Dandruff

dragoriana

MajesticFloof
Thread starter
Top Cat
Joined
Aug 20, 2006
Messages
4,092
Purraise
543
*hides from the evil word*

Well i have to say i am one of the cleanest people i know, and while i know dandruff isn't anything to do with hygeine i still feel icky about it. I've probably had it half my life, it started in high school with all the stress. Since then it's gone up and down. Some time this year between swapping shampoos i started getting one or two hard build ups. If you scratch with your nails or try to comb it out then that spot gets oily. If you see me in public you'd probably never know, i take great pride in my appearance and if i see one flake i freak out and make sure it's not there within a minute. Even if i'm not dressed for an interview or formally and no make up, i still make sure my hair is looking acceptable (not out of vanity, but i was already bullied for my weight and for not fitting in at school, i till get stupid school teens staring at me for not being a typically fashionable skinny young woman, i don't need another thing on the long list)

I was wondering, if anyone here has got it, what is the best remedy. I'm still trying different shampoos and nothing seems to be working. Ive had alot of stress and issues to deal with which isn't helping. Do i use certain essential oils, or should i buy a scalp lotion, should i shave my head and become a monk??

Ooh i feel all yuck for admitting it, i know i'm my own worst enemy lol.
 

Moz

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Jun 6, 2006
Messages
3,244
Purraise
708
Location
Canada
I hate how everyone associates dandruff with being greasy and dirty.


Originally Posted by Dragoriana

should i shave my head and become a monk??


To be honest I just went out and bought one dandruff shampoo at a time and waited until I found a kind that worked well.
 

starryeyedtiger

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Apr 5, 2005
Messages
22,317
Purraise
20
Location
USA
I have psorasis on my scalp. Only place on my body i have it (lucky me
) and when it's out of control -it looks like dandruff -which can be pretty embaressing. It also drives me crazy with the itchiness! The following products are the BEST stuff i've ever used to heal it up! Have you been to a dermatologist to rule out a skin condition?


Ketoconazole Shampoo 2%- it's a prescription- and it is by far the BEST shampoo i've ever used on my scalp to clear up my psorasis!!!! It REALLY works and it doesn't smell bad eithor!! (it's not one of those nasty tar shampoos that doesn't work). It is wonderful for my sensitive scalp!!!!! nutrogena, head & shoulders, selsan blue- all that stuff was a waste in my book- none of it worked!

When i'm not using my prescription i've started using Godiva solid shampoo by Lush www.lush.com- it's amazing- it keeps my scalp in great shape too and smells soo lovely!! I also like Organix shampoo & conditioners (the coconute milk is my fav!) -you can find it at most grocery stores in the US, and Target/Walmart.


I also use Betamethasone Valerate Lotion .1% -prescription as well- i use it after i condition and my hair dries when my scalp gets really irritated. it's great too- doesn't make your hair look greasy/oily at all!!! This and the presription shampoo keep my scalp under control and looking great!!!
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #4

dragoriana

MajesticFloof
Thread starter
Top Cat
Joined
Aug 20, 2006
Messages
4,092
Purraise
543
Hrm how does the solid shampoo actually work? Do you rub it on your head, or lather it up in your hand? It confuffles me! I tried some of their soap (lemslip and coalface) months ago and they were wonderful for my skin.

I remembered now that soak & float is the dandruff one, i'm wary of using any soaps/shampoos that aren't specifically for this problem
 

starryeyedtiger

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Apr 5, 2005
Messages
22,317
Purraise
20
Location
USA
Originally Posted by Dragoriana

Hrm how does the solid shampoo actually work? Do you rub it on your head, or lather it up in your hand? It confuffles me! I tried some of their soap (lemslip and coalface) months ago and they were wonderful for my skin.

I remembered now that soak & float is the dandruff one, i'm wary of using any soaps/shampoos that aren't specifically for this problem
Yea- you wet your hair then hold the puck under water for a second and then rub it in your hair (about 3-4 strokes is all you need.) Godiva lathers really well! Also it lasts much longer than a regular shampoo bottle if you let it dry after each use!
It's soooo gentle on my scalp- it really keeps flakes at bay!
It's also got less chemicals in it than other store products and they don't test on animals
Give it a try!

I've never tried soak & float -i have no desire too as most charcole (sp?) products i've tried on my scalp only irritate it- i stick to my prescriptions when i need a little extra help
Some of the people on the Lush forums swear by it though!

