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Darkhorse1
June 27th, 2008, 07:55 AM
Hey Gang,
Do any of you ever get an itchy scalp? I always wear hats/helmets when riding/teaching, and I wash every other day. I've started CO on days I don't wash (just the ends). I use clarifying shampoos as I have an oily scalp.

I just bought Burt's Bee's Shampoo, as the conditioner ROCKS, and this is also Ph balanced. I'm wondering if that's why the scalp gets itchy? If I put conditioner on it, it gets oily wayyy too fast.

Thanks for any help! :)

missy60
June 27th, 2008, 08:16 AM
If the itchy scalp is a new thing after using this shampoo I would guess thats the problem. I used a natural shampoo for the scalp by Avalon and I had a severe reaction. My scalp itched for a week.

heidi w.
June 27th, 2008, 08:27 AM
In general, conditioner does not need to be applied to the scalp skin itself. It's for hair length. One's sebum should do the job just nicely. You can lean over to one side to let the hair fall away from the head and apply the conditioner higher than tops of ears then, yet not apply to scalp skin itself.

I personally try to advocate for not applying conditioner to scalp skin. Only those with very,very curly hair may need to do this.

There do exist some conditioners that are intended to be applied to scalp skin, but Burt's Protein Conditioner isn't one of them.

There are a multitude of reasons for an itchy scalp, from dandruff to dry skin to Seborrheic Dermatitus issues to Exzema and the like. It's a very common problem.

heidi w.

Darkhorse1
June 27th, 2008, 08:27 AM
I haven't tried Burt's Bees Shampoo, but I did try a new clarifying shampoo. I'm suspecting this is the problem. Burt's Bees is PH balanced, so I'm going to try this now to see if it helps. Sans Sulphates might be what my scalp needs ;).

Thanks for the help! :)

Darkhorse1
June 27th, 2008, 08:28 AM
ps--yes, I have sebborhea dermititis--I do have dandruff and was given a prescription shampoo, but UGH--not gonna happen. I found some salon ones with a wayy better/gentler forumla. I may try one of those today.

Thanks again! :)

Darkhorse1
June 27th, 2008, 08:48 AM
Ahhh. Godbless head and shoulders. It's saving my sore scalp. I thought I had some other zinc based shampoos, but nope. This one is just sooo perfect, and the restore shine H&S is ph balanced! I love that shampoo! The KMS one is going back--I'm obviously allergic to it. Not uncommon for me. ANd same with the Burt's Bees Shampoo. COnditioner is great, shampoo--not for me.

hurricane_gia
June 27th, 2008, 08:51 AM
There are a multitude of reasons for an itchy scalp, from dandruff to dry skin to Seborrheic Dermatitus issues to Exzema and the like. It's a very common problem.



And hayfever. Don't forget those good ol' seasonal allergies. I can usually tell a difference in my scalp itchiness withing thirty minutes of taking my daily histamine-blocker.

But then, my big clue that it's hayfever and not my hair-products is that all of me itches, not just my scalp. My face itches, my arms itch, my back itches . . . But my scalp itches the most, it's my canary in the coal mine.

soprano
June 27th, 2008, 09:44 AM
I get the itchies with certain products. Staying away from sulphates really helps me; YMMV.

You mentioned using a pH balanced product - have you tried an ACV rinse? That will also adjust your scalp pH.

Darkhorse1
June 27th, 2008, 09:53 AM
soprano---I havent' done an ACV rinse yet. Can anyone tell me a balance of vinegar (I only have white) and water (in cups)?

I wondered about allergies because I've been sneezing like crazy and my antihisthamene would have run out about the time it started to itch. Also, last night at the barn, it was very humid and buggy. Who knows if those little bugs nibbled my scalp.

I am feeling sooo much better after using Head and Shoulders--I let the zinc stay on for a few minutes and AHHHH. With a cool rinse, my hair is very, very happy. A tich itchy in spots, but over all, much better. I'm hoping to get some new stuff for it--next washing will be in a few days. :D

Thanks gang!

Simplicity
June 27th, 2008, 09:55 AM
Ahhh. Godbless head and shoulders. It's saving my sore scalp. I thought I had some other zinc based shampoos, but nope. This one is just sooo perfect, and the restore shine H&S is ph balanced! I love that shampoo! The KMS one is going back--I'm obviously allergic to it. Not uncommon for me. ANd same with the Burt's Bees Shampoo. COnditioner is great, shampoo--not for me.

