Flakes ruining my life, any helpful advice would be appreciated!

[hippyhair89]

Hello LHC, i have been reading and visiting this forum for a pretty long time now, but this would be my first post, so hello!

I am a 22 year old male with mid-back length hair and absolutely love it. However, the thing that i dont love, is the flakes that will absolutely not go away! I guess its a bit of an exaggeration to say it's ruining my life but i can honestly say it is constantly on my mind. the first thing i do when i wake up is run to the mirror and part my hair to see how bad it happens to be this day. If im walking outside and a gust blows my hair i worry that a flake popped out. I work in a restaurant with 20+ other people and always feel so embarrassed at my condition. Basically the flakes are killing my self esteem and confidence and i need to fix this problem! Cutting my hair is not an option.

Last night i used a new product, a vegan hemp-oil shampoo bar. As i sit here typing this my hair "feels" pretty nice to the touch, and the strands are not greasy. However my flakes seem to have become worse than ever. My scalp is a whiteish color and feels pretty dry like it but is covered in a layer of what i think is hardened sebum and their are white flakes in varying size popping out as i run my fingers through it.

Basically my hair care routine for the past couple of months has been, well, a very hands off approach. whenever i try to clean it in some way it always seems to makes things worse. i have been no poo for a long time now (about 2 years?). when i used to use shampoo i hated the way it made my hair feel, and generally made my flaking worse. i tried a few different dandruff shampoos like Head and shoulders, t-gel, nizoral, none of these did much and made my hair feel horrible. three days after a shampoo wash my hair always felt and looked better, which led to me stopping using shampoo.

i adopted the BS + acv approach and did this every few days for a while but i hated the smell that the BS made. i do water only washes with acv rinses sometimes and usually this make my hair feel extra soft but do nothing for the flaking.

i just began reading on this site about scritching, and am going to buy a wooden comb to try to do this on a regular basis as i am pretty sure that it is the hardened sebum or dry scalp that is causing the flakes.

my hair is also very thick and heavy and i have to pull it back for long periods of time, is it possible the weight of the hair and the way i pull it back is causing flaking?

i have been taking a b-complex vitamin and tumeric and have been trying to change my eating habits. i am cutting out excess sugar (like soda and candy/cookies) and deep-fried foods. i have been drinking more water and eating fresh fruits.

so my question is has anyone ever experienced the problem that i am describing and found a good way to fix it? im afraid that if i start scritching that my problem will just get worse, like it will just loosen the sebum and spread it throughout my hair. Does it have to get worse before it will get better? I am willing to try anything, shampoo included!

Sorry for the long post, but Thank you for reading!

[luxepiggy]

Have you tried CO-washing?

[HintOfMint]

If head and shoulders and the other dandruff shampoos worked on your scalp, then maybe CWC would work for you. You condition the length (or in your case use a different shampoo on your length), shampoo the roots with the dandruff shampoo, rinse, and then use whatever conditioner you want. It keeps the shampoo off the length but your scalp gets the benefit.

ETA, ah, I see that you say those shampoos DIDN'T do much for you. Sorry. Erm... I've heard good things about sugar scrubs for your scalp, but the closest I've tried was using a salicylic acid face wash over a coconut oiled scalp, which helped a bit. Maybe look into exfoliation.

[lolot]

nizoral cured my flake issue, and it leaves my hair shiny and soft, i only use it on the scalp 3 minutes and rinse, the first 2 weeks twice a week and now once a week
and dont feel bad i once had a boyfriend with beatiful dark hair but a lot of dandruff i didnt care about that

[Kelikea]

I like tea tree oil. Shampoo with sls really did a number on my scalp a few years ago. It took a while to clear up. I mix aloe vera gel with a little water, jojoba oil, and 3 drops tea tree, shake it up in an applicator bottle, and apply to scalp, massaging in. Leave on at least a few minutes, then rinse off. I follow with diluted vinegar or some conditioner, but all conditioner must be rinsed off the scalp.

