my scalp hurts to touch when i don't wash my hair

[brushxD]

well basically, for my whole life my hair has always been sensitive [ at the crown and top ] when i move my hair around if i havn't washed it in a few days. it goes away when i wash my hair. [ i wash every 2nd or 3rd day ] does anyone know why your scalp is sensitive when you haven't washed it? i always thought it was because of the natural oils clogging the follicle.

[heidi w.]

I notice that when my hair gets a bit "greasy" and I still don't wash it that this is the time I may have a sore scalp skin.

I've never really known why that is, but I've always associated it with not washing hair in a timely way.

heidi w.

[Mommyof4]

Mine only feels that way if it's been up.. maybe it's the weight of your hair in those areas??

[hairyfan21]

My scalp is very itchy if I don't wash it every day. I have dandruff and very oily scalp. I use Head & Shoulders shampoo every day and that helps take care of this problem.

[Amber_Maiden]

I used to get that problem- but it was because of how I was wearing my hair.

[dulce]

I've had this all my life even when I had a pixie! So all my life I wash daily,it's what my scalp needs.

[rock007junkie]

Be careful with how you are washing your hair. I used to use my fingernails and my scalp was always sore. Once I started using my fingerpads the problem was gone.

[embee]

I used to have what I called "hair ache", and it happened when I changed my bun from low to high. Now that I do that every day, the hair ache is gone. I wear a low bun in the daytime and a topknot for bed.

I've heard that wetting the hair will take care of this problem, but who wants to do that with long hair in the middle of winter?

[Kelikea]

Yes, I get that sometimes when my hair gets greasy. I fix it with a S&C. What I found is that certain S&C bothers me and if I wash and my head itches immediately after, not to use that one anymore. A quick clarify with BS then acv rinse helps re-balance the scalp. Then, the next wash, try a different, more gentle and SLS/sulfate free and cone free S&C. If your scalp is sore because of it being dry, rub it with aloe or jojoba oil.

[Gingerbear]

A build up of excessive scalp oils can be inflammatory to the skin. Also, you can get a build-up of yeast on the scalp when you go too long without washing. Both could cause issues with scalp tenderness.

[Garnetgem]

Dead skin build up and oil can clog the hair follicles plus it can cause inflammation,washing seems to put it right i too get this and have always had this tender ache when a wash is needed.

[turtlelover]

Yes, this is me, too. Washing every day and half seems to solve the issue totally. I am NOT a person that can stretch washes, and every other wash NEEDS to be w/ a harsher sulfate shampoo or I have issues.

[Wusel]

This happens to me when I stretch washes longer than 4 days. It took me a while to find this out... It's always exactly on day 5 that my scalp starts hurting in different areas and sometimes it was so bad that I couldn't even comb it... I know now that it doesn't happen when I wash every 4 days with sulphate or sulphate free shampoo, it doesn't matter which one.

[Horrorpops]

How interesting, I never have had this experience so I can't really offer much advice unfortunately. It does sound like it is best to keep washing your hair more frequently than trying to stretch washes and irritate your scalp. Happy, healthy scalp=long hair IMO :o
ETA: oops I see this is a bit of a frankenthread revived earlier haha maybe the OP doesn't need my advice but its interesting that others also experience this.

[Hairkay]

My scalp gets uncomfortable when left for days on end without water wash. My hair also looks it's best after a wash so frequent washing is necessary for me.

[MsPharaohMoan]

If you're interested in learning more you can search the term 'hot spots' in the search bar. The topic has come up before and the general conclusion is to wash.

[Robi-Bird]

Yep, this is me. My scalp aches when I stretch my washes too far. The very top of my scalp, at the part. It gets a massage every wash, and occasionally exfoliated with a salt scrub when it's really upset. If conditioner or oil gets on my scalp it gets really unhappy and does the scalp acne things. Eck. Sulfates are my friends.

[meteor]

Yep, that's a significant cue to wash. :agree: And if the scalp needs washing but the length is absolutely fine, one can always try some scalp-only washing techniques:
- length bunned and covered by plastic shower cap(s) or PonyDry (http://www.ponydry.com/);
- length braided and held high above head or hanging over a hanger or shower bar;
- braid held down by collar/bra strap while washing over sink/bathtub, etc...

