Dry itchy scalp "dandruff" issue.

[Rebeccalaurenxx]

So, I always thought I had dandruff because the itchy only seems to go away when I use head and shoulders. But H&S has so many chemicals and I felt like it was probably drying out my hair, so I went sulfate free. So now, for the past month or more, ive been using Natures Gate tea tree shampoo. But it does NOT combat the itch nor does it moisturize. My hair feels dry after using it. I use a cone free condish (suave) after, which brings back the moisture, but i really need to find something that will fight the dandruff and itch without drying my hair. I really dont know what to do. I was looking into using MN, since a lot of people with itchy scalp had great results from using it (I ordered some online the other day, so well see if it works.) But if i can try anything else, i would. Can anyone offer suggestions? :)

[Amber_Maiden]

I hear rubbing Olive Oil into your scalp works... and taking zinc supplements

[Rebeccalaurenxx]

I hear rubbing Olive Oil into your scalp works... and taking zinc supplements

Olive oil makes my hair REALLY greasy. I have fine hair and not a lot of it. Lol.
And zinc supplements? Ill look into it though I think im getting enough from my one a day.

[Zesty]

I have a problem with pseudo-dandruff that's probably related to my eczema. Like you, Head and Shoulders does a pretty good job of controlling it -- but using it too often can dry out my scalp and cause more flakes. Sometimes it also gets worse for no apparent reason. What I do is use Head and Shoulders once or twice a week, and CO in between. Switching around washing methods gives me the best of both worlds: the CO doesn't have time to build up because I don't use it twice in a row, the H&S takes care of my dandruff but doesn't get the chance to dry out my scalp. Stretching washes to every other day also helps, and like many people I find that my hair is nicer if I wash it less.

I hope this helps! Scalp problems can be a huge pain, and it's frustrating because it's not always clear what causes it. Just experiment and see if you can figure it out. :)

[Rebeccalaurenxx]

Im trying to be sulfate free though, because my hair is "wavy" and tends to dry out EXTREME when I use sulfates. But the sulfate free shampoo seems to dry more than sulfates do to my hair which is odd.. But i dont know. Im going to try MN and see what happens.

[Lissandria]

Hmmm. Coconut Oil on the scalp helps me. I leave Oil or a Scalp Cream scalp soak on overnight or during the day pre-wash, so I get the benefits but I'm not stuck with an oily head. It probably isn't as good as leaving it on all the time, but that's not an option for me. See my blog. :)

[DancingQueen]

I have the same problems, and castor oil does wonders for me. :) I leave it on overnight 3 times a week, and was out in the morning. You should try it.

[pinupdancer]

I've never used it but I hear Lush's Snake Oil is amazing for dry/itchy scalps.

[heidi w.]

So, I always thought I had dandruff because the itchy only seems to go away when I use head and shoulders. But H&S has so many chemicals and I felt like it was probably drying out my hair, so I went sulfate free. So now, for the past month or more, ive been using Natures Gate tea tree shampoo. But it does NOT combat the itch nor does it moisturize. My hair feels dry after using it. I use a cone free condish (suave) after, which brings back the moisture, but i really need to find something that will fight the dandruff and itch without drying my hair. I really dont know what to do. I was looking into using MN, since a lot of people with itchy scalp had great results from using it (I ordered some online the other day, so well see if it works.) But if i can try anything else, i would. Can anyone offer suggestions? :)

Consider OTC (Over The Counter) Nizoral shampoo. (It also comes in prescription strength.) You may end up having to wash your hair a tad more frequently. It does not dry hair out as so many other dandruff shampoos do, and it works differently than most dandruff shampoos. Its main ingredient is different. You could consider following with a kind of vinegar rinse. ACV rinse is popular, but I don't recommend it for colored or light colored hair colors. In that case, use white vinegar and water as the rinse.

heidi w.