[hippyhair89]

Have you tried CO-washing?

no i have never tried using only conditioner and water. i thought that conditioner was more for the hair strands than for the scalp itself. so do you suggest rubbing conditioner into the scalp to moisturize? does brand or anything really matter?

[spidermom]

Have you had medical evaluation? You might have a fungus infection or psoriasis and need very specific treatment. Baking soda in particular makes you vulnerable to fungus infection, but it sounds like you already had something going on before you tried the BS.

In the meantime, you might try cleansing with conditioner only, using a conditioner that contains tea tree oil (or buy the essential oil and add 2-3 drops). The conditioners that work best for cleansing contain only a few very basic ingredients, so avoid anything with a long list.

CO worked best for me if I generously applied it to dry hair (concentrating on hair that touched scalp), covered that with a shower cap, and covered it all with a wool cap to hold the heat in. I'd let it marinate for 1/2 to 1 hour, then got my scalp wet and massaged thoroughly with fingertips from front to back until I worked up a slight foam (very slight). You really need to massage your entire scalp very thoroughly when cleansing with conditioner.

(I finally settled on CWC for washing my hair. It gives more reliable good results than CO did.)

[Kelikea]

My favorite for conditioner only is V05 strawberry and cream. Its around $1 at the grocery store and my hair looks and feels good when using it. I just make sure to rinse all of it off my scalp. It is fine as a leave-in on the length, though.

[Beckstar]

Are you eating enough food that contains zinc such as fish? You could also try rubbing coconut oil onto your scalp, using a soft bristle brush to massage your scalp and loosen the flakes and than use a good 'cone free condition to 'shampoo' it out. My husband has a horribly flakey scalp due to a skin condition. This helps me a lot.
\

[hippyhair89]

If head and shoulders and the other dandruff shampoos worked on your scalp, then maybe CWC would work for you. You condition the length (or in your case use a different shampoo on your length), shampoo the roots with the dandruff shampoo, rinse, and then use whatever conditioner you want. It keeps the shampoo off the length but your scalp gets the benefit.

ETA, ah, I see that you say those shampoos DIDN'T do much for you. Sorry. Erm... I've heard good things about sugar scrubs for your scalp, but the closest I've tried was using a salicylic acid face wash over a coconut oiled scalp, which helped a bit. Maybe look into exfoliation.

yeah, the only one that did anything was nizoral but literally the day after wash the flakes returned full force. brown sugar scrub sounds interesting, you think it would be effective in loosening or removing hard sebum?


nizoral cured my flake issue, and it leaves my hair shiny and soft, i only use it on the scalp 3 minutes and rinse, the first 2 weeks twice a week and now once a week
and dont feel bad i once had a boyfriend with beatiful dark hair but a lot of dandruff i didnt care about that

hm yeah the nizoral seemed to do the best job at first but they returned so i never really kept trying with it. i suppose i could try again. glad to know that their are girls out there that can get over the dandruff. i just hate it, when you hvae long hair as a man you want women to come touch your hair but whenever it happens to me i freak out and worry that they will see snow :(



I like tea tree oil. Shampoo with sls really did a number on my scalp a few years ago. It took a while to clear up. I mix aloe vera gel with a little water, jojoba oil, and 3 drops tea tree, shake it up in an applicator bottle, and apply to scalp, massaging in. Leave on at least a few minutes, then rinse off. I follow with diluted vinegar or some conditioner, but all conditioner must be rinsed off the scalp.

i have tea tree and jojoba oils, i have tried applying a mix of the tea tree and water and using undilited jojoba but neither seemed to do too much. the aloe vera might be good to moisturize dryness though.

thanks so much for the fast responses to far! unfortunately i need to go to work now, i wish i could call out but i cant let the flakes interfere with my life. i will check in later tonight!

[Wavelength]

I'm wondering if you've somehow disturbed the acid mantle of your scalp. When you were using ACV, what ratio of vinegar-to-water were you using in your rinse?

