Scabs on the scalp.

[Mairéad]

Not mine, but...

For the last few months my mom has been getting these oozing scabs on her scalp and I was wondering if it’s her product routine that’s causing it. She uses a very cone-y conditioner and I’m not sure if it can cause scabbing but it’s the only idea I’ve come with so far.


She has fine, thinning, and slightly curly hair and while she isn’t open to my type of hair-care routine, I was thinking at least getting her onto SLS-free shampoo and cone-free conditioners could be a step in the right direction. I don’t think it could hurt.


Is there anyone here that has experienced scabs on their scalp? If so, do you know what caused it and how did you stop it?

[BlazingHeart]

I get them periodically. My doctor thinks it may just be super-sensitive skin. On the other hand, I'm being evaluated for an auto-immune disorder right now, so who knows.

~Blaze

[Dare_to_Dream]

It might be psoriasis or a severe form of ezcema. In any case my scalp used to get bad - it would start as like almost scales and then my hair would fall out. I had been prescribed medicated shampoo although that would only temporarily fix the problem. I would recommend your mom ditch conventional shampoo and conditonner and start just rinsing her hair with apple cider vinegar. I know she might find this crazy but I really think that harsh chemicals only agravate skin problems.

[GoatLady]

Is there anyone here that has experienced scabs on their scalp? If so, do you know what caused it and how did you stop it?

I have had scalp psoriasis, to some degree, for over 30 years. I've spent lots of money on medications and special shampoos. Nothing ever really cleared the problem. But I have been going 'poo free ( I am in the transition stage so am shampooing every 4 days or so) and have switched to cone free conditioners. My scalp is much happier. I'm not sure if it was the daily shampooing or the cone filled conditioners, which was causing the problem, but things have improved greatly. And my hair is shedding noticeably less. Now if I could just get my scalp to ease up on the oil production. :sigh:

[Alvrodul]

It could be an allergy to an ingredient in her shampoo or conditioner, so getting her to use a product with less chance of such reactions would certainly be a good thing IMO.

[Tookii]

Could be build up, but it could possibly scalp psoriasis

[Annibelle]

I used to get scabs on my scalp, too... they were always really dry scabs, though. It was when I washed my hair with lots of shampoo as a teen and probably 3-4 times a week. I don't know if that's what caused it (they would come and go), but as I've gotten older, I've washed my hair less (CO twice a week now) and I haven't had them in over a year, maybe two. Ditching the shampoo can't hurt...

[Tabitha]

Yes, in my case it's also flakiness as well as bleeding/oozing.

On a pharmacist's advice I'm trying Nizoral but have done 4 weeks with only limited success. I'm wondering if it might be stress-induced psoriasis because it seemed to follow on from a traumatic event. I haven't asked my Dr yet as I'm trying OTC remedies first, as I hate bugging my Dr about what seems to be relatively minor stuff.

I haven't changed anything in my routine or the meds I take, and when I do use coney conditioner or leave-ins I'm careful not to put them on the scalp.

I do have that stupid sort of sensitive skin meaning I can't take baths more than once in a blue moon and have to shower with dermatological gunk, and wash my hair upside down over the tub so hair products don't get on my skin.

[kaned_ferret]

I've had this, several causes including hair dye, and stress :/ Cutting out chemical dyes and switching to henna has been great, but not a cure all for a couple of patches. I'm using Nizoral on those, it works well but I have to keep up with it. Unfortuantely I wish I didn't have to use the Nizoral as it has sulphates and going sulphate and cone free has made a dramatic improvement in my hair and scalp, but I'm compromising by only treating the affected parts with nizoral now

[gogirlanime]

Sounds like she might have psoriasis or eczema

[Tabitha]

I've had this, several causes including hair dye, and stress :/ Cutting out chemical dyes and switching to henna has been great, but not a cure all for a couple of patches. I'm using Nizoral on those, it works well but I have to keep up with it. Unfortuantely I wish I didn't have to use the Nizoral as it has sulphates and going sulphate and cone free has made a dramatic improvement in my hair and scalp, but I'm compromising by only treating the affected parts with nizoral now
My last wash, literally a couple of hours ago, I dabbed neat Nizoral only on the affected patch and left it on for an hour before wetting my hair and shampooing as usual.

My theory is that my patch might be stress-related eczema (which I get on other bits of my body) resulting in broken skin which might have got a secondary (? fungal) opportunistic infection, leaving the rest of my scalp unaffected. Who knows, though - with some/many people skin is the first thing that shows stress and can do so in various different ways - acne, eczema, psoriasis.