Sunday, March 6, 2011

Hair Dilemma: Dry Scalp

WHAT ELSE CAN I DO?!?!

I am struggling to maintain a healthy moisture filled head of hair. I've given oil treatments, I use leave-in conditioners, I sparingly wash my hair...but I still get horribly scaly dry scalp and dandruff.

I don't know what else I should try. In the past (when I had a perm), I would grease my scalp and all would be well with the world. However, every blog, hairstylist, and naturalista tell you NOT to use grease or petroleum based products in your hair. But they WORKED! Or am I just imagining a more glorified hair when I had a perm in?

Last week Saturday I gave myself a full day deep condition with olive oil, and by Tuesday I had the scales...and that was after I spent a good hour scratching my scalp to bring up the dandruff that made the bathroom look like a snow storm had hit!!

Today after washing, I put a small amount of my old faithful, Tea Tree hair grease (name escapes me) in to my scalp before I braided it with my usual Cantu leave-in. But already I can hair all the naturalists screaming into my subconscious, "Oooo, you used grease, I'm gonna tell on you!!!"

Sigh! While my hair is thriving and new growth is evident, my scalp is a whole other issue...

5 comments:

Unknown said...

Hey Pheebs!!! You should get in touch with Arlette about this matter. She's been natural for over a year and may have some answers for you. You can also talk to Shavone and Sandy. They've both been natural for a few years now. I have a lot of respect for all of you who can go natural. That's a lot of work!!!!

Anonymous said...

Hey - Girl grease your hair! It is ok to grease your scalp just stay away from petrolatum, petroleum, and mineral oil - those ingredients are better for relaxed hair. Parabens should be avoided to if u can but that is a little harder. I use shea butter, made by this guy it is creamy and whipped, organics products made by Africa's Best and olive oil. Everybody claims to be the expert but hair is not the same. Find what works for you. But try the products I mentioned they work for my dry scalp and hair. Try satinblends website (a friend of mine)

Anonymous said...

I'm sorry but i'm gonna have to disagree with the past two ladies. I've been natural for 15 years and spent too much of the time thinking that what I needed was more product and greasing my scalp.

I suspect that it's not dry scalp at all but product build up, especially when looking at the things that you've described using.

Have you been doing any clarifying washes between this? If not, then I can almost guarantee what you're describing is product build up.

Also, using oils and your scalp is NOT NECESSARY as your scalp produces sebum naturally. When you do hot oil treatments and the like you should NOT apply it to your scalp, but to the hair.

Wash your hair with diluted shampoo and a couple tablespoons of baking soda. Scrub your scalp clean. Follow with diluted Apple Cider Vinegar (I say about a quarter cup of ACV to about a shampoo bottle's worth of water). DO NOT RINSE. Apply conditioner, let it set, THEN rinse out the conditioner and ACV. You can't do a baking soda wash w/o ACV b/c they need to balance each other out. Also the ACV before the conditioner opens your cuticle for the conditioner to really penetrate.

Do this at least once a month but no more than twice. I guarantee your scalp problems will be solved.

For god's sake do NOT put shea butter or anything like that on your scalp. That's just asking for flare up and even more build up/scalp issues. smh

Califabulous said...

Hi! have you heard about the Apple cider vinegar rinse(ACV)? Look it up and research it. I recently tried it for the first time and my hair freakin changed. it retained moisture like never before and my scalp felt amazing!! seriously look into it. you have to dilute it very well like 6:1 ratio water/ACV and only leave on 5 min or so. I am going to do it again. I had THE dryest scalp ever. and I am 3weeks post my first AVC and the scalp is drying again. So I am going to keep at it and see what happens. good luck!

Califabulous said...

AND i just learned a tip from the previous comment! thanks liberationtheory!