[Kelikea]

The tea tree really works better for me when mixed with the aloe and jojoba because you can really work it into the scalp this way, and straight tea tree can be irritating and drying. You could even try leaving it on instead of rinsing it out right away. For work, just put your hair up in a ponytail or bun and that will hold the flakes in better than loose hair. And don't touch your head, as that will knock them loose. Just try to forget about it until you get home.

[spidermom]

P.S. - how long did you use the Nizoral? You should really give any new routine 2 full weeks before you decide whether or not it works, unless you have an immediate bad reaction.

[karli]

I've had problems with a flaky scalp all my life. Schampoos against dandruff didn't help.. What has helped me is co-washing. Not all conditioners are good, I react against some perfumes as well. If I buy a conditioner, I look for it to have as few ingrediences as possible, no cones.
Mostly I make my own conditioner, with stuff I know I don't react to.. Rosemary seems to help my scalp.

[luxepiggy]

no i have never tried using only conditioner and water. i thought that conditioner was more for the hair strands than for the scalp itself. so do you suggest rubbing conditioner into the scalp to moisturize? does brand or anything really matter?

CO-washing can be a great way to gently cleanse the scalp without drying it out. Most people get the best results with a very lightweight cone-free conditioner (not me personally, but I'm a total cone junkie :D). Look for something with centrimonium chloride in it; IME those conditioners seem to cleanse the most effectively.

You can scritch first if you like, then I would suggest applying the conditioner to your dry hair & scalp, without using any water. Use the pads of your fingers to really massage the conditioner down into your scalp until it's completely saturated with conditioner. Let that sit for 15-20 minutes, then get in the shower and rinse very thoroughly while massaging with the pads of your fingers again. Then rinse again. Did I mention the importance of thorough rinsing? :p

If desired, follow up by conditioning your length & ends from the nape down using either the same or a heavier/more moisturizing conditioner.

Lots more tips and advice in the CO-washing thread (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=2898), if you're interested (^(oo)^)v

[Covet]

I'm dealing with flakes at the moment too! I've found that oiling my scalp really works, it hasn't eliminated all of the flakes, but it's helped quite a bit. I also really recommend scritching. I CO wash and my hair's curly so I don't comb once its dry and the TT that I use has short bristles so they don't touch my scalp to loosen the sebum (I have a lot of hair). So it's like my scalp doesn't get any contact with anything to loosen the flakes! I've started scritching and I love it :) good luck!

[Memza]

I really recommend trying cassia applications; they have helped me so much. There will be information about it in the herbal section of the forum.

[arcane]

The only thing that really works for me is using a clarifying shampoo right on my scalp. However I probably have psoriasis on my scalp but have never seen a doctor about it. I apply it directly to my scalp and really scrub it in and scatch at it. I typically CWC when I do use shampoo to protect the rest of my hair. For a few weeks I had to do it every time I showered (which is typically twice a week), then I could strech it to once a week, now I'm once every 2 or 3 weeks depending on my scalps mood. I also scritch my scalp in the shower each time to help remove build up. This has really helped. I occasionally have some small flakes, but compared to the fingernail size ones I used to have it is nothing.

[Dragon Faery]

no i have never tried using only conditioner and water. i thought that conditioner was more for the hair strands than for the scalp itself. so do you suggest rubbing conditioner into the scalp to moisturize? does brand or anything really matter?

If you would describe your scalp as dry, then it probably needs more moisture. I have a bit of a flaking problem on my crown (HUGE flakes + DARK hair = BAD), and the more moisturize my scalp, the fewer flakes I seem to have. I do a bit of what piggy and covet do (see below):


CO-washing can be a great way to gently cleanse the scalp without drying it out. Most people get the best results with a very lightweight cone-free conditioner (not me personally, but I'm a total cone junkie :D). Look for something with centrimonium chloride in it; IME those conditioners seem to cleanse the most effectively.