[Wusel]

- braid held down by collar/bra strap while washing over sink/bathtub, etc...
That's my fav method... In my imagination... I'm waiting for my hair to get long enough for this. Now it slides out of the collar and gets wet, whatever I do.

[Pearly~91]

I've had this problem as well. Mine has been caused by a couple of things.

One of the causes that others have mentioned was scratching the scalp. I stopped using my fingernails and combs on my scalp and it helped. Now if I have an itch I rub with the pad of my finger.

Another thing that has caused scalp pain for me was sensitivity to products I was using. I'm allergic to some ingredients in shampoo and conditioner, and as a reaction my scalp becomes flakey, tender, and sheds more.

[AutobotsAttack]

I am actually so glad this thread is here. I used to think something was wrong with me for the longest. Ive noticed it seems to happen when I either move my bun into a higher or lower position after some days, or when I go for four or five days without washing. My hair usually gets super itchy first, and then very tender in the front of my hair near where my edges grow, and around my nape area. But as soon as I wash my hair with shampoo, conditioner, or even just warm water, it disappears completely. But I suppose its bacterial growth, and buildup like many others have stated above, But I also think its the changing of positions from one hair style to another.

[Sparklecake]

I have the same problem! I used to think it was how I was wearing my hair but no matter what do unless I wet my scalp it wont get better. Oddly enough if I go swimming in a salt or chlorine pool my whole scalp hurts so much as soon as I am dry that I can't move my hair until I wash. This is a bit of a problem at the moment as our pump broke last night and I wont have running water until the weekend.

[lapushka]

By the end of the week, my scalp is tender to where it doesn't go away with a bit of rubbing your fingers through and "calming" the scalp (I'm not talking massage here). And by that point it's oily as well, so... yeah, time to wash. I can get a bit of tenderness in the middle of the week but not enough to where it concerns me.

[RottenMango]

I had this problem last year when I was trying to stretch my washed to once every three days. My scalp would get tender, stiff, greasy and painful. Now that I am back to washing daily, my scalp is happy and I no longer have this problem.

[Joules]

Yep. That's malassezia overgrowth. Proper and timely washing is crucial if you are prone to it. And IMO, waiting until your follicles start hurting to wash isn't right (soreness means that the fungus is already overgrown). I was getting it all the time on the low shampoo routine, the moment I started using sulfates it disappeared. Now even on the 3rd day with greasy roots my scalp doesn't hurt at all.

[knobbly]

Just reviving this thread to complain that I used to be able to wash weekly and rarely got a sore scalp, and now (hormones? Idk) I have to wash my scalp more often and I don’t like it. At least my hair is long enough that I can keep my length dry and scalp-only wash, but it’s still annoying and hard to do and water gets everywhere. Harumph.

[Shug]

Yeah this definitely happens to me sometimes, the hormones combined with greasy hair will make my scalp tender to the touch.

[AryaStark]

This happens to me too about mid-day of the 2nd day after washing. I've even tried dry shampoo, but that always makes the soreness worse. I guess my scalp prefers being washed every day, and for now I condition my mids to ends first before shampooing to try and protect them from over cleaning.

[knobbly]

My hair isn’t even greasy though!!! It’s just my scalp being a cranky b!! Harumph again. Maybe it will go back to normal when I finish breastfeeding but I’m not holding my breath considering I’m likely to start perimenopause soon after. :brickwall

[ZoeZ]

Same happens to me, scalp gets a bruised/sore feeling if I don't wash every four days. I have superfine hair, even if dense, so I don't think the weight is a problem. It gets greasy at the roots and that seems to contribute to the feeling.

[thatsideoflife]

My hair isn’t even greasy though!!! It’s just my scalp being a cranky b!! Harumph again. Maybe it will go back to normal when I finish breastfeeding but I’m not holding my breath considering I’m likely to start perimenopause soon after. :brickwall

That's so funny because I was going to say maybe after giving birth it will stop ;) because my baby is just starting to grab my hair and it feels like nothing. But I also do sebum only or water only, so maybe it is in the balance of scalp bacteria or something. I used to get a sensitive scalp too

[aloewurly]

I need daily washing so my scalp doesn't ache, but they can't be too cleansing or it flakes (dry) nor too moisturizing or it flakes (greasy). It's a delicate balance :rolleyes: getting my scalp doused with herbal products on the daily seems to help, though. Probably because of the antifungal and/or sebum reduction properties.

