Itchy head that refuses to go away???

[deletetacount123]

I have a skull thats VERY ITCHY, it has been like this for a year and a half and gets worse with some "no itchness moments"
the special shampoo my doctor told me to try made it worse and burned.
THEN he gives me cream which does nothing but makes my hair all gooey (since my hair is in the way lol) but after using the cream for some time, it doesn't seem to be doing ANYTHING.

My shampoos I use every morning is not the cause as Ive been using the same one for years.

When my sister was trimming my hair the other day, she did NOT use anything but her water spray bottle, she reported that my scaple looked angry red and asked if I pulled my hair. I said no.

I am thinking of just shaving off all my hair, SEE WHY its so damn itchy!!!!!!!! lol
Course people would actually kill me if I shaved off my hair..... (yes, they would)

Anyone else know what it is?? :( The special shampoo is to treat the nasty hair bugs we tend to get but that did nothing but BURN STING my head!!

Ah its annoying....... *cries* I shampoo every morning... have to or my hair ends up looking waxy lol (I have fine fair hair)

The area thats VERY itchy is just above the hairline at the back of my head.
Doctor can't see anything...... :( Keeps telling me to use the cream which is more of a waste of money lol (does nothing)

Tasha

[triceratops43]

try using dye and perfume free laundry detergent like Tide Free for your sheets and pillowcases, and also try head & shoulders shampoo. The cause could be more environmental than u think.

[chook]

That just may be your problem Tash,.........washing your hair every morning also washes away the natural oils in your scalp causing it to dry out and become itchy. I would start by washing my hair every second or third day and see if there's any improvement...dont forget shampoo acts like a degreaser on hair.


Cheers Chook :bigrin:

[darkeyes]

Wot kinda itchy head u have chook dear?? tee hee :bigrin:

[littlerayofsunshine]

Ok, First off, what shampoo/conditioner/or combo are you using?
Some hair products have silicone in them and while it causes the hair to appear smoother and fuller, they cling to the porous surfaces of the hair and scalp. Sensitive scalps will become irritated and scaly. Alternate your shampoos, Regular shampoo ( I find a clear Suave works well ) and a dandruff shampoo. Wash your hair 3 times a week, one time being with a dandruff ( selsun blue works best in my opinion) A light conditioner (Dove, my favorite) for example. Or you can find organic shampoo's and conditioners that work great. When applying conditioner, don't apply it to your roots. Roots don't really need it, they start oiling naturally after the hair dries. Don't blow dry unless necessary ( The heat can cook a sensitive scalp). Let your hair air dry and you can style with with products and a heat styler ( curling iron or flat iron). I have a very sensitive scalp and had to find my own thing that worked for me. Most of it listed above. I hate going to the stylist, cause they are so harsh with the blow drying that I normally leave with a scalp burn and have to suffer a week before it starts to heal.

Oh an Tash, It is possible to develope an allergy or reaction to something you have been exposed to for years.

[deletetacount123]

That just may be your problem Tash,.........washing your hair every morning also washes away the natural oils in your scalp causing it to dry out and become itchy. I would start by washing my hair every second or third day and see if there's any improvement...dont forget shampoo acts like a degreaser on hair.


Cheers Chook :bigrin:

Thats just it... if I DON'T wash it that day, it gets all icky and oil/waxy looking. Sticks to my head and doesn't look nice at all!!
Sometimes I don't wash it the next day if I know Im not going anywhere.

I can't wash my hair at night cause then in the morning it looks unwashed (I don't sleep with my hair wet.)

So it seems the only thing to do is wash it every morning.
I was using Herbal Essence for dry/damaged hair.

