Itchy Head and Dandruff

[firicia]

Hello :)

I have always had dandruff that comes and goes. I can't seem to get away with using the shampoo's the claim to get rid of it without it really drying my hair out. Is there anything more natural I can try that won't wreck my hair? I find my head feels most itchy at night when I am trying to sleep.

Thanks :D

[EvaSimone]

I use jojoba oil, just slather it on and massage into my scalp and then shampoo out in the morning. Jojoba oil is very moisturizing for skin.

BTW when you say dandruff, is it little white flakes or big oily chunks of skin?

Little white flakes aren't really dandruff they are just dry skin whereas the big oily chunks are true dandruff a lot of people use the term dandruff for both kinds.

Also taking an Omega 3 supplement would probably help, I take one and have noticed an improvement. A lot of people are deficient in Omega 3's and only a few of the symptoms are brittle nails and an itchy, dry scalp.

[firicia]

Umm well I sometimes have flakes. I know what you mean by chunks but I would more describe when I used to pick at my head (weird I know, when I was bored I did it, I have stopped now, so odd) I used to pick at these things that felt like sand if that makes sense, small pieces of sand.

[princessrose]

I don't know what to suggest, however I do not suggest Head and Shoulders shampoo, it seems harsh on my own hair and dries it out. I have dry skin on my scalp during the cold weather months and it doesn't do anything for it either.

[x0h_bother]

I use H&S but to lessen the harshness I use the 2-in-1. If H&S works for your scalp dandruff (but not your hair like you said) then I might give the 2-in-1 a try, scalp-only washing (and I do CWC to protect my length).

[GeoJ]

My husband has the same thing I think you are describing. His scalp is itchy, and gets these things that feel like sand grains, and he sometimes get flakes (looks like dry skin, even though his scalp is normally on the oily side).

I haven't figured out what the cause is for him yet. The next time he has a vacation at home I will experiment on him.

I have trouble with dandruff, but mine is different than what you described (I first get small dry bits, and if I don't get rid of them I get the oily chunks). I have been keeping mine at bay with almost daily scalp washes using Lush shampoo bars (the brown one that smells like a campfire or the cinnamon one). If washing all of my hair I use the CWC method (cover the length with conditioner, wash the scalp area with shampoo, rinse it all off, and then condition as usual. Last night I tried washing with shikakai (an Indian herb) and "miracle water" (1/32 tsp of vitamin C powder + 1/4 tsp of citric acid per gallon of warm water to improve my hard water & remove the chloramine). I had good results from that.

[Dina L.]

When I had dandruff, I tried shampoo against it but there was no change. After that I put sme EO-s in the shampoo, that helped a little, but it only gone after I changed to sulfate free shampoo and ACV rinse. So I swear on ACV rinse. :)

[Anje]

Definitely try dilute vinegar rinses, since they seem to make a lot of scalps happier. (I think ~10% vinegar is a good starting point.)

My scalp gets a bit flakey if it gets too dried out. CO washing, which involves applying conditioner directly to the scalp, seems to help my scalp moisture levels a lot.

[bytheocean]

I've had a problem with dandruff my whole life. Then one day I read about no-poo. I decided to give it a try and it worked! No more dandruff. I'll be honest that the first week about drove me insane with the itching, but once I started rubbing my scalp with the pads of my fingers and distributing the oil by brushing I haven't had a problem since. Probably not what you wanted to hear.

[kaned_ferret]

So far as medicated shampoos, Nizoral is imo the best :) Soothing amazement and it really works, for both kinds of dandruffs. But I hve to say, that since switching to henna over chemical dyes and using sls free shampoo, I no longer have need for the nizoral, so for me that's an even better result!

[Panth]

Maybe try a sugar scrub? Mix brown sugar with conditioner. If you don't use conditioner, mix it with warmed coconut oil. Massage it thoroughly over the entire scalp and then wash it out well.

I advise putting down lots of towels if you do the massaging part anywhere except in the bath as, at least when I did it, I got sugar EVERYWHERE.