You can scritch first if you like, then I would suggest applying the conditioner to your dry hair & scalp, without using any water. Use the pads of your fingers to really massage the conditioner down into your scalp until it's completely saturated with conditioner. Let that sit for 15-20 minutes, then get in the shower and rinse very thoroughly while massaging with the pads of your fingers again. Then rinse again. Did I mention the importance of thorough rinsing? :p

If desired, follow up by conditioning your length & ends from the nape down using either the same or a heavier/more moisturizing conditioner.

Lots more tips and advice in the CO-washing thread (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=2898), if you're interested (^(oo)^)v

The rinsing and scrubbing are both very important. Can't be overstated, really. :) The thing I do differently than piggy is that I saturate my scalp with my second, thicker conditioner, as well. Which of course means another extremely thorough rinsing afterwards. (Oh, and I do my first condition on wet hair, but I don't know if that makes a difference or not.) V05 conditioners give a lot of people good results as the first (or only) step of such a wash.


I'm dealing with flakes at the moment too! I've found that oiling my scalp really works, it hasn't eliminated all of the flakes, but it's helped quite a bit. I also really recommend scritching. I CO wash and my hair's curly so I don't comb once its dry and the TT that I use has short bristles so they don't touch my scalp to loosen the sebum (I have a lot of hair). So it's like my scalp doesn't get any contact with anything to loosen the flakes! I've started scritching and I love it :) good luck!

I oil my scalp as well, after my hair's dry. I use whatever oil I have on hand (so far I think my scalp has liked avocado oil the best), and rub it right into my scalp. It seems a bit greasy at first, but over the course of a few hours my scalp just drinks it up. The time I used the avocado oil, I applied shea butter over it, after it had soaked in a few hours. Amazingly, I had NO flakes until ater my next wash! I have to be careful about scritching since it gives me sores, but the moisturizing really works for me.

The other thing I do is oil my scalp a few days after a wash with castor oil (diluted with other oils and EOs). I don't know if that makes my flakes better or worse, but it gives me faster growth so I'm not giving it up! ;)

Good luck!

[Bunnysaur]

NEEM. NEEM NEEM NEEM. Neem oil is like a stinkier, more effective version of tea tree oil, and it's really helped my dandruff. I put about .3oz in my shampoo bottle and shake it up, and it makes a super awesome, super cheap dandruff shampoo.

[ladylowtide]

I am soo watching this thread. My fiancé has a similar problem. It turns out he is allergic to more shampoos and detergents. Now is scalp isn't so red but it is still flakey. I have to scrap layers and layers of skin off daily... :confused:

[lapushka]

Let's not forget the listerine thread:
http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=91802&highlight=listerine

[hippyhair89]

wow so many helpful responses thank you so much everyone. i was going to respond to every post but that will take a long time and im quite tired.


I'm wondering if you've somehow disturbed the acid mantle of your scalp. When you were using ACV, what ratio of vinegar-to-water were you using in your rinse?

how would i know if i disturbed the acid mantle? when i do acv rinses usually i use 1 1/2 cups of water add just a dash of acv. i have however dipped q-tips in undiluted acv and rubbed it on my scalp, do you think this harmed it?

the only problem about getting all these good suggestions is i can only really test out one at a time and see how it goes. i think the most common suggestion was some CO washing. i have a mixture that i bought that contains jojoba oil, virgin coconut oil, neem oil, tea tree oil, cedarwood oil, lavendar oil, rosemary oil, and peppermint oil that i can mix in a few drops in with a conditioner and apply to my scalp.

i am going to try to do this either tomorrow or tuesday and i will let you all now how it goes!

[koala]

You might want to try a visit to a dermatologist. I have a similar issue, but really nothing fixes it because it's from eczema and is apparently genetic and incurable. They gave me a prescription foam to use, which actually did work, although it was extremely harsh and stung on areas that were really bad. But it did work while I had it.