[deletetacount123]

Ok, First off, what shampoo/conditioner/or combo are you using?
Some hair products have silicone in them and while it causes the hair to appear smoother and fuller, they cling to the porous surfaces of the hair and scalp. Sensitive scalps will become irritated and scaly. Alternate your shampoos, Regular shampoo ( I find a clear Suave works well ) and a dandruff shampoo. Wash your hair 3 times a week, one time being with a dandruff ( selsun blue works best in my opinion) A light conditioner (Dove, my favorite) for example. Or you can find organic shampoo's and conditioners that work great. When applying conditioner, don't apply it to your roots. Roots don't really need it, they start oiling naturally after the hair dries. Don't blow dry unless necessary ( The heat can cook a sensitive scalp). Let your hair air dry and you can style with with products and a heat styler ( curling iron or flat iron). I have a very sensitive scalp and had to find my own thing that worked for me. Most of it listed above. I hate going to the stylist, cause they are so harsh with the blow drying that I normally leave with a scalp burn and have to suffer a week before it starts to heal.

Oh an Tash, It is possible to develope an allergy or reaction to something you have been exposed to for years.


LOL you posted as I was replying to Chook :)
I used Herbal Essence - Dry/Damaged Hair shampoo and cond for several years.... now Im using something from John Freida (sp) for Blondes since Jan (the itchness occured before I switched.)

I NEVER blow dry my hair... I just let it dry naturally on its own. :)

Ya, I think I was allergic to my ex :) lol I wonder if he gave me something tho.....
-- First year together I got Shilings (sp)... which supposely you get if you had chicken pox.... but that itchness occured around my underarms.
-- Second year together..... I got a massive of bubbly red bumps on my legs. They would apper out of nowhere, get VERY itchy... then after a hour or so, disapper. The doctor said I developed an allgery to something but we didn't know what caused it. And it stopped after a year.
-- Third year together... OMG... I got a red spot on my neck but I didn't think much of it, till it started growing, and growing and GROWING!! ahhhhh
realy.. it was like a sunbun right there on my neck and it was going around to behind my ears.

The doctor said THAT was a fungsi (sp) of some sort. Gave me cream to use, it went away after a month of me using the cream. I do wonder if it had gone up on the back of my head since I can't see back there but even if it was, the cream is doing nothing back there.

Now my heads itchy....

I don't think its the shampoo Im using. I think it could be something maybe my ex had that he didn;t know about?? I mean he DID confess to having a lot of one nighters (not always the same person) before we met.

Tasha

[NaughtyNorm]

I also had a very itchy scalp...I went to my regular MD, who sent me to a skin specialist...
That Dr. told me my condition was caused by STRESS...
Many years latter I have had reoccuring periods of itchyiness.
I have learned to look at my life, get rid of, or work through the stress triggers, or problems in my life, such as, money, women, men, wives, jobs, and the list goes on and on.
When I do and work out the stress factors my scalp clears up.
Well it works for me, and is a lot cheaper than a doctors visit.
Norm :cool:

[chook]

Wot kinda itchy head u have chook dear?? tee hee :bigrin:


Fran darling..........you can cratch my little bald headed beauty anytime :tong:


Cheers Chook :bigrin:

[DiamondDog]

It could be dermatitis. Try brushing your hair and using coal tar shampoo like Neutrogena T-Gel or Selsun blue.

[darkeyes]

Fran darling..........you can cratch my little bald headed beauty anytime :tong:


Cheers Chook :bigrin:*shivers*

*giggles*

*sngogs Chook*

[bigirl_inwv]

Tasha, the red spots you were talking about on your neck could have been Tinea Versicolor. I have it. Basically it's caused by a fungus that lives on the skin. It causes redish patches on people who have light skin. Normally, it's worse during the summer or if you lay in a tanning bed. Mine itches like crazy during the summer. Sometimes it does spread, so it's very possible that it could now have spread to your scalp. They usually prescribe a cream for it but there are pills you can take as well.

But it could be something completely different. What do I know?? lol.