[firicia]

wow thanks for all the replies and advice! I'll definitely give some a go and see what happens!

[Firefox7275]

My ex-husband had bad dandruff, Nizoral worked wonders. Most anti-dandruff shampoos are rubbish: Nizoral is available on the NHS here but Head & Shoulders is not! :p You might also try a shampoo containing urea as this is deficient in eczema, again this is available on the NHS which says something. I have had flakiness at the back which was down to the shampoo I was using - not a full allergy but certainly aggravating my sensitive skin. Agree with the advice to look at your omega-3 intake; the anti-inflammatory properties are scientifically proven and relatively few people meet official guidelines. Personally I wouldn't scrub as that will remove the protective surface layer of the skin.

[Eire]

I have the same problem. I use moisturizing Selsun blue (the one with the green cap) and it works wonders. If you get it, make sure and use it on your scalp only to avoid drying out your hair. Couple it with a good conditioner, dilute ACV rinses, and weekly or bi-weekly deep conditioning treatments and you should be good. :)

[Yambucket]

That sounds just like my head.. I used to just do CO and when I moved the water was different and just destroyed my scalp. I recently started using T-gel and conditioner then doing an ACV rinse after and reallly soaking my scalp with it and its totally different. After the first time I felt like I had a different scalp lol.. I second the ACV ideas! :) I do about 3 cups of water to 1/2 cup of apple cider vinegar and put it in a decent sized container and rinse it over my hair and have it drain back to the container and do it probably 20ish times so its realllly soaked :)

[CaityBear]

I've dealt with dandruff for as long as I can remember and now I do CO and I find that helps a lot.

ACV helps a lot with itchies and so does tea tree oil. I usually massage them (seperately) onto my scalp and let sit then shower and wash it out. Usually that does the trick. :)

[nucleardelusion]

I had that problem! My head was very itchy when I would sweat especially (doing stock etc) and I would have little flakes. My head has been rarely itchy since I stretched my washings to once a week. If my hair looks very greasy and I can't handle it, I CO wash on a no poo day occasionally. I remember ACV rinses helping as well, but my boyfriend hates vinegar so I've been avoiding that- but stretching washings with CO every now and then really helped me.

[McFearless]

One tablespoon of ACV in a bottle of cold water seems to work for me. CO washing does the trick too.

[CurlyCyndi]

I started using monistat for hair growth... It actually helps big time with dandruff.

[ouseljay]

My s.other has had dandruff (big chunky flakes that get caught in his hair, and what I call "snow," little flakes that flutter down when he brushes his hand through his hair) as long as I've known him and Head and Shoulders or other dandruff shampoos never helped. I was reading here, I think, about tea tree oil, and got some tea tree oil shampoo from Whole Foods (Nature's Gate, I think?) and in less than a week of daily use the chunky flakes are nearly gone and the "snow" is significantly reduced.

[papillion]

I have been keeping mine at bay with almost daily scalp washes using Lush shampoo bars (the brown one that smells like a campfire

Soak and Float. It really stinks! But it's the only thing I've ever found that can keep my scalp clear.

[Lynda]

There are a lot of scalf infections that can mimic dandruff.

If it's fungal, Monistat, Ketoconazole, Nizoral (which is Ketoconazole shampoo), or other "athletes foot, or "yeast" medicines can work. It's rumored on here that Monistat speeds growth, which seems silly, but some docs recommend Nizoral for improvement of male baldness!

If your itching/scaling is bacterial, like folliculitis, you may need antibiotics. As another poster said, you could have psoriasis, or any of a number of other problems. It isn't always simple dandruff.

If it stays bad after trying home remedies, see a dermatologist. It might not go away on its own.

[Signe]

I switched to WO a little over 2 months ago and had a really easy transition period with very mild greasies and a really short waxy period.
My hair feels normal almost every day now, but lately I have gotten an itchy scalp and dandruff that is very very fine, like flour in my hair...ACV keeps it at bay the day that I wash but then it is just as bad the next day.
I comb and then BBB almost every day and do a scalp massage, but I still get those flakes and need to WO my hair every couple days, rather than every week like I was doing for the first 7 weeks. It is the same whether my water is hard or soft...
Does anyone else get this occasionally on WO? What do you do about it?

xox

[selderon]

Henna is supposed to cure or control fungal dandruff.

