SLS free transition experiences?

[marlb91]

I have been SLS free for about 2 months and i love how soft and shiny my hair is, but my scalp is itching like a mother and im pretty sure im shedding more, i read somewhere before i went SLS free someone said they shed more when they started being SLS free but that they hardly shed at all now. has anyone else found this? i read alot of people say they started to get an itchy scalp and then just went back to normal shampoo.... so has anyone waited it out and gotten better?

[white.chocolate]

I switched to an SLS-free shampoo about 4 months ago, and now I'm using a sulfate-free shampoo. It made my hair softer and less dry. I have not experienced any change with my shedding rate as you say, but fingercombing, which I do, decreased it a little. And luckily I don't get an itchy scalp. But can't an itchy scalp also be caused from other chemicals? Plus, everyone's scalp reaction to different chemicals vary, so just because SLS-free shampoos work well for me, it doesn't have to work well for everybody else.

[caadam]

marlb91, you might wanna consider doing a scalp massage every day. Every since I've been WO, scalp massaging has kept me from murdering my own scalp. lol I honestly think if I hadn't massaged my scalp once a day for about ten minutes, including scritching and preening, my scalp would be flaky, super oily, and in itching, burning pain. My scalp, because of massages, has been clear, almost flake-free (with just a few tiny flakes here and there that only I notice), and itch-free.

The transition from using SLS to not can take a while, though, but there are things you can do in order to make that transition easier. It might seem like more work, but think of the benefits of not using SLS anymore! Or, like white.chocolate suggested, start using an SLS-free shampoo.

But I suggest that if you are experiencing the itchies that you should try massaging, and maybe do some light scritching. Do what you think works best. :flower:

[caiti42]

I found sls free shampoos to be too drying on my hair. Tried two different ones and I guess I didn't find the right one for my hair. Anyways it gave me a dry scalp as well which causes itching.

[jtsck]

Have you tried a vinegar rinse? I found that the rinses helped balance my scalp. Just make sure it is really diluted, pour it on and rinse it off!

Article about vinegar rinses (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/vbjournal.php?do=article&articleid=56)

[marlb91]

thanks people im gonna do the massage + ACV rinse (which i have been meaning to do) and wash my hair a bit more like every other day as im using an SLS free shampoo anyway it shouldnt be too bad??

[Mina17]

When I was transitioning to SLS-free shampoos I used sulfates every other shampoo for awhile, then every 3rd shampoo, etc. My scalp is kind of picky and I shed a lot if it's not happy. I have to make changes like that gradually, but it eventually got used to it.

[Kelikea]

Give ACV a try, and then if you still need something else, try a few drops of tea tree oil, either mixed with your shampoo, or as a massage in some jojoba oil. Still itchy, my favorite SLS free shampoo for itch and dandruff is Desert Essences Lemon Tea Tree shampoo.

[ratgirldjh]

Maybe you sensitive to some of the ingredients in the shampoo. Try another one :)

[Amber_Maiden]

When I switched, I didn't shed more- instead after about two weeks I saw a change in my skin- less breaking out! Nothing bad really happened at all.

[PixxieStix]

I had a pretty seamless transition. If my scalp is acting up and being itchy I have found scalp massages to do wonders. I do one every day, 5-15 minutes depending on how much time/motivation I have. If it ever gets seriously bad on a no-wash day (happens occasionally), I find a WO wash with lots of pre-massaging helps tremendously.

[jessa]

When i changed to SLS and cone free shampoo ( a couple of months ago) and also changed to CWC i found my scalp was also itchy. i solved this by changing to CO.

[Safira]

Maybe you neet to switch your shampoo, I think.

[AnqeIicDemise]

I do a vinegar rinse when I get the itchies and flakes. Other than that, I have the most awesome hair I've had since I was 15. I'm loving it.

[caadam]

I skipped a WO wash yesterday and did have some minor itching above my nape. I did a very diluted ACV/honey rinse (like, a cap full of vinegar with a small squirt of honey inside a condiment bottle full of warm water to dissolve the honey) on my scalp during my shower and clipped my hair up for about ten minutes. It definitely helped to soothe the itching, but I think it would've been worse if I hadn't gotten myself into the habit of doing a daily scalp massage.