I battled itchy scalp for a long time. Tried WO, CO thinking my shampoos were probably the culprit. I've been using head and shoulders for about 2 months now and FINALLY have happy scalp (plus my hair seems to love it too!)

Katze
June 27th, 2008, 09:59 AM
I get the itchies if I *don't* use shampoo! I have SD, sometimes crusty, sometimes flaky, but my scalp is always very sensitive.

CO made my scalp much unhappier; the first time I went back to shampoo (see pic in sig with tree trunk behind) my hair was suddenly fuller and shinier and smoother. Like me, CO might not be for you, especially if you have SD.

the other product that was overall bad was Dove, which has 'cones. I like the smooth sleekness of coney washes, but it made my hair straighter and made my scalp crusty.

Not touching my scalp is the best thing to stop itchies. I seem to still have the nervous habit of picking at it or scratching it, and even scalp massages or "scritching" makes it flake like nobody's business.

ACV helps to some extent, as does honey.

Darkhorse1
June 27th, 2008, 10:00 AM
Simplicity--which head and shoulders are you using? I LOVE the Restore Shine--I was in AWE of how well this worked compared to head and shoulders of many years ago.

Glad it's worked for you--after much searching, I found Head and Shoulders one of the best dandruff shampoos. I had an EXCELLENT one from the salon, but I can't remember the name or where I got it. This saved my hair when it was so scaley, it was painful. That was largely due to stress though.

Darkhorse1
June 27th, 2008, 10:02 AM
Katze! Thank you--as I read your post, I realized I have a tendancy to sratch my scalp when I'm unaware!!

I think CO for people with SD is very bad because it's an over abundance of oil/sebum that causes SD. if you don't wash it out, it'll just build up more and more.

I probably should wash my hair daily, but I'd rather wash it every other day and do 2 washings.

I LOVE this forum! I'm finding sooo much help from all of you :)

burns_erin
June 27th, 2008, 10:38 AM
I used to use Head and Shoulders which worked great on my scalp but my length hated it. I have since switched to the Giovanni Tea Tree Triple Treat, both the shampoo and conditioner. It works great for me. Only minimal itchies and flakes. I even use the conditioner on my scalp by diluting it and using a spray bottle (a workd of warning though, that conditioner REALLY does not like being diluted.). I will admit, the first 2X I used it I did not like it, but I was determined to finish the little sample bottle, and by the time I did I decided I HAD to buy the big bottle. This stuff has a ton of the types of ingredients that are supposedly good for ones hair and scalp. On the other hand, there are people who really hate it, so this is the sort that you want to get sample sized bottles of first.

Simplicity
June 27th, 2008, 12:40 PM
Simplicity--which head and shoulders are you using? I LOVE the Restore Shine--I was in AWE of how well this worked compared to head and shoulders of many years ago.

Glad it's worked for you--after much searching, I found Head and Shoulders one of the best dandruff shampoos. I had an EXCELLENT one from the salon, but I can't remember the name or where I got it. This saved my hair when it was so scaley, it was painful. That was largely due to stress though.

I've used the normal--which is ok-- and the dry scalp care --which is fabulous on my hair. I'm growing out some serious heat and chemical damage and this stuff makes my ends feel better than any other shampoo I've tried (and that's before I put on conditioner!) I used to get so itchy and scaley it felt almost raw. The dry scalp care was instantly soothing. I haven't tried the restore shine yet, but it will be next on my list!

heidi w.
June 27th, 2008, 12:56 PM
I haven't tried Burt's Bees Shampoo, but I did try a new clarifying shampoo. I'm suspecting this is the problem. Burt's Bees is PH balanced, so I'm going to try this now to see if it helps. Sans Sulphates might be what my scalp needs ;).

Thanks for the help! :)


I meant don't apply the Burt's Bees Conditioner, which is what I understood that you purchased, to your scalp skin.

heidi w.

heidi w.
June 27th, 2008, 01:15 PM
I additionally recommend that prior to any type of hair wash, no matter the products used and purpose of that wash, to "scritch" the scalp skin. That is, take up a fine toothed comb, and in rows, from hairline back ( draw the hair away from the forehead, back over the head; and then the backside of the head after dividing the hair in half, and heading from center line you created to behind the ears; ears: flip the ear down, teeth towards the ear, then flip the comb and move up sideways in the hair. NO it will not tear your hair. You are NOT detangling with this comb), use little tiny itching motions, back&forth, very small and overlap the zone previously done for good coverage, to loosen any flakes and hardened detris.