[metricfuture]

As a last resort (as it is pretty pricey at around 20 bucks for 4 ounces) DermaZinc is a miracle worker for all issues scalp-related. Since zinc has antimicrobial properties, it works on fungal, bacterial and viral infections. It's the only thing that's ever worked on my SO's baffling head full of mystery flakes.

[summerjade]

Firicia, I have had the same problem you described for years. I don't have dandruff flakes, but I have a very itchy scalp, it feels like gritty sand and I can't help but pick at these because it itches. If I use a very mild shampoo it itches as if I didn't wash it at all. I usually wash every other day, but the day I don't wash, it itches really bad. I have tried all the dandruff shampoos , none of these worked. Conditioner on my scalp seems to make it worse. I have started using ACV rinses and that has helped. After shampooing I put 1 tablespoon of vinegar in a cup of water, pour it over my scalp and hair, I add my conditioner to my hair from the ears down, I then comb through with my fingers for about 3 minutes. Then I rinse it all out. Maybe that could help yours. Sorry I couldn't be of more help. Wish I knew more to help us both!!

[julliams]

I haven't read the whole thread so excuse me if this has already been suggested. I had exactly what you describe and no shampoo for dandruff ever helped me. One day I read about the benefits of olive oil on the scalp so I dipped my fingertips in olive oil, massaged them into my scalp and I'm telling you, the itchiness went right away and I have not had an itchy scalp or dandruff problem since. I think my scalp was simply dry and all the anti-dandruff stuff was making it worse. Any time I think my scalp is starting to feel dry, I just reach for the oil again.

I should point out that some expensive shampoos make my head itch too. Try to go for something gentle and moisturising.

[firicia]

I haven't read the whole thread so excuse me if this has already been suggested. I had exactly what you describe and no shampoo for dandruff ever helped me. One day I read about the benefits of olive oil on the scalp so I dipped my fingertips in olive oil, massaged them into my scalp and I'm telling you, the itchiness went right away and I have not had an itchy scalp or dandruff problem since. I think my scalp was simply dry and all the anti-dandruff stuff was making it worse. Any time I think my scalp is starting to feel dry, I just reach for the oil again.

I should point out that some expensive shampoos make my head itch too. Try to go for something gentle and moisturising.

Today was prety bad out of no where for feeling really itchy so I came back to this thread and saw this and tried it right away. I am feeling noticeably better, and it has just turned into a whole hair treatment too cuz I wasn't so great and putting it only on my scalp with my thick hair.
What surprised me was that after 2 days without washing my hair has been starting to get really greasy, well it has been 2 days and while I was rubbing this on my head and hoping it would work I notice how dry my scalp was. I couldn't believe it, even with all the oil on my hair my scalp is dry as heck!
I am still a little itchy but it's no where near how terrible I was feeling 20 minutes ago, maybe it was just dry and I didn't think of it because everywhere else on my body (except sometimes my nose) never gets dry skin so I just assume the same for my head.
The one thing I have changed in the past 12 days is not putting conditioner on my head, just ears and below, I wonder if that contributed to things seeming to feel way worse and thinking I am losing more hair that normal...

Olive oil is great, but is there anything I could maybe put on my scalp after I shampoo and condition that won't make my hair greasy... maybe that's not possible... hmm what can I do to help nip this problem in the butt. Would using olive oil before washing my hair just defeat the purpose?

Haha so many questions now, thanks so much again everyone!

[CaityBear]

Oh yeah, I forgot about olive oil. lol I used to try to do overnight EVOO soaks and that helped plenty! I would sometimes add rosemary EO and some aloe vera gel, massage into scalp and then soak length. It was meant just to be a treatment but ended up helping my dandruff a ton.