[shikara]

You can also try tea tree essential oil, lavender essential oil. Google essential oils, itchy scalp because i know there are more. By the way, ive used H&S for soooo many years. it always cured the itch, i liked what it did for my hair, and ive recently noted that pyrithione zinc does good things for your scalp - cant remember what off hand though....http://i1200.photobucket.com/albums/bb328/lmarie29/th_208958cc.jpg (http://s1200.photobucket.com/albums/bb328/lmarie29/?action=view&current=208958cc.jpg)

[Rebeccalaurenxx]

I have the same problems, and castor oil does wonders for me. :) I leave it on overnight 3 times a week, and was out in the morning. You should try it.

Ive actually been using castor oil for the past 3 months, and it works and has actually made my hair grow faster (which is why I know there is a fungal thing going on because castor oil tends to only have growth effects to people with dandruff) but its too thick for my fine hair no matter how much i dilute it.
Which is why I want to try the MN, since it seems to have the same effect as castor oil without the thick oily-ness.

[Rebeccalaurenxx]

You can also try tea tree essential oil, lavender essential oil. Google essential oils, itchy scalp because i know there are more. By the way, ive used H&S for soooo many years. it always cured the itch, i liked what it did for my hair, and ive recently noted that pyrithione zinc does good things for your scalp - cant remember what off hand though....http://i1200.photobucket.com/albums/bb328/lmarie29/th_208958cc.jpg (http://s1200.photobucket.com/albums/bb328/lmarie29/?action=view&current=208958cc.jpg)

The shampoo I have is tea tree, so I dont think that will help :/

[sbhonda]

I used to have really, really bad dandruff. I could not wear dark colors at all because it was so bad. It was always visible and made me very embarrassed. I tried T-Gel, Selsun Blue, and other dandruff shampoos, and they helped significantly, and though my hair handled those shampoos fine then, probably because I was using cones then, I don't think they would fit well into my routine now.

So now I use the sulfate free L'Oreal Eversleek (or Everpure) shampoo, and that works really well for me and I haven't had any problems with dandruff. I doubt if I can attribute that to the shampoo, but nothing else about how I treat my scalp has changed. Well, I do go an extra day or two between washes now I guess. Anyway, my hair (which is very much unlike yours, so YMMV) does not feel at all dried out by the L'Oreal shampoo. So if you're looking for a sulfate free shampoo to try, that one works great for me. And I think there's a decent chance sulfate free can at least help diminish dandruff by not exacerbating scalp dryness.

When I had dandruff, I did try monistat because I was looking for faster growth (which I did not get), but I definitely think it helped my dandruff problem without the hair problems dandruff shampoos can cause.

[Rebeccalaurenxx]

I used to have really, really bad dandruff. I could not wear dark colors at all because it was so bad. It was always visible and made me very embarrassed. I tried T-Gel, Selsun Blue, and other dandruff shampoos, and they helped significantly, and though my hair handled those shampoos fine then, probably because I was using cones then, I don't think they would fit well into my routine now.

So now I use the sulfate free L'Oreal Eversleek (or Everpure) shampoo, and that works really well for me and I haven't had any problems with dandruff. I doubt if I can attribute that to the shampoo, but nothing else about how I treat my scalp has changed. Well, I do go an extra day or two between washes now I guess. Anyway, my hair (which is very much unlike yours, so YMMV) does not feel at all dried out by the L'Oreal shampoo. So if you're looking for a sulfate free shampoo to try, that one works great for me. And I think there's a decent chance sulfate free can at least help diminish dandruff by not exacerbating scalp dryness.

When I had dandruff, I did try monistat because I was looking for faster growth (which I did not get), but I definitely think it helped my dandruff problem without the hair problems dandruff shampoos can cause.

