Daughter with Itchy Scalp

[greekprincess]

My 9 year old daughter has very long, fine hair. This summer she has been experiencing an itchy scalp. I have tried Suave Clarifying shampoo on her thinking that it was build up...she was still itchy. I tried J/A/S/O/N/S Tea Tree shampoo...she was still itchy...I tried conditioner only...still itchy...I tried no conditioner or shampoo at all on the scalp...just conditioner on her ends....still itchy but not as bad. I have tried conditioner with cones and no cones too. I have checked her scalp all over and there are no dry patches...no flakes..no red spots nothing. I try and not wash her hair all the time...a couple times a week...but it's hard with all the hard playing she does all the time. I was thinking of possibly buying Head and Shoulders shampoo...but I am not sure if that would be too strong for her scalp.

Does anyone have any idea what else I could do for my itchy little girl.

Thanks!:)

[Periwinkle]

I'm guessing that you've checked for nits if you've checked her scalp for so many other things, but I feel obliged to suggest the obvious...

If I were you, I'd try H&S; you can always dilute it.

I used to have a terrible itchy scalp problem, and I found that my diet was at the root of it. I used to eat a LOT of white bread: two slices in the morning when I got up, then two or three when I came in from school as well. Then in the school holidays, I pretty much stopped eating it, and the problem went away (as did my terrible dandruff!). Is there anything like that that might be the cause? It certainly worked for me.

[greekprincess]

Yes, I did check for nits too...yuck..but you have too and that wasn't it. It's interesting that you mention diet being the cause of your itchy scalp. We have white bread in the house but she doesn't tend to eat a lot of it. Maybe a sandwich a couple times a week with it. Her itchy scalp started a few months ago..and her diet hasn't really changed at all since this started. I haven't changed laundry detergent either. I even started to try and give her scalp massages to work the oil around...but she get's bored with me doing that...so I cannot do it for very long. Maybe I will go out and buy H/S and try it diluted.

[NurseMama]

If it isn't lice I agree with Periwinkle that it is diet related. I am leaning more towards a lack of the omega fatty acids in her diet. Avacado, fish, olive oil, nuts, et are all great sources.

[burns_erin]

Until you get the diet thing settled you might try what I have been doing, I switched to this from head and shoulders. I use grapeseed oil with Rosemary, Lavendar, and Sandalwood EO. I also sometimes do a tea with rosemary basil and mint or rosemary sage and mint, or any of a bunch of things really, rosemary tends to be my mainstay really. It has really helped me alot. Good luck and I hope her scalp gets to feeling better.

[Chromis]

Has anything in her routine changed in the past couple months?

I know for me, hard water makes my scalp itchy. Short of moving back to a place with naturally soft water, acid rinses, rosemary EO, and henna are the only things that help me. Tea tree products smell wonderful but don't seem to make any difference.

[greekprincess]

I am trying to think if anything has changed in her routine at all...and nothing really has. She loves her sweets...really what girl doesn't. But she doesn't eat a ton.

I think I am going to try and incorporate more Omega's into her diet...because I can confirm that she doesn't get a lot of those. Maybe that will help.

I might try some rosemary EO too..

Thank you for all the adice!!!

[greekprincess]

I mean advice...not adice...duh!

[Golden21]

My scalp also gets itchy sometimes. Would you consider Monistat? You should read the thread on that, it has helped a lot of people with this problem.

[Kirin]

It may not be diet.

The thing to check, is to round up all the products used on her hair, and scan the ingredients and find a common one. Chances are, she has an allergy to an ingredient, which may not have been present before, but has suddenly appeared.

[NurseMama]

My scalp also gets itchy sometimes. Would you consider Monistat? You should read the thread on that, it has helped a lot of people with this problem.

Using any sort of topical medication on a child repeatedly is not a good idea. The absorb much more of the med than an adult would and then their little liver has to filter it out.

[Golden21]

Using any sort of topical medication on a child repeatedly is not a good idea. The absorb much more of the med than an adult would and then their little liver has to filter it out.
Yikes! I missed the part that said she was only 9! I agree with NurseMama!

[rossjen]

Could it be possible that she is sensitive to a detergent (or something else like fragrance) in her shampoo? It might be worth checking.

[detritus]

I suffered with an itchy scalp for years (and itchy skin in general) and did all the stuff you are doing with your daughter to no avail. I thought I just had stubborn dandruff, even though I never got any flakes. Turns out I'm sensitive to SLS (sodium laury/laureth sulfate). Now that I've completely cut that out of my shampoos, body wash and even toothpaste I'm much more comfortable. You can find SLS-free shampoos and such pretty easy in Whole Foods and other health food type stores. SLS is in practically everything, so I doubt that a new exposure is causing your daughter's problem. But she could have just recently developed a sensitivity for any number or reasons. Good luck!

[Isilme]

if you have a hairfriendly brush you can try to give her scalp a few strokes with it after combing. That counts as detangling and if you are lucky she may not get as impatient.

[xrosiex]

I'm thinking I would try, doing a final rinse 1/2 tbsp ACV mixed with 24ozs. of water. It works for me.The ACV restores the natural PH balance of the scalp. And it has no smell after my hair is dry.

[greekprincess]

I think I am going to take an ingredient inventory on what I am using on her hair. It could be that she is having some type of a reaction to something in the shampoo or conditioner. Last night after she got out of the shower her scalp really itched...so I think this may be the culprit...the itching subsides the longer she goes without washing her hair. I am going to head out to find some SLS free shampoo and conditioner!

[sipnsun]

My son has a very itchy scalp also, no flakes or red patches, and the only thing that helps him is Selsum Blue shampoo. I haven't been able to get to the root of the problem, but this does treat the symptom.

[burns_erin]

You might try Giovanni products. My hair and scalp loves the tea tree triple treat.

[CopperHead]

I just went through this myself. I had decided to try a shampoo with SLS and that seemed to do it. My scalp was itching like crazy and it even was kind of sore too. I used my Giovanni and then Nature's Gate and that cleared up the problem. Back to Basics is the only brand with SLS I can use. ABBA is good too.

I love a good Rosemary oil scalp massage. I mix the EO with a carrier oil and just rub it in. It is so soothing and smells great too. :)