[deletetacount123]

Tasha, the red spots you were talking about on your neck could have been Tinea Versicolor. I have it. Basically it's caused by a fungus that lives on the skin. It causes redish patches on people who have light skin. Normally, it's worse during the summer or if you lay in a tanning bed. Mine itches like crazy during the summer. Sometimes it does spread, so it's very possible that it could now have spread to your scalp. They usually prescribe a cream for it but there are pills you can take as well.

But it could be something completely different. What do I know?? lol.

You may have a point :) I'll keep trying the cream :) but I may also ask for pills since they seem easier when the cream seems to get in my hair more than skin lol

Thanks :)

[seafer]

I have a skull thats VERY ITCHY, it has been like this for a year and a half and gets worse with some "no itchness moments"
the special shampoo my doctor told me to try made it worse and burned.
THEN he gives me cream which does nothing but makes my hair all gooey (since my hair is in the way lol) but after using the cream for some time, it doesn't seem to be doing ANYTHING.

My shampoos I use every morning is not the cause as Ive been using the same one for years.

When my sister was trimming my hair the other day, she did NOT use anything but her water spray bottle, she reported that my scaple looked angry red and asked if I pulled my hair. I said no.

I am thinking of just shaving off all my hair, SEE WHY its so damn itchy!!!!!!!! lol
Course people would actually kill me if I shaved off my hair..... (yes, they would)

Anyone else know what it is?? :( The special shampoo is to treat the nasty hair bugs we tend to get but that did nothing but BURN STING my head!!

Ah its annoying....... *cries* I shampoo every morning... have to or my hair ends up looking waxy lol (I have fine fair hair)

The area thats VERY itchy is just above the hairline at the back of my head.
Doctor can't see anything...... :( Keeps telling me to use the cream which is more of a waste of money lol (does nothing)

Tasha

Tasha, what els do you use on your hair besides the shampoo? do you use conditioner? if your hair is as fine as mine is, you have to use conditioner. if so, use it only on the hair strands and not the scalp.. shampoo lightly at the scalp and no condtioner at the scalp. if you shampoo every day, this could be the reason why your scalp is so itchy..
My scalp was really itchy at one point too until I stopped washing daily. and use the condtioner as Im telling you to also.. also use a dandruff shampoo as in selsum blue once a week ONLY and your usual shampoo on the other times..
Try it, maybe it will help.. if not, well I tried.. good luck and you have beautiful hair!!!

[noostoo]

I use this tea tree shampoo bought through a chain health food shop in UK and Ireland:

http://www.desertessence.com/pages/Haircare.html#replenish

It's a US brand so I would imagine it's available in Canada.

Stops my head itching after two days but the itching returns when I stop using it. I've found it better than any medicated brand

[PolyLoveTriad]

Hey Tashaaaaa! I got an idea for you. Ive seen a lot of good ones on here so far. Like the alternating shampoo's, I do that at the end of each bottle, I change to a different one cuz it seems to like remove all the junk that the last one left behind lol

I think the washing it everyday may be part of the problem.

Anyway, I wouldnt personally try the dandruff shampoo cuz it can not only be really harsh on your hair, but on your scalp also. Id would try going to like a natural health store maybe and seeing what shampoos they have there that could be more gentle. Also, you might try a hemp shampoo. My sister uses a Hemp based body and hair shampoo, it has like mint extract in it also and it feels wonderful to use.

But why dont you try using Baby shampoo? Its very gentle, not a lot of chemicals in it, it very well may help if you really need to wash it everyday.

Just cuz youve used the same shampoo for years doesnt mean our bodies dont change. My mom used the same laundry soap, Tide, from when I was born until I was 16. One day I woke up I had hives all over my legs. I itched so bad. After testing to find out what it was that was causing them, it turned out to be the Tide. She switched detergents, the hives went bye bye.

I agree that you should maybe try a different detergent for your sheets and pillow cases and clothes. and a mild shampoo. You can also try putting about 2 teaspoon of apple cidar vinegar in a glass of warm water and pouring that over your head after youve shampoo'd. It can help keep your hair from getting so greasy and use it instead of conditioner, which conditioner can cause your hair to be limp and greasy even though you think youve thoroughly rinsed it.