[Teazel]

i have however dipped q-tips in undiluted acv and rubbed it on my scalp, do you think this harmed it?

Don't do that. Undiluted vinegar can burn your skin.


You might want to try a visit to a dermatologist.

This. Even a GP could probably tell you if you have a skin condition such as eczema, psoriasis or seborrhoeic dermatitis.

Welcome to LHC! :)

[Katze]

I would really second (third) getting checked out by a doctor AND watching your diet.

Do you get enough essential fatty acids (omegas)? Protein? How is your sugar/caffeine intake? What about allergies? Have you checked for candida? A lot of the stuff that happens with our skin is a result of systemic imbalance. For me, if I eat too much sugar and drink too much caffeine, I get flakes and eczema.

WO works for me, as do SMTs (these are a mix of honey, conditioner, and aloe). CO made my scalp unhappy.

Whether or not my scalp flakes changes a lot depending on diet, weather, stress, but one thing is for sure - HANDLING it makes it worse. Many LHCers like to 'scritch' their scalps - for me, that MAKES it flaky. Hands off scalp is the way to go for me!

You also might want to see if you can get a Chinese medicine practicioner to assess you - in many towns in the USA, there are cheaper clinics at schools that teach TCM, and in my case it really helped with sebhorreic dermatitis (bad, bad crusty flakes) and hair loss.

good luck!

[Maiken]

When your scalpissues is so severe and has been going on for so long, you should go see your doctor and perhaps a dermatologist.

Did you use the Nizoral in the right way? As far a i remember it has to be used evert day for five days, and has to be left in the hair for at few minutes when rubbed in.
Stuff like head and Shoulders and other shampoos like that wont help you. They can prevent flaking and dandruff, but not really solve the problem once it's there.

[barely.there]

My husband (25) has a very oily scalp and has dandruff as well. Occasionally I put Tea Tree Oil on his scalp to help with the dandruff. you also need to make sure your diet is not full of greasy foods and sugar. Keep your body healthy and it will reward you!!!

Since changing hubby's diet+tea tree oil, his scalp is MUCH better! We also use natural based shampoo's and conditioners.

[sycamoreboutiqu]

I second the suggestion to check out the Listerine thread. I used it and did get relief for days. I forgot to use this last CO wash and I regretted it - going to do it every wash from now on and see what happens. The mint Listernine smelled nice and felt wonderful, very refreshing but it didn't sting (if you have scratched raw it might though).

I think you stated that you thought you had "hard sebum" buildup so it doesn't sound like a simple dry scalp but possibly something more fungal/yeast in nature. I am convinced this is at the root of a lot of scalp problems where we seem to have a "gunk" problem even a day after washing. They aren't just dry skin type flakes - they tend to be patches or big lumps of flakes. Does that sound like what you have ?

Anything that can kill / control the growth of yeast and fungus is probably going to help.

That would be the medicated shampoos, Tea Tree, Neem Oil and Listerine.

It was kind of an "aha" moment when I realized my scalp was much better for a least a week after using box hair color to touch up my roots - most likely it was the combination of Ammonia/Peroxide killed anything that was growing and my scalp stayed clear for awhile.

Yeast and fungus are all around us every day - it just that they don't usually get beyond the skins natural defenses so we aren't aware of it. When it does find it's way through a breakdown of the skin it can be a bear to get rid of (the reason many people have to take oral meds to rid themselves of toenail fungus). It seems the scalp is no different. One or two applications of something that works are not enough to eradicate the problem.

So if you have "gunky", thick, waxy flakes, I recommend trying one of the anti-fungal methods mentioned. If you have dry, thin flakes then the moisture methods of oil, aloe, CO wash or maybe some combination of both.

The suggestion to "scritch" during shampooning / CO washing is a must do recommendation to get as much off as you can.