I was actually considering buying that after im done with the shampoo im using now. Haha, so ill try it! Im going to still try MN, since i bought 2 boxes online and cant really return it. :cool:

[spike316]

have you tried tea tree oil on the scalp?
ETA: Oops! You've already discussed this! :X That being said, tea tree oil in your shampoo is different from tea tree oil used "neat" on the scalp. Depending on what you have going on up there you may need a higher dosage than what's in your shampoo. Also if it's a fungus thing miconozal nitrate (monistat) has been said to help cure itchies, so that may be worth checking out. I'd recommend perusing the thread first though. ^_^

[coffinhert]

I've had dandruff and itchy scalp for a couple years now and I find the best thing to do is make sure my scalp is oiled and vinegared. I rub a little castor and coconut oil on my finger tips, then rub it right against my scalp, when my hair is dry. In the shower, I pour half apple cider vinegar, half water on my head so it is all over my scalp. Then, I rub conditioner all over my hair. Then, I rinse it all out, and pour another layer of vinegar on, and rinse it out with cool water. I don't use any shampoo. This is pretty much the only routine that makes my scalp stop itching and reduces the dandruff flakes. I think the oil kinda soaks up the flakes and stops them from cracking apart and making it itch. The vinegar balances my scalp and makes it make fewer flakes. Hope that helps! Let us know what works for you.

ETA: What do you dilute the castor oil with? I dilute mine 50/50 with coconut. Also, if it looks oily, you might try doing a heavy oiling to your scalp in the evening, then sleep with it, then wash/CO it out in the morning. Then you can still get the benefits and no one has to see it.

[auroraclio]

have you tried tea tree oil on the scalp?
ETA: Oops! You've already discussed this! :X That being said, tea tree oil in your shampoo is different from tea tree oil used "neat" on the scalp. Depending on what you have going on up there you may need a higher dosage than what's in your shampoo. Also if it's a fungus thing miconozal nitrate (monistat) has been said to help cure itchies, so that may be worth checking out. I'd recommend perusing the thread first though. ^_^

This is what cured my dandruff! I pour shampoo into my hand, add 2 or 3 drops of tea tree oil into the shampoo, mix together, than wash. My head cleared right up and no more itcheys after 10+ years of horrible dandruff and trying everything.

[BlazingHeart]

I'm wondering if you have true dandruff or pseudo dandruff. The latter is far more common.

What I found helped my itching and flakes was a combination of a few things. First was to stop using irritating sulphates. I switched to CV poo bars. I condition with vo5 but try to avoid getting it on the most itchy/flakey parts of my scalp. Next, an ACV rinse. I do about 1 to 30 concentration. Finally, I rinse with chamomile tea. I put 1 tea bag in a cup of boiling water and let it sit until it is cool. Chamomile is awesome for skin irritation and can really help heal persistent irritation.

[Falcore]

The best thing I have found is using coffee sugar crystals (I see you're from California so not sure if you have them?). It's sugar but a much larger grain than your normal white/raw sugar. I mix that with olive oil (you could use coconut if you prefer) and massage it on my scalp when it's dry and wash it out with no poo and AVC.

It works wonders. Instantly.

Best to do it in the shower so you don't get oil everywhere. You could also add a few drops of tea tree oil to the mixture as it works great for anti fungal. But, honestly I have never had to do that with this method.

[beccababesx]

Give CO a go, I had horrible dandruff as well as a really itchy, dry scalp (scratched it until it was raw - ouch!) I changed to CO for different reasons, but I then realised even my no-sulfate shampoo was drying my scalp out horribly (also possible allergies to sulfates/sulfate replacements?), and now I have no dryness, itchiness, or dandruff :)

[jacqueline101]

I found that a scalp scrub helped mine the most. You could try it.

[jpinnel2]

So, I always thought I had dandruff because the itchy only seems to go away when I use head and shoulders. But H&S has so many chemicals and I felt like it was probably drying out my hair, so I went sulfate free. So now, for the past month or more, ive been using Natures Gate tea tree shampoo. But it does NOT combat the itch nor does it moisturize. My hair feels dry after using it. I use a cone free condish (suave) after, which brings back the moisture, but i really need to find something that will fight the dandruff and itch without drying my hair. I really dont know what to do. I was looking into using MN, since a lot of people with itchy scalp had great results from using it (I ordered some online the other day, so well see if it works.) But if i can try anything else, i would. Can anyone offer suggestions? :)
Hello Rebeccalaurenxx

I too have excema on my scalp, I think its called psoriasis. The itchiness increases every winter. I can feel raised patches on my scalp if I run my fingers on it. The only thing I have found to get rid of it is taking fish oils. It gets rid of the flakes and the itch. It usually takes about a week once I start taking them for me to feel results. It takes about a month to get rid of all traces on my scalp but the results are amazing. If I stop taking the fish oils the problem returns with a vengeance.