Ok well try the baby shampoo and let me know how it works out :)

[deletetacount123]

So should I use a different shampoo every time?
A lot of times I just get shampoo & cond that is for dry/damaged hair, sometimes with volume as well.
I do tend to use to much cond...... maybe that is why ??

I seem to HAVE to wash it every day.... if I don't, it starts to look waxy/oily and clings limpy to my head no matter how much I brush. Which is why I wash every day.
Maybe the waxy/oily built up is from using the same shampoo all the time??

Ya, I was allergic to TIDE as a kid so mom never used it. She said it made me break out like crazy. I currently use SUNLIGHT.
Tide's an evil laundry soap :) Everyone Ive personally known has broken out in hives from it and they still claim they are the best laundry soap.... ya right lol

Tasha

[tom_uk]

if you want a great shampoo try

http://www.neutrogena.com/ProductsDetails_62.asp

good luck

tom_uk

[monkeyinboots]

Hey angel,
Sounds like an annoying problem. Could be a concentration of bacteria in which case easiest way to fix it is get down to the doctors for some anti-biotics.
As for shampoos, try find an anti-fungal one with ketoconazole in it. Tea trea shampoos might help a bit with the itching. Don't go shampooing crazy though, you'll over-stimulate your scalp and the sebacious glands.

Anna xx

[seafer]

So should I use a different shampoo every time?
A lot of times I just get shampoo & cond that is for dry/damaged hair, sometimes with volume as well.
I do tend to use to much cond...... maybe that is why ??

I seem to HAVE to wash it every day.... if I don't, it starts to look waxy/oily and clings limpy to my head no matter how much I brush. Which is why I wash every day.
Maybe the waxy/oily built up is from using the same shampoo all the time??

Ya, I was allergic to TIDE as a kid so mom never used it. She said it made me break out like crazy. I currently use SUNLIGHT.
Tide's an evil laundry soap :) Everyone Ive personally known has broken out in hives from it and they still claim they are the best laundry soap.... ya right lol

Tasha

your useing the wrong type of shampoo if it leaves your hair looking waxy after shampooing it daily.. don't use one for dry damaged hair, your hair is not dry or damaged..use one for body.and don't let the conditioner get to your roots.. when i say use a dandruf shampoo, its to cleanse your hair of all the shit in it, as in oils..use it once a week or once a month, whatever is better for you.. its a great stripper, just like baby shampoo.
sorry to tell you this, but when i was in beauty school we did a perm with baby shampoo.. yes its the truth.. thats why you use it to strip the hair of all the shit left in it. its gentle on babies hair because they have no pigment yet, their hair is not as devleoped yet..we also use baking soda mixed with shampoo and dandruff shampoo. call your local beauty school, Ill bet ya they tell you the same..
if you can afford any shampoo, Id suggest useing Pantien sleek, or if your on a budget try useing Sauve. both are good.. good luck again Tasha.. Keep that hair and scalp looking georgious!!

[selfe]

I too have very fine hair and I get itchy in the same area. I suggest stop using shampoo and conditioner for awhile and try using 2 tbsp baking soda to 2 c water, and then used 1/4 c vinegar to 2 c water. I put them in a container and I first use the baking soda and water and finish with the vinegar and water. (It doesn't really smell either) It usually stops the itching and makes my dandruff go away. It will make your hair flat but soft. I tie it back in a pony tail and I never blow dry. It seems to allow the natural oils and PH to go back to "normal"

I don't always do that unless I start to get an itchy head. I do use the vinegar and water solution once or twice a week to strip the chemicals from my hair and then use shampoo and conditioner through out the week. I hope that helps ya if you try it.

S

[Bicuriousity]

Tea tree oil as someone mentioned is now in some herbal shampoos. It is good for this from what my friend said.