[ravenreed]

I sometimes get really bad flaking and I treat it much as I do dry skin elsewhere. I oil my scalp. I use a light oil, usually camellia oil, but I often mix a thicker oil in, such as castor oil. I may even add a little tea tree oil to it. To get the oil out again, the best method I have found is to CO wash. Between the two, and the very dilute ACV rinses I do, my scalp is very happy these days.

I agree with others, if you still can't find any relief after all the suggestions in this thread, it is time to visit the doctor.

[summergreen]

Don't know what you will think of this idea, but sometimes blow-drying can help clear flakiness, also washing in warm water rather than cool/lukewarm.

[spidermom]

Don't do that. Undiluted vinegar can burn your skin.

:)

Hmmmmmm; I guess results vary. When we were battling lice years ago, my doctor recommended rinsing with full-strength vinegar because it would make the nits easier to comb out, and oh boy! Did it ever! No ill effects on scalp or hair to any of us (except the strong vinegar smell wasn't pleasant).

[Teazel]

Hmmmmmm; I guess results vary. When we were battling lice years ago, my doctor recommended rinsing with full-strength vinegar because it would make the nits easier to comb out, and oh boy! Did it ever! No ill effects on scalp or hair to any of us (except the strong vinegar smell wasn't pleasant).

Yes, it may depend on skin sensitivity. I managed to burn myself (neck, chest and shoulders) the first time I used an ACV rinse, even though it was quite well diluted. But then I have Scottish skin. :wink:

[LaceyNg]

I'm dealing with flakes at the moment too! I've found that oiling my scalp really works, it hasn't eliminated all of the flakes, but it's helped quite a bit. I also really recommend scritching. I CO wash and my hair's curly so I don't comb once its dry and the TT that I use has short bristles so they don't touch my scalp to loosen the sebum (I have a lot of hair). So it's like my scalp doesn't get any contact with anything to loosen the flakes! I've started scritching and I love it :) good luck!

i too have found scalp oiling very helpful, as well as scritching. for me, they tend to go hand-in-hand. i oil my scalp really well and then scritch. it loosens up all the flakes so they can fall off, and the moisture gets under the flakes to the scalp, where it's needed. no sense in just having really moisturized flakes, right? :)


I second the suggestion to check out the Listerine thread. I used it and did get relief for days. I forgot to use this last CO wash and I regretted it - going to do it every wash from now on and see what happens. The mint Listernine smelled nice and felt wonderful, very refreshing but it didn't sting (if you have scratched raw it might though).

I think you stated that you thought you had "hard sebum" buildup so it doesn't sound like a simple dry scalp but possibly something more fungal/yeast in nature. I am convinced this is at the root of a lot of scalp problems where we seem to have a "gunk" problem even a day after washing. They aren't just dry skin type flakes - they tend to be patches or big lumps of flakes. Does that sound like what you have ?

Anything that can kill / control the growth of yeast and fungus is probably going to help.

That would be the medicated shampoos, Tea Tree, Neem Oil and Listerine.

It was kind of an "aha" moment when I realized my scalp was much better for a least a week after using box hair color to touch up my roots - most likely it was the combination of Ammonia/Peroxide killed anything that was growing and my scalp stayed clear for awhile.

Yeast and fungus are all around us every day - it just that they don't usually get beyond the skins natural defenses so we aren't aware of it. When it does find it's way through a breakdown of the skin it can be a bear to get rid of (the reason many people have to take oral meds to rid themselves of toenail fungus). It seems the scalp is no different. One or two applications of something that works are not enough to eradicate the problem.

So if you have "gunky", thick, waxy flakes, I recommend trying one of the anti-fungal methods mentioned. If you have dry, thin flakes then the moisture methods of oil, aloe, CO wash or maybe some combination of both.

