new thread
hey
i have shoulder length thick curly hair. my regimen involves using shampoo no more than twice a week (otherwise it gets too frizzy) and using conditioner every day or every second day.
over the past few days ive noticed my scalp has been getting increasingly itchy and seems quite dry. my scalp also appears to be shedding tiny bits of dead of skin, however, i have never had any dandruff in my life. im pretty sure its just dead and dry fly skin. ive never had a problem like this before so not sure what to do.
i have been shampooing a bit more than normal lately so that could be one possible cause. also, winter has just begun here so the colder weather could be another irritation.
normally i would just see how it goes over time but the itching is really driving me crazy and i have a big week coming up so im hoping to fix this asap.
not to mention it has given my family more ammo to use against me and my hair! "your scalps itchy coz your hairs too long and messy, you need to cut it!" Its really driving me crazy.
any tips would be much appreciated.
ps great site, its always nice to know there are other long haired guys around and i wish i had have googled this while i was in the so called awkward stage!
Hi, Johnny.
I suggest you go see a dermatologist. A dermatologist will know exactly what the problem is. In my opinion, It sounds like a buildup problem. Maybe you are conditioning too much. Maybe you are not rinsing off the conditioner properly. Who knows ,Maybe its something else? This is all speculation. Only a dermatologist can provide an accurate answer for you.
Hope this helps man
thanks very much for your reply. unfortunately i cant really afford to see a specialist doctor right now.. im a 20 year old university student on a tight budget haha and my insurance doesnt completely cover that kind of thing. although if it doesnt improve then i suppose ill have to.
another question, i asked my friend about this problem coz she has similar hair to me, and she recommended rinsing the scalp with vinegar.. and then putting olive oil in my hair to address the dryness. olive oil sounds ok but im a bit sceptical about the vinegar. i dont wanna risk damaging my hair. any of you guys tried this?? or alternative suggestions?
thanks
Found a pretty good website with some info on vinegar rinses. Heres the link below.
thanks heaps for the link. ill definately give it a try if this problem happens again.
yesterday i went for a swim at the beach and i could feel the salt water burning my scalp, but in a good way, it felt really cleansing. when i got home i let the salt water dry in my hair and waited a couple hours before showering.
then i rinsed thoroughly and put conditioner throughout my hair. it was a bit drier than normal after, from the salt water being left to dry so long i assume, but my scalp is now back to normal.
i tried the olive oil thing, just put it on the ends. it looked amazing, so shiny and healthy. but felt terrible lol.
maybe a different kind of oil would b better
Hey Chris, thank you for the post for the Chagrin Valley Soap and Craft homeopathic/ aromatherapy/ all organic products web site.
Yours in health and longhaired camaraderie,
Quenyan (+:-)}
Hey Johnny,
Sorry . . . I'm dividing my attention btwn you and "Coast to Coast A.M." but . . . skin disorders, including the innocuous seeming dandruff, and impetigo, and psoriasis, and eczema, and . . . are systemis disorders, that USUALLY denote a malabsorbtion problem, hence, your skin reacts first. I say use Selsun Blue shampoo, heavy in the selenium content ( a mineral, that selenium!), aaand, if it continues, this skin thing, I recommend seeing a dermatologist.
Best in longhaired camaraderie,
Quenyan (+:-)]
I ran into a bit of this lately also. I had changed to another brand of products which I liked quite a bit, but I ended up with an itchy scalp. I changed product lines, and the problem went away.
Also, if you are getting buildup, you might need to shampoo with a clarifying shampoo that will get rid of the buildup on or near your scalp. This, followed by an ACV (apple cider vinegar) rinse should help the problem.
I also recommend seeing a dermatologist if these simple solutions don't fix the problem.
ahhh!! please don't use a chemical shampoo like selsum unless you have no other options!
i highly recommend finding a tea tree oil shampoo and conditioner. natures gate and jason both make a good ones. tea tree oil is a bit more expensive (you'll be paying at least $7 for a bottle with enough oil it it to so you good), but it will be well worth it - even with the budget. you don't need to use it for every washing, just once a week. but let it sit on your hair for a couple of minutes. it should make your scalp tingle when you rinse it out, that way you know you're using it correctly.