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hwiggins
November 3rd, 2011, 07:42 AM
Hello,

I have quite a flakey scalp and was wondering whether anyone else has had this and if there are any tips to try to solve the problem? :confused:

I have long hair that is quite dry at the ends and greasy at the roots.

Thanks! :cheese:

Slamca
November 3rd, 2011, 08:09 AM
Hey, I have the same problem! For some reason when I let my hair to air dry I get these flakes on my scalp, but if I blowdry they don't appear. I've changed my shampoo and that could have helped (it's better now), but I'm not very consistent with my methods so I never know which ones work and which ones don't. I'll be monitoring this thread for sure :)

Metallia
November 3rd, 2011, 08:16 AM
Hello,

I have quite a flakey scalp and was wondering whether anyone else has had this and if there are any tips to try to solve the problem? :confused:

I have long hair that is quite dry at the ends and greasy at the roots.

Thanks! :cheese:
Have you tried the CWC method? My hair tends to be more oily near my scalp and dryer at the ends, and I've found that this method has helped keep my scalp cleaner while not sapping all the moisture out of my ends. I do this with my head and shoulders shampoo (I got dandruffy on my scalp, but it doesn't flake so much as build up. It's worse when I've kept my hair wet/damp in an up-do), alternating with regular shampoo/conditioner.
Good luck!

Amber_Maiden
November 3rd, 2011, 08:19 AM
ACV? I've heard that it helps... Or olive oil?

Zesty
November 3rd, 2011, 11:24 AM
Me too. I found that the best way to control it is to wash with Head and Shoulders every other day and use a shower comb to clean my scalp and dislodge any flakes while the shampoo is in my hair. When I was trying to stretch washes and CO the flakes got much worse, unfortunately. :( I suspect I might have seborrheic dermatitis, or that it might be otherwise related to my existing eczema.

heidi w.
November 3rd, 2011, 11:52 AM
I would be willing to argue that if your scalp in general is greasy, that applying oils and conditioner to the scalp skin area of hair, could in fact, aggravate your problem.

Flakes could be a signal of Dandruff. But it could be that you're not rinsing well enough or perhaps in too cool of water. Not ALL flakes mean Dandruff, but Dandruff, generally does mean flakes.

Flakes combined with oily scalp skin could be a signal of Seborrheic Dermatitus, a particularly nasty form of Dandruff, which I have, and there is a Seborrheic Dermatitus thread recently begun although it may be on page 2 or 3 of the Mane Forum (it's a "support" thread).

This form of Dandruff means that sebacious glands produce too much sebum, too rapidly, and one can get red bumps that eventually seem to need scratching, and if you scratch can sometimes weep clear or yellowish hued fluid, OR even outright bleed. Then it dries up, like a scab, and the skin becomes quite tight and difficult to remove.

My understanding is that in babies S.D. is labeled Cradle Cap.

This condition requires the use of specialized shampoos that work more or less. For me they kind of held the condition at bay for about two days, then the symptoms returned. Nizoral Shampoo was the most reliable shampoo for the condition, and I combined it with ACV Rinsing (although for blondes I highly recommend using regular white vinegar, not Apple Cider Vinegar as ACV over time applied regularly can tint blonde hair types). This worked more or less. I found better results with prescription strength Nizoral over Over-The-Counter (OTC) version of Nizoral. Nizoral is a bit pricey, but it might be worth a shot. It does not, like other Dandruff shampoos, overly dry the scalp skin and hair.

I also would oil my length once fully dry. This helped the problem with overly oily scalp skin hair and drier length. My hair must have conditioner, and certain times of the year definitely benefits from oiling.

I hope this helps a bit.

If you try applying something to the scalp skin, such as conditioner or oil, just do one thing at a time so you can know what didn't work if you encounter a problem.

Those with Seborrheic Dermatitus can't typically stretch hair washes overly long. About every third or fourth day is max for a person with serious Seborrheic Dermatitus.

I DO recommend, when you have the money, to get a diagnosis from a qualified Dermatologist. Go in with your hair gunky, so they can see things, see the symptoms. And find out what the scoop is. Some hair salon stylists can identify matters of the scalp skin, but overwhelmingly they are not doctors nor licenses in the practice of skin health. But in my case, my hairdresser noticed the red bumps and told me to get to a doctor.

The other option is that you may need to ensure more thorough rinsing and a bit more warmth in the water to secure a more reliable rinsing of products out of the hair. ACV or white vinegar rinsing helps with this issue, as well.

heidi w.
ETA: I advocate you wash your pillowcase at least once a week, and highly recommend you clean your wide tooth detangling comb each time you wash your hair. You don't want to re-introduce bacteria into cleaned hair. I've had it happen. It's unpleasant.

Capucine
November 3rd, 2011, 11:55 AM
I had a serious flaky scalp problem that forced me to wash my hair every other day. Sometimes every day. Probably making the problem even worse. I started using castor oil mixed with a few drops of lavender and sandalwood overnight, or before my shampoos, and for the first time in years, I've been flake-free.

jacqueline101
November 3rd, 2011, 12:14 PM
I have that issue I sterilize my combs in a vinegar and water soak. I wash my scrunchi after I use them. I also wash my bed linens and I found that a good dislodge of dandruff helps. A hair scrub I put monistat on my scalp after words.

XcaliburGirl
November 3rd, 2011, 12:21 PM
I've been doing much better. Here's what I think is causing the improvement:
- don't put conditioner directly on scalp
- don't use a shampoo with 'cones
- use Nizoral as needed (I think Selsun Blue works too, but dries my hair out more)
- scrub scalp thoroughly with finger pads every wash (for me, every day)

Even if I am still getting flakes the day of using Nizoral, I don't use it twice in a row. The next day it is usually fine after with my regular shampoo.

Thinthondiel
November 3rd, 2011, 12:27 PM
The only thing that has worked for me is staying away from sulphates, except when I clarify.

Memza
November 3rd, 2011, 02:14 PM
You could also have a go with cassia, this tread should help.

http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=406&highlight=cassia+thread

I've only just started using it but have had my first flake free week in years.

Cutting out sulphates and doing vinegar rinses have helped though.

hwiggins
November 3rd, 2011, 02:41 PM
Thank you all for your help... I will definitely try some of these ideas! :) You are all so helpful! :D

I need to sit down and carefully re-read all your replies now! Thank you!

Will let you know what happens... :cheese:

torrilin
November 3rd, 2011, 04:18 PM
Eczema can cause a flakey scalp. So can psoriasis. Add in the seborrheic dermatitis option, and I'd say the first thing to do is get checked out by a doctor. All three can be quite unpleasant, and where there are 3 causes, chances are there are some rarer options we don't see often.

Psoriasis at least can have some rather nasty complications later on too. If it turns out to be the trouble, neglecting it is a bad idea.

Jean Stuart
November 3rd, 2011, 04:33 PM
ACV? I've heard that it helps... Or olive oil?


Both, acv for balance and oil for moisture. also a smidge of oil on the ends for a leave in. Gentle scalp massage in the evening and before washes helps too.

BlazingHeart
November 4th, 2011, 07:22 PM
For me, what worked was getting rid of SLS and adding an apple cider vinegar rinse at the end (I use about a 1:30 dilution for my rinse). I now use Chagrin Valley shampoo bars, VO5 conditioner, and the apple cider vinegar rinse every time I wash. When my scalp is really irritated, I add a chamomile tea rinse (1 teabag to 8 oz of boiling water, leave alone until it's cold, and dump over your scalp at the end of your wash).

One of the other things that may help you is being really careful about how thoroughly you rinse. Leaving products of any kind on your scalp is irritating.