This will make a given hair wash even more effective!

One reason scalp skin can itch (as stated previously there are many reasons) is that conditioner is applied to scalp skin and kinda dries there. It can harden and mingle with the sebum (waxy ester) and other detris such as the normal process of skin sloughing. It can collect around the base of a hair, a little, and just cause a kind of cap effect or so. Thus this pre-scratching session can really be beneficial for an even cleaner scalp skin. I do this with an official "scritching" comb, a very small, very fine-toothed, horn comb. It rather looks like kinda like a large sized doll comb.

One other suggestion is that many like to pH balance their scalp skin after a shampoo, and before conditioning or I used to do it (until I found an AWESOME conditioner that totally combats my Seborrheic Dermatitus, a particularly nasty form of dandruff -- and would be an example of a conditioner that is INTENDED to be applied to scalp skin) ACV Rinse to pH balance the scalp skin. There are those who achieve this with white vinegar which I would recommend to blondes or light haired individuals. You can also consider a lemon rinse. All are diluted. If you aren't aware of such a rinse, ask how to prepare the proportions. It's well diluted, and not full strength by any means. Not even equal portions!

heidi w.

Nightshade
June 27th, 2008, 01:17 PM
I have an EO-infused scalp oil I made that really helps when I have an itchy scaly. I apply that, then massage it in, then wash it out later :)

Darkhorse1
June 27th, 2008, 03:11 PM
Thanks gang! This has helped loads.

My mom always taught me from the tender age to always brush your hair throughly before washing to get all the dead stuff off of the scalp. My dad's father was a barber and also said to do this.

I think I realize why my scalp got itchy--I washed two days in a row with clarifying shampoo---not a good thing for me to do. I must have uber dried it out.

I don't use conditioner on my scalp---it makes my hair wayyy too greasy. But I like the ACV idea.

Can anyone give me the balance of vinegar to water (using cups/tsp measurements)?

danacc
June 27th, 2008, 06:24 PM
Heidi W.,

What's the awesome conditioner that combats SD, if you don't mind me asking? Mine is currently under control, but the product I use has 'cones, and I'm not thrilled about that.

Darkhorse1
June 27th, 2008, 09:57 PM
Hey ladies--just wanted to update you:

I went back to the beauty supply outlet (they took back the shampoo that I reacted to) and she said it was too harsh probably due to the fact it was clarifying for chlorine as well as oil. She even said she'd thought about it after I left, and found me a shampoo for normal to oily hair, via Biologe. It still has sulphates, but I'm thinking this will be a lot gentler. I also found my dandruff shampoo via A/G brand (canadian as it looks like by the makers at the bottom). This was the shampoo that eased the pain of really bad dandruff many years ago.

So, I have some great stuff in my bathroom AND, I found some ficcares! Well, they are ficarres by style on, but not by name. Got one with lavander flowers and one with stones and pearlized flowers. If my digital camera would work, I'd take some photos :D

bgarrison
September 17th, 2008, 05:58 PM
I'm still battling my itchy scalp here and just wondering if any one is having a sustained success with any of their efforts?? Brand names always appreciated.

My scalp is very dry and although my hair gets "dirty" it's not the same type of greasy stringy dirty as when I was in my teens. "Dirty" now is stiffer, fuller hair, (waxy? but never stringy) and my brown shade darkens.

Although my scalp itches ferociously, there's no flakes I can see in a mirror or under my nails. I had my dermatologist look at my scalp and she said it was fine which made me crazy. I can feel bumps definitely, and a scaliness, and it's been itching for months.

I've tried zinc and salicylic shampoos, CO, no sulfates, stretching washings, shampoo bars, and vinegar rinses, massaging and scritching. No parabens, so scents. The only thing that is helping at all is oiling my scalp with jojoba (as well as keeping my hands off, much like poison ivy. The more I scratch the more I itch). Coconut oil doesn't seem to help. I haven't tried any other oils.

I haven't ventured in to EO's yet and am thinking that would be my next move. But how can it itch so much and then look "normal"!?!?

I am dry naturally (eyes, etc) because of an autoimmune disease, so I'm thinking this is connected? I'm on thyroid and adrenal medications (armour and cortef) but I can't find any evidence my scalp itching is linked to those. I take lots of supplements, but nothing too out of the ordinary. Does anyone know of any supplements that would make one itch?