Also- do you heat dry your hair often with a blow dryer? If so- that can make your scalp more irritated-you may want to start letting it air dry a little more often. Dying it frequently can make it irritated as well.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #6

dragoriana

MajesticFloof
Thread starter
Top Cat
Joined
Aug 20, 2006
Messages
4,092
Purraise
543
Originally Posted by StarryEyedTiGeR

Yea- you wet your hair then hold the puck under water for a second and then rub it in your hair (about 3-4 strokes is all you need.) Godiva lathers really well! Also it lasts much longer than a regular shampoo bottle if you let it dry after each use!
It's soooo gentle on my scalp- it really keeps flakes at bay!
It's also got less chemicals in it than other store products and they don't test on animals
Give it a try!

I've never tried soak & float -i have no desire too as most charcole (sp?) products i've tried on my scalp only irritate it- i stick to my prescriptions when i need a little extra help
Some of the people on the Lush forums swear by it though!

Also- do you heat dry your hair often with a blow dryer? If so- that can make your scalp more irritated-you may want to start letting it air dry a little more often. Dying it frequently can make it irritated as well.
I never use a hair dryer, even though i have a really nice one in new condition lol..it's all lonely in my bathroom cabinet. I do dye it maybe once every six months, i'm not one to do the touch ups every 6 weeks as they say you should.
 

starryeyedtiger

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Apr 5, 2005
Messages
22,317
Purraise
20
Location
USA
Originally Posted by Dragoriana

I never use a hair dryer, even though i have a really nice one in new condition lol..it's all lonely in my bathroom cabinet. I do dye it maybe once every six months, i'm not one to do the touch ups every 6 weeks as they say you should.
Maybe ask your doctor about the presciptions i mentioned and see if they'd be a good match for you- they've been amazing on my scalp and keep my flake free
Maybe it would help you! In the mean time though- Godiva is great- and it's fun to use!
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #8

dragoriana

MajesticFloof
Thread starter
Top Cat
Joined
Aug 20, 2006
Messages
4,092
Purraise
543
Originally Posted by StarryEyedTiGeR

Maybe ask your doctor about the presciptions i mentioned and see if they'd be a good match for you- they've been amazing on my scalp and keep my flake free
Maybe it would help you! In the mean time though- Godiva is great- and it's fun to use!
Okey dokey artichokey
 

weldrwomn

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Nov 2, 2006
Messages
2,136
Purraise
11
Location
In the snow!!!!
Since I moved out here to this othewise flat and rather landlocked state of Ohio, I have had the worst dandruff of my life. I never had a problem with it until I came out here


I tried every OTC shampoo and treatment but nothing worked, so I went to the dermatologist. He calls it some sort of dermatitis (pretty sure that is just a medical word for dandruff
) I have tried the Ketoconazole shampoo, as well as a ton of other stuff. Nothing has really worked for an extended period of time. My scalp is horribly itchy with large flakes. If I don't do anything to treat it, the flakes turn into this horrible waxy buildup. It is really driving me crazy because I would like to actually be able to style my hair and not have flakes. I don't use a hair dryer and I don't apply conditioner to my scalp. The only way I can wear my hair is in a ponytail because I can at least manage to get most of the flakes that show out of my hair. I got so frusterated at not being able to do anything with my hair that in May, I donated 2ft to Locks of Love. Now it is shoulder length, but I still can't do anything with it


Sorry for the extended vent
 

fwan

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Dec 5, 2004
Messages
13,279
Purraise
2
Location
Australia
I have two tips for you.

Instead of washing your hair, find a shampoo that isnt too harsh, usually Head and Shoulders is very harsh, but if it works for you try doing it another method.

Leave hair dry, start to part it, in each part rub some shampoo into scalp, not into hair. The hair isn't the problem, Its the silly scalp!

Alternatively, use baby shampoo or Nivea day face cream.

It does take a while between parting and rubbing it takes about 30 minutes or so. Then let it set for an extra 20 minutes, then wash hair with your normal shampoo.

For me this was the only method to get the dandruff out and settle it!

Also using a flea brush gets out the flakes!
 

sharky

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Jan 30, 2005
Messages
27,231
Purraise
38
Are you on a Omega faty acid supplement>>>???
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #12

dragoriana

MajesticFloof
Thread starter
Top Cat
Joined
Aug 20, 2006
Messages
4,092
Purraise
543
If you're asking me, no. Why?
 

cazlee

TCS Member
Adult Cat
Joined
Oct 20, 2007
Messages
171
Purraise
13
Location
Florida
See a dermatologist to find out why you have dandruff. Most dandruff shampoos aren't going to do much for psorarisis and eczema type conditions.

I strongly suggest switching to an organic shampoo with a small ingredients list. The more crap in shampoos, the more stuff that's in it to dry out and aggravate your skin, the more flakes you're likely to notice. Lots of bubbles don't necessarily = clean. Sodium laureth sulfate, a common surfactant, is a common irritant to people with sensitive skin.