Just a thought since it works for me!

[Darkhorse1]

I love Head and shoulders, and it's ph balanced and fairly easy on hair. The key is finding the right one--try the smooth and silky forumla--it moisturizes and I actually use that, then the restore shine (I do a double wash every 2 days), and make sure you leave it on your scalp---also, dandruff shampoos, even tea tree oil, will make the scalp itch as it's the medication healing the problem, which lies under the scalp.

I find a cool water rinse alleviates the itches. :)

[julliams]

I think the dry itchy scalp is a never-ending cycle. Your scalp is dry so it itches, so you scratch which opens up tiny sores, which itch as they heal etc etc. I cleared my itchiness with olive oil. I dipped my fingertips into a shallow dish and massaged it into my scalp. I kid you not when I tell you that it cleared it up right away. My scalp must have been so dry it was crying out for moisture.

Shortly after that I gave up silicones in my shampoos and conditioners which really cleared up my scalp (but gave me split ends....). I recently tried Dove Intensive repair shampoo and conditioner. Two tries and I had an itchy scalp again. Something in there reacts with my scalp.

Can you try going cone free for a couple of weeks and trying the olive oil thing? I know you said it makes your hair greasy but I really only did it once or twice and then it pretty much cleared it up. Now when I get itchy from using products with cones, I just go back to cone free and my scalp is happy again.

[white.chocolate]

You could try using SebaMed Anti-Dandruff shampoo. It worked tremendously well on a friend of mine with a similar condition. But it has SLES, though, if you don't mind using that.

[pressedflowers]

Give CO a go, I had horrible dandruff as well as a really itchy, dry scalp (scratched it until it was raw - ouch!) I changed to CO for different reasons, but I then realised even my no-sulfate shampoo was drying my scalp out horribly (also possible allergies to sulfates/sulfate replacements?), and now I have no dryness, itchiness, or dandruff :)

I actually just got out of what I call an "emergency shower" because I woke up this morning with my head itching so badly I could barely sleep. I knew it needed a wash last night but I wasn't in a hurry, until I woke up with the itchy burny head. I usually CO but I had to CWC with head & shoulders today to combat the itch.

I just started CO a month ago and I'm not sure I'm cleaning my scalp correctly because it's the second time that's happened - and I only washed it two days ago! I get dandruff (or pseudo dandruff I guess, not sure of the difference) maybe once a month or every two months. Do you have any tips for effective CO scalp-washing for dandruff-prone folks?

I can, however, second the cold-water rinse to relieve the burning and itching factor. It feels sooooo good :eyebrows:

[SharkDisco]

Try using Nizoral. I had a friend with stubborn dandruff that didn't respond to Head and Shoulders. He thought it was a dry scalp issue that he'd just have to live with until he tried Nizoral (which contains the anti-fungal medication Ketoconazole), and it cleared right up.

[SharkDisco]

Nizoral is full of sulfates, but you don't have to use it every time you wash, and my friend found it worked so well he only had to use it a few times before his dandruff problem went away.

[BlazingHeart]

I get dandruff (or pseudo dandruff I guess, not sure of the difference) maybe once a month or every two months.

As I'm not a CO'er, I have no advice to give on that, but I can explain the difference between 'true' dandruff and pseudo dandruff.

True dandruff involves an overgrowth of the fungus that naturally occurs on scalps. that's why antifungals like tea tree oil, dandruff shampoos, and yeast/fungal infection creams works against it.

Pseudo dandruff looks similar but has different causes. Mine, for example, is a skin condition that hasn't been diagnosed yet, but is probably related to my connective tissue disorder. Other causes include dryness, product induced irritation, overgrowth of scalp skin cells, and a great many other things.

~Blaze