[knobbly]

There are no rules!

I was thinking just now (11pm) that I should do another scalp wash before it starts to get sore (I scalp-only washed the day before yesterday) but was also thinking of all the reasons I couldn’t: so annoying, water gets everywhere, etc. etc., but then I thought— there are no rules!— and just washed the crown of my head only. Haha! Took two minutes and I didn’t get an arm cramp and the bathroom looks like I wasn’t even there.

:king:

[Allorapisma]

I get this pain too, but I have sebderm

[baanoo]

There are no rules!

I was thinking just now (11pm) that I should do another scalp wash before it starts to get sore (I scalp-only washed the day before yesterday) but was also thinking of all the reasons I couldn’t: so annoying, water gets everywhere, etc. etc., but then I thought— there are no rules!— and just washed the crown of my head only. Haha! Took two minutes and I didn’t get an arm cramp and the bathroom looks like I wasn’t even there.

:king:

brilliant :bowtome:

I feel like in the summer it's so humid that being a purist about scalp washing just... isn't worth it at all.

[Myx]

I get the same, and pretty much echo most of what's been said. I've learned that I can't usually go more than 4 days without a wash (less if I've used styling products) before I start to have issues with pain/itching. Over time I learned how to tell if it was time to wash based on how my roots looked/behaved/felt. Once I got that down, it was much easier to keep ahead of the problem. Good luck :)

[lapushka]

I get this pain too, but I have sebderm

I have SD, too, seborrheic dermatitis. Yeah, sure, at the end of the week, when I (my mom rather) massage my hair during a wash, I will sort of feel that it was bunned the entire week, but nothing really spikey-painful, sort of a dull "presence" more like. I can go a week, but I have to wash with harsh shampoos or it will cause a flare. Harsh shampoos are my one "thing" for this, and now it looks like most brands are on this sulfate mild or sulfate free bandwagon. I hate it!

[MusicalSpoons]

This is how I learned my scalp tolerated longer and longer gaps with stretching washes - it went for longer feeling happy, not aching or itching. I used to get it by day 3 or 4, but now 4-5yrs later it will be between 1.5-2.5 weeks depending on weather and hormones. And usually a thorough scalp wash takes care of it for a while, if I'm not feeling up to a full wash (as was the case last week).

[Allorapisma]

I have SD, too, seborrheic dermatitis. Yeah, sure, at the end of the week, when I (my mom rather) massage my hair during a wash, I will sort of feel that it was bunned the entire week, but nothing really spikey-painful, sort of a dull "presence" more like. I can go a week, but I have to wash with harsh shampoos or it will cause a flare. Harsh shampoos are my one "thing" for this, and now it looks like most brands are on this sulfate mild or sulfate free bandwagon. I hate it!

My scalp also loves harsh shampoos, even though they are probably damaging for my lengths.
Unfortunately, my scalp starts to hurt at day 3 so I need to wash my hair every 3 or 4 days, but I hope that some day I will also be able to go a week or more without shampooing

[DarleneH]

I used to do sebum-only / no washing for as long as I could stand it (weeks), but my scalp gets sore. And I wear the same hairstyle day after day, so it's not the hairstyle or it would be sore from the very beginning. I figure it's nasty stuff growing there, so I gave in and starting washing more (currently once a week). Just water only, massaging scalp with fingertips under running water in the shower, is usually enough to abate the soreness and I just make sure I'm conditioning after.

[knobbly]

I may have discovered a new hack to stop the soreness when I’m too lazy to wash? Unclear but I want to write it up for posterity:

The other day my scalp was feeling annoyed so I doused it with The Ordinary’s 7% glycolic acid toning solution. I use this (never on my face!! Too harsh) as a deodorant and it works, if I’m understanding the science correctly, by making the pH of one’s armpits an uninhabitable place for the stinky bacteria. I thought it might help with the cranky sore kind of scalp skin bacteria too? Anyway it worked! After 24 hours my scalp wasn’t sore exactly, but it didn’t feel fresh either. That was enough of a time cushion for me and I’ll be washing today which will be 48 hours later. Scalp feels fine and not pissed at me.

Definitely enough of a win to keep experimenting with this! Plus exfoliating one’s scalp doesn’t seem like it could be bad for hair growth and keeping follicles clear. :)