Help!
To all my beauty-junky readers, I need your assistance!
I am on Accutane. The main side effect of this drug is intense dryness of everything. I can deal with dry lips, skin, nails, eyes… but I can’t seem to win the battle against dryness on the scalp.
My scalp is so itchy now, when I scratch it it looks like there’s snow falling from my hair! Ick!
It’s not dandruff (which is a fungus that requires treatment of a different kind) merely dry skin, but it is getting the best of me!
I’m not so up-to-speed in the hair department. I was blessed with some incredible blonde tresses that look great natural or in a ponytail, so I’ve never learned how to do my hair. I wash, I brush. The end.
So does anyone have any recommendations on how I can hydrate my scalp and stop the flaking? I figure some sort of oil would be good, but which one and how do I apply it? Are the specific dry scalp products I can use?
Remember, it’s not dandruff so I can’t use anything like Selsun Blue, Head & Shoulders, etc. And I’m not sure if I need a hydrating shampoo/conditioner since those usually focus on the hair strand itself and not the scalp.
Save me from the flakes of DOOM!
6 responses to “Hydrating Treatment for your Scalp?”
Washing your hair less helps (once every 2 days was what I did before I did the water only thing)
Use jojoba oil (similar to your own natural hair oil)
I’ve reduced the hair washing to once every 2-3 days 🙂
Where can I procure some jojoba oil? Is it a common thing to buy? How do I apply it?
I’d second the oil comment. I actually use jojoba oil in my hair (not my scalp but don’t see why it wouldn’t work for that as well). I got it at a health food store so perhaps try that. I am sure the whole foods store downtown would have some as well.
Jojoba oil is your friend. It is fairly cheap at Sally’s and comes in those little vials that you would use for a hot oil treatment. I poured a couple in a bottle with a pointy tip (also from Sally’s) and that makes it easy to apply. Jojoba oil does not turn rancid and a little goes a long way. Good luck.
Just happened by here – my mom suffers with psoriasis – not the same as dry skin exactly but she swears by a Olive Oil treatment to the scalp! Generally does this twice a week, but has been known to do so every night during the summer.
Put directly on scalp, cover with shower cap, sleep, and wash in the morning. Helps the skin hydrate, helps reduce the flaking, and has actually made her hair softer and more luxurious! (She’s been a silver fox for quite some time, and has seen a noticeable improvement in the courseness and dryness of the grey hairs.)
Just something to try – and you can get a bottle in any supermarket – or even your own cupboard at the moment.
Wow, thanks Pam!
I was wondering if I could use olive oil since I DO have some at home already! Thanks for telling me how to use it properly, too!
I’m still going to seek out the jojoba oil but I’m going to try the olive oil until I can find some.
I think the hardest challenge will be finding the little bottles to apply it all with, we don’t have a Sally’s here in Canada for one, and I also don’t know how to do a hot oil treatment–my hair has never needed any help before!