I eat next to no gluten, dairy or soy, so if it's allergies I'll have to go for testing I guess.

Hue
September 17th, 2008, 06:27 PM
I can feel bumps definitely, and a scaliness, and it's been itching for months.

Bumps under the skin? Or are they on top of the scalp (at the base of the hair shaft) and which can be scraped off with your fingernails like grit?

Iphinoe
September 17th, 2008, 06:59 PM
Bumps under the skin? Or are they on top of the scalp (at the base of the hair shaft) and which can be scraped off with your fingernails like grit?

I have had tremendous success with ktani's catnip rinse: http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=476

It dramatically reduced itching, all but eliminated flakes, which seemed to be produced by my scalp 'weeping' and then drying. I've gone from massive dandruff to none noticeable after a few treatments.

bgarrison
September 17th, 2008, 07:15 PM
Bumps under the skin? Or are they on top of the scalp (at the base of the hair shaft) and which can be scraped off with your fingernails like grit?
To be honest I'm not 100% sure. I'd say "grit that comes off" except I never see it. How crazy is that? I do have a bump or two definitely under the skin, so .... final answer is "both".

Any ideas? TIA!

bgarrison
September 17th, 2008, 07:16 PM
I have had tremendous success with ktani's catnip rinse: http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=476

It dramatically reduced itching, all but eliminated flakes, which seemed to be produced by my scalp 'weeping' and then drying. I've gone from massive dandruff to none noticeable after a few treatments.
Thank you!!!Going to check it out now. :)

Katze
September 19th, 2008, 04:44 AM
if it's oozing and weeping, honey, either in the form of an SMT or on its own. Honey is moisturizing (humectant) and antibacterial.

If it's "just" itchy, and-or flaky, vinegar (I've used apple, white, and balsamic all with good results) in a very diluted solution, used to rinse the hair and left on between rinsings, helps. After rinsing/massaging with the vinegar solution, rinse well with water.

Going more natural (less 'cones, no alcohol) has helped me MUCH more than anything else, as have dietary changes.

As someone said at the beginning of this thread, there are a number of different causes for itchiness, and pinpointing, first, if it's a too-dry or a too-oily scalp is an important first step.

bgarrison
September 19th, 2008, 09:37 AM
if it's oozing and weeping, honey, either in the form of an SMT or on its own. Honey is moisturizing (humectant) and antibacterial.

If it's "just" itchy, and-or flaky, vinegar (I've used apple, white, and balsamic all with good results) in a very diluted solution, used to rinse the hair and left on between rinsings, helps. After rinsing/massaging with the vinegar solution, rinse well with water.

Going more natural (less 'cones, no alcohol) has helped me MUCH more than anything else, as have dietary changes.

As someone said at the beginning of this thread, there are a number of different causes for itchiness, and pinpointing, first, if it's a too-dry or a too-oily scalp is an important first step.
I'm pretty sure mine is due to dry scalp, so I'll start considering my problem from that POV. Thanks for the reminder of honey and SMT. I haven't used cones in months, but am not sure about alcohol, so I'll have to check labels. Thank you! :)

Tapioca
September 19th, 2008, 10:14 AM
Also, keep in mind the amount of oils you eat. Even while dieting (which I am), we still need a certain amount of healthy oils to keep everything moisturized and lubricated.

Hue
September 19th, 2008, 05:02 PM
To be honest I'm not 100% sure. I'd say "grit that comes off" except I never see it. How crazy is that? I do have a bump or two definitely under the skin, so .... final answer is "both".

Any ideas? TIA!

I was asking about "grit" because sometimes it is an overstimulated scalp that produces Desquamated Epithelial Cell plugs (aka DEC plugs, or haircasts), which can be confused with nits. From the literature, it seems like hair in traction or held in tension may predispose some people to form DEC plugs at the root of the hair shaft. [Also, a chemically overstimulated scalp, such as with repeated (and unecessary) lice treatment in a vicious cycle.]

---

Edited to add: The DEC plug (http://www.headlice.org/faq/notnit.htm) is resting on the comb. I used to get these when I was a little kid and my mother had my hair in tight ponytails every day. Usually they didn't itch, but I think sometimes hair that was ready to fall out didn't -- because it was sort of held in place -- and that would itch. They'd form on my scalp in just a day or two of tight traction.

I don't seem to get these any more, but then again, I don't pull as tight as my mother did.

---

Also edited to add: I never had lice. My mother was a nurse and had these tested -- always came up nothing but shed cells.