Don't use it with open cuts though as tea tree oil is toxic to the liver.

[spartca]

I have a skull thats VERY ITCHY, it has been like this for a year and a half and gets worse with some "no itchness moments"
the special shampoo my doctor told me to try made it worse and burned.
THEN he gives me cream which does nothing but makes my hair all gooey (since my hair is in the way lol) but after using the cream for some time, it doesn't seem to be doing ANYTHING.

My shampoos I use every morning is not the cause as Ive been using the same one for years...

You know, Tasha, it could be that you're actually doing TOO MUCH to your hair and scalp.

Do you exercise? Often I've found that the best way to re-establish the scalp's oil balance is to sweat.

Then I've found that keeping one's scalp and hair clean is not really synonymous with keeping it free of natural oil. Quite to the contrary. But then I'm kind of a hippie lol.

Anyways, the comment about using the same shampoo for many years struck me as interesting. Your body is not a car, for example. It changes and also moves in cycles, and can get quite tired of a specific shampoo for a variety of reasons.

My advice would be to find some nice organic, hopefully vegetarian shampoo and conditioner. Then wait a few days and let the natural oil buid up on your hair, maybe even exercise a bit. Then wash only the roots, and condition only the ends, and only when the hair is truly dirty, not just a little oily from your natural oils. This way you won't be putting a bunch of synthetic or rancid animal-based oil on your scalp, and letting your natural oils re-establish a balance.

That's what I do, and it works for me anyways. Best of luck to you! :)

[deletetacount123]

spartca,

I don't think Im doing TOO MUCH on my hair... I never use products such as hairspray and I don't blowdry either. Once in awhile I get a perm but thats more like every couple years.

I try to exercise but I tend to get bored. I'll be doing great for a week then Im like "I wanna do something else" lol Thats why I would love to find a gf that exercises often so we can be workout buddies to :)
But I try. I made it a point to do some workout durning some of my favortie shows, seems to work ok for now.
And I DO know sweat, while dirty, is actually healthy for our bodies. :)

lol ya, same shampoo for years....
I know it was bad.... your body changes as you get older, what once was "perfect" for your body years ago may be "bad" now.
You make some good points tho :) I'll keep that in mind :)

I do yoga often but course that doesn't really make you sweat....

Thanks guys :)

[spartca]

Have you tried Bikram yoga? It's done in a really hot room, like over 100 degrees. You'll definitely sweat. Too hot for me though! :)

[CountryLover]

This sounds very similar to a condition I had some years back. I self-diagnosed it as seborea, a psoriasis type condition. Big red blotches at the base of my hairline at the top of my neck and also at the edge of my hairline at the top of my forehead. It itched like fury, and started scaling and oozing after a while......VERY unpleasant!

I went to a jojoba shampoo (St Ives used to make a good one) and it would clear up, so I stuck with the jojoba type shampoos for years til one day the blotches just didn't come back.

It's good advice to stop washing your hair every day, and also to switch shampoos regularly.

[deletetacount123]

This sounds very similar to a condition I had some years back. I self-diagnosed it as seborea, a psoriasis type condition. Big red blotches at the base of my hairline at the top of my neck and also at the edge of my hairline at the top of my forehead. It itched like fury, and started scaling and oozing after a while......VERY unpleasant!

I went to a jojoba shampoo (St Ives used to make a good one) and it would clear up, so I stuck with the jojoba type shampoos for years til one day the blotches just didn't come back.

It's good advice to stop washing your hair every day, and also to switch shampoos regularly.

I keep saying this.... i HAVE to wash my hair every day otherwise if I don't, my hair looks all oily/waxy, really limp. No matter how much I brush. and tends to look not clean at all.
The only times I may not wash my hair that day is if Im not going out.

So since I work pretty much every day I need my hair to look nice and clean so I have to wash it.

I did change shampoo last month tho.
Im gonna look up seborea :)

Tasha