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i so desperately want long hair, but i always seem to have the same problem every time i try to grow my hair out... i have a massive flake/dandruff problem (i say them both because i'm not sure what the difference between the two is, if any). is this a genetic thing? is there no hope for me to be rid of this stuff? anything i can do hair-care product wise that won't set me back too bad financially? i would really appreciate some help. fyi, i have pretty thick, wavy hair that is about to the middle of my ears. thanks.
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First, do you use gel? Does your scalp itch? If the answer is "yes
flakes, no itch" then your flakes could be from the gel. Try another
brand or use less.
I have plenty of experience with flaking and especially itching. If
your scalp itches you need a tar-based shampoo. This is a real cure
for scalp itch and dandruff. Tar-based shampoos are all "expensive"
to buy but after the first week or so you can probably get away with
one treatment a week so the bottle will last. The one I use is
"Neutrogena T/Gel Shampoo" but any tar-based shampoo will work (and
*will* smell like sulfur). They are sometimes not kept with the
regular shampoos so you might have to ask. Whatever product you get,
here is the important part: this is a medicine that has to be
absorbed by your scalp to do any good. Most people don't leave it in
long enough. To use a tar-based shampoo wet your hair, rub it into
your scalp thoroughly, then put a shower cap over it and leave it in
for about six or eight minutes (you can massage it during that time
just don't let water get on your treated hair or it will rinse out
the medicine). After the six or eight minutes, rinse it until the
suds are out and then stop rinsing. Don't leave the shampoo in your
hair but do stop rinsing after you get it out. Use the shampoo every
few days for a week or so, then you can probably get away with one
treatment a week (or even less). You can use regular shampoo and
conditioners when you are not using the tar-shampoo treatment. If
this doesn't work after a few weeks it is time to see a
dermatologist. Good luck.
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Would you use conditioner like normal afterwords? Also, i find i have to shampoo my hair twice when i wash it, since i find the natural oil in my hair tends to overwhelm the shampoo at first, and it doesn't feel like the hair is getting cleaned well enough. Should do this with a tar-based shampoo, or perhaps use a normal one first to get rid of all the oil? Or will the shampoo work even if it doesn't froff up because of the oil?
I currently wash my hair once a week, because it dries out if i wash it too much. The downside to this, is that i do get noticable dandruff. Would it be best to switch to only using a tar based shampoo, or should i wash it twice a week, once with a tar-based, and once with a normal one?
Finally, is it possible that a tar-based shampoo would be more likely to damage my hair? It's shoulder length, and not in the *best* of condition(i didn't pay enough attention to it whilst growing), however it's allright... I wouldn't want to damage it any more, because then i would have to consider getting a few inches cut off...
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> Would you use conditioner like normal afterwords?
You could but you have to be carefull about rinsing the residual
medication from your scalp when you rinse out the conditioner. Maybe
a leave-in conditioner would work but I don't have any experience
with them.
> perhaps use a normal one first to get rid of all the oil?
Yes, in my teens and twenties my hair used to be *very* oily. I'd use
a mild shampoo (like baby shampoo) first to get the oil off the scalp
then treat with the tar-based shampoo. Once you cure the iching and
flaking I'd cut back on the tar shampoo as much as possible. Just
keep in mind the more you wash your hair (actually your scalp) the
more you will dry it out which could contribute to flakes.
> Finally, is it possible that a tar-based shampoo would be more
> likely to damage my hair?
It is harsh stuff, no getting around that. I've never had any damage
but then I have thick, straight, and dark hair. There is a way to
minimize the risk. The tar-based shampoo really only has to reach the
scalp to be effective so you can massage it directly into the scalp
and skip the bulk of the hair. Once you get the flaking and iching
under control your use of the tar-based shampoo will be occaisional,
weekly, or even every other week.
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I just got the T/Gel yesterday, left my hair pretty nice... one question though, would it be ok to switch to something like Head and Shoulders after I finish the t-gel b/c this stuff is rather expensive for the amount you get and the smell is not so great.
I just got the T/Gel yesterday, left my hair pretty nice... one question though, would it be ok to switch to something like Head and Shoulders after I finish the t-gel b/c this stuff is rather expensive for the amount you get and the smell is not so great.
Oh and how harsh is Head and Shoulders? If I don't wash every two days or so my hair gets really tangly and curly so I have to use it often, my hair feels great after I shampoo. But am I causing any damage? I really doubt it but I better ask anyway
Most of the time the flaking is caused by bacteria of some kind. Depending on the environment of your head/hair you may be promoting the growth of that bacteria.
Some people on the board turned me on to Nizoral shampoo. It is a bit costly, but you do not have to use the stuff every day. The directions say to use it every 3-4 days for eight weeks, then you're done. After that you only have to use it as needed.
I had changed from shampoo and condition every couple/few days to every day and the flakes diminished a bit, but still did not go away. Then I used the Nizoral as directed and the problem stopped completely in about a week. I have not had the need to use it again...knock on wood. BTW, I still shampoo condition daily.
Give it a try...