not (too) unsightly, then maybe it is nothing to worry about?
My hair condition has improved enormously since I stopped trying to 'cure' my oiliness and flaking by washing- and my scalp is actually a lot better too! But it did require a bit of a shift in thinking (and some up-dos).