The suggestion to "scritch" during shampooning / CO washing is a must do recommendation to get as much off as you can.

i completely 2nd the fungus part! this is going to sound crazy, but you might want to consider using monistat on your scalp. it is the ONLY time my scalp has ever been 100% clear. the only reason i stopped using it was b/c i didnt like the idea of having to use a chemical like that on my scalp for the rest of my life. theres a whole thread on monistat here, although its mostly about using it for hair growth.

as far as what i do NOW, i'm WO, and i use a honey treatment once every week, with no washing at all in between. sometimes i'll use a rooibos tea spray if my hair's starting to feel greasy, but thats not often. apparently my scalp was just REALLY dry and irritated this whole time. who knew :shrug:

just to give you an idea of what my flakes were like before: large, moist, clumpy; if i scratched them off the scalp would be really red, irritated, and sore underneath. the doctor said it was seborrheic dermatitis (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seborrhoeic_dermatitis), and gave me a harsh shampoo to use. said to use it twice a day! it dried out my hair sooo much, and didnt even get y scalp 100% clear, maybe 80% or so. AND it wasnt cheap either, so after i ran out i stopped using it. i tried CO for almost a year, and my hair loved it but my scalp did not. better than traditional shampoo, but still had to wah every day and even then still had itchy flakes. i liked shampoo bars even more than CO-- particularly the neem oil one from Chagrin Valley-- left me itch free, and reduced flakes by a LOT. but i wanted to be 100% clear! so thats why i went WO, and have just recently discovered the awesomeness of honey. i just mix with some water and let it sit on my head for an hour at least, sometimes as much as 3. make sure you heat it a little beforehand if you dont want accidental lightening though!

and keep us updated with what you try and how well it works for you! i hope you get some relief! i completely understand what you're going through :(

[henné]

I didn't read everyone's responses, so I have no idea if anyone's written anything similar to what I'm about to write .... so, sorry if I'm repeating something.

I have always had problems with flaky dry scalp. I had it so bad two summers ago, that I bought all the anti-dandruff shampoos that I could lay my hands on and guess what ... none of them worked.

That is ... they worked for a little while and then they stopped working.

Then I found a 'natural' anti-dandruff shampoo from a brand called Apitiva that was SLS free and that helped me to get my hair to a point where it wasn't so bad anymore. Then Henna helped me to get it to even a better spot and now all of my issues seem to have been solved by washing my scalp with auyrvedic plant powders (reetha/aritha and shikakai). I've washed my hair the total of 4 times in the past two weeks and I have to tell you that this is the best my scalp has ever felt. I have no clue about long-term effects, but so far, I'm in love. Also, I've started to oil my hair again. So far, I've tried coconut and castor oils.

And get a load of this - no flakes. Nowhere to be found. Zip. Nada. Sometimes I even search my scalp for one of those mega-flakes that I used to get all the time and had to just scratch it off with a finger-nail (I know, TMI) and there are none! :D

Good luck!!! And remember that just because one thing worked for someone, it doesn't mean it will work for you, so you will have to just start somewhere and try things (more than once or twice) before you find the perfect solution. I hope your search is not too long.

[hippyhair89]

Hello again lhc!! ive been busy lately but i had to get on here and thank you all! tuesday night i tried CO washing for the first time, i used this garnier fructis silicone free conditioner mostly because it was what we had and i didnt want to spend money. in the process of trying to solve my dandruff ive accumulated a good collection of shampoos, oils, and other things like this. most of them i used once or twice and were pretty much a waste.

anyway i applied a couple of tbsp of the conditioner to my dry hair and spread it around and gently massaged it into my scalp. i was going to mix it with tea tree oil but i decided for the first time to try it alone so i could see how it effected my hair.

i woke up yesterday extremely pleased! although i wouldnt say that i am "flake free" the flaking has improved drastically and compared to sunday afternoon (when i made the original post) my hair looks amazing! i cant believe that something so simple helped me so much! i think my regiment will be a CO wash every few days to a week and maybe a light oiling in between and some wood comb scritching.

i already feel like my confidence and self-esteem have shot through the roof! thank you again everyone and to those still suffering badly dont lose hope! you can solve youre problem!