Itchy Scalp Help

same problem - particularly during allergy/flowering season - wash hair : itch - don't wash hair : itch .
there is some tar-based shampoo that might help but can also have nasty side effects - and it also stinks - it's tar .
so , scratch , scratch it is .
let me know if you find a solution .
short hair makes scratching easier ...

Hi hamburgboy,
I have no allergies (that I'm aware of) and have used a few bottles of the tar-based shampoo called "T/Gel Shampoo Original Formula" to no avail. See here http://www.tgel.com/US/products/scalp-therapy.aspx

I found this here...

Honey is great for many reasons and some may apply to hair. One study on dandruff treatment gave some great insights into this (Eur J Med Res 2001, pg 306-308,2001). They used a mix of 90% crude honey in water applied on the affected area and left for 3 hours. They showed that honey

1. Stopped itching in one week
2. Stopped scaling in one week
3. Skin lesions (places where the skin had been cut) healed within 2 weeks
4. Patients thought that hair loss associated with the dandruff had improved
5. Honey treated patients showed no relapse after 6 months

Honey is thought to do this because
1. It has antibacterial and antifungal properties
2. It has antioxidant properties

So there we go, honey is good stuff!

it's supposed to work - also for itchy feet - put socks over the feet after rubbing with honey .
still , three hours of a head of honey - watch the flies buzzing .

recommendations from the mayo clinic :

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/dandruff/DS00456

stress can bring on itchy scalp ... but also many other things can cause itching .

OK I will try it today! I've got "Hay Meadow Honey Unpasteurized product of Canada" however I wonder how the hell I am going to get the stuff out! By the way I've tried lots of Tea Tree Oil (and Neem Oil) to no avail so I'm not sure what additional benefit the honey would be in terms of antibacterial and antifungal action as compared to Tea Tree Oil and/or Neem Oil.

My scalp is not “red or swollen” and I do not have “white, oily looking flakes of dead skin that dot your hair and shoulders” (sic).

How long have you had the problem?

Can you think of anything that might have changed or been introduced into your life at about the same time the itching began? For instance, did you change laundry detergents or fabric softeners? If you towel dry your hair, these could be factors. Did you start any new medications, or start taking any new over the counter products? Did you buy a new hairbrush?

I had a problem with itchy scalp a very long time ago. In my case, I was reacting to hair care/hair coloring products. I found it helpful to wash my hair often with a very mild baby shampoo. These products contain non of the irritants often found in shampoos for adults.

I'm sorry you have to wait so long to see a doctor. Is there no way you could get to see someone, like a dermatologist, any sooner? It is a very annoying problem and it would be better if you could get relief sooner.

Warm up the water in the microwave and then add the honey so it can dissolve
better. After the 3 hours you just wash it out and leave the hair untreated overnight.

@ Hamburger, it's probably wise to do it indoors and at night. Otherwise you
could wear one of these net covered hats that the bee keepers wear, hehe.

Hi firefly,

It started a few years ago and was easily alleviated with the usual shampoos (some of which I've referred to earlier), no diet, lifestyle or environmental changes (that appear to have a causal link ). I'll be contacting the specialists to see if there are any earlier time slots/cancellations.

I'm thinking of adding a vitamin supplement to my diet (for what it's worth) however some argue all it does it produce expensive pee!

OK sounds easily doable with no real downside, obliged!

You could just be a borderline diabetic. Itchiness in the scalp and back are sides associated with onset diabetes.

I hope not but I'll look into it further, I'm going for a bunch of blood-work so perhaps something will indicate this as a possible; it sucks being a short-lived disease-prone primate!

I stopped using shampoo over a year ago. I read all about the no poo movement and decided to give it a go. There are many sites on the net that have peoples testimonials.
My hair never gets oily anymore.
I shower daily, but I now wash my hair with 1-2 egg yolks (depending on the size of the yolk) once a week. I use a sea salt scrub twice a month to lift up the dead skin. I rinse my hair with a diluted mix of cider vinegar. And I use a very, very thin mixture of baking soda if my hair seems dirty. I've never tried honey, but I might.
I know this sounds gross but I defy anyone to tell the difference. My hair used to be dull, lifeless and I was always itchy. It is now shiny, healthy and curlier than it has ever been and my skin has improved too.
Shampoo is a relatively new phenomenon. When it was invented... it was suggested that people use it once a week, but then it became a daily necessity. The more you use shampoo, the more natural oils are stripped, the more the body will produce oil to compensate. With all the chemicals, colouring and so on it's not really all that healthy.
Look it up, read about it and decide for yourself. It's not for everyone. I went camping last summer and everyone kept commenting on the fact that my hair looked great even with the lack of showers and why was that. When i told them, they couldn't believe it.

I am eagerly listening to this thread. I have psoriasis and my itchy scalp is a pain in the ... well you know.

I do notice when I walk home from work on a sunny day, my skin (my psoriasis around my body) even the areas not exposed to the sun (including my scalp) does improve somewhat. So I guess a moderate amount of sun and perhaps vitamin D might help.

Or we could all go with the Ghost Rider method of clearing away all types of scalp itchiness:

Read the ingredients on shampoo bottles. Do not buy any shampoo containing ingredients whose first word is laurel or lauryth. They are a class of chemicals that are better labeled sulfates. Originally industrial cleaners, these ingredients tend to block pores, creating more oiliness and dandruff.

I haven't given up on shampoo (I still use the all natural shampoo bars from Lush) but I have started to practice only washing my hair once every 2 to 3 days in order to see if my own scalp and hair repairs itself with its natural oils.

I'm a tad too lazy to go the lengths that you go through Ceili but it does sound quite credible. Could you bottle and sell me some of your homemade hair concoction?

It was probably the sulfates in the shampoo.

Hi Ceili,
I've (somewhat) looked into the non-sulfate homemade natural alternatives to commercial shampoos, much obliged!

All I have done in this regard is use up half a 32 ounce bottle of "Dr. Brommer's Unscented Baby Mild Hemp Pure Castile Soap" (liquid) because it's the main ingredient in some of the homemade natural shampoo recipes I've read on the Internet.

It did not really help...perhaps Castile soap is also sulfate based, anyone know with certainty?

See here http://www.drbronner.com/DBMS/OLBA32/BabyMildLiquid%20Soap.htm