I get eczema, REALLY embarrassing. It itches so bad and flakes so bad it turns into these scaly spots on my scalp (thank GOD I donâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]t lose the hair where I get these patches, that would be mortifying, as shallow as it sounds)

Itâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s a game of trial and error to find something that doesnâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]t bother you. Your skin is itâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s own organism, and what may work for us might not work for you. Avoid over washing your hair - Paradoxically, water dries out your skin, scalp and hair, which will exacerbate flakes. Depending on your specific scalp type, you really only need to wash your hair every other day to every 3 days, or even more.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #14

dragoriana

MajesticFloof
Thread starter
Top Cat
Joined
Aug 20, 2006
Messages
4,092
Purraise
543
I do wash my hair every 2-3 days, i still go out to jobsearch meetings, seeing Tristan, doing this and that, but while i'm not working i don't need to clean my hair every day.

I've tried organic shampoo and it didn't work. Something changed this year when i swapped shampoos, but i don't remember when exactly. I'm just going to see how i go with this H&S again
 

natalie_ca

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Jul 2, 2006
Messages
21,136
Purraise
223
Location
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

aussie_dog

TCS Member
Super Cat
Joined
Feb 23, 2004
Messages
1,121
Purraise
28
Location
Alberta, Canada
I'm not quite sure how/why it works, but I've found that when I use only Jake's dog shampoo (Earthbath, which is an organic shampoo; it has a conditioner that I use too). I have some issues with dandruff and "skin chunks," and sometimes the itching keeps me from sleep (for some reason, my scalp gets itchy only at nighttime). So, just to experiment (and to see what would happen to the hair itself), I decided to forgo the human shampoos and start using only the dog shampoo and conditioner. After a few weeks, I noticed a change. My hair was shiny and looked great, my scalp cleared up and was no longer itchy and I couldn't find the skin clumps (I admit it, I got addicted to picking at them, lol), and I was losing less hair than on the human shampoos. As a plus, I can use less of the dog shampoo because it lathers much more easily than human shampoo. Just a little bit gets my whole mass of thick curly hair lathered up. Sometimes I have to use a whole palmful of human shampoo to get a lather started up (which sucks). Eventually, though, I did run out and I haven't gotten more, and I'm already noticing a different. I'm losing a LOT of hair now (if I run my fingers through my hair, there will be at least 1-3 strands of hair between each finger. Ugh. Thank goodness I have lots and lots and lots of hair to spare, lol). And the itchiness and flaking has started up again. Double ugh.

So I'm going to get more dog shampoo again, and this time I'm going to try a different scent (the one I was using before was Tea Tree Oil, but I want to use the Orange/Mango scent. Mmmmm!). Plus, my dog is starting to get that funky wet-dog smell... lol (fyi, Earthbath is a great dog shampoo; I've noticed better results on Jake's coat and skin than I've seen with any of the shampoos I've gotten from the pet store. I buy Earthbath at the holistic pet food store I buy the animals' raw food at. The shampoo is holistic, with organic ingredients, with NO testing on animals, and it's biodegradable. The creator of the stuff even uses it on her own hair too, lol)
 

lunasmom

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Sep 7, 2005
Messages
8,801
Purraise
12
Location
Jersey Shore
Have you tried skipping showers (i.e. shower every other day) at all? Perhaps your skin just needs to reoil itself.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #18

dragoriana

MajesticFloof
Thread starter
Top Cat
Joined
Aug 20, 2006
Messages
4,092
Purraise
543
Originally Posted by lunasmom

Have you tried skipping showers (i.e. shower every other day) at all? Perhaps your skin just needs to reoil itself.
That is what i mean with washing hair every 2-3 days, i don't shower every day.


BtW Aussie_dog i just read it is normal for us to lose up to 100 hairs a day
 

aussie_dog

TCS Member
Super Cat
Joined
Feb 23, 2004
Messages
1,121
Purraise
28
Location
Alberta, Canada
Originally Posted by Dragoriana

That is what i mean with washing hair every 2-3 days, i don't shower every day.


BtW Aussie_dog i just read it is normal for us to lose up to 100 hairs a day
Oh, I do believe it's normal, but there's a vast difference between the amount of hair I lose on Garnier Fructis and Earthbath. Human shampoo makes me lose handfuls several times a day, while if I grab some hair when I've been using Earthbath, I come away with maybe two strands. I know that people do tend to lose more hair when they're using stuff like Pantene, though.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #20

dragoriana

MajesticFloof
Thread starter
Top Cat
Joined
Aug 20, 2006
Messages
4,092
Purraise
543
Originally Posted by Aussie_Dog

Oh, I do believe it's normal, but there's a vast difference between the amount of hair I lose on Garnier Fructis and Earthbath. Human shampoo makes me lose handfuls several times a day, while if I grab some hair when I've been using Earthbath, I come away with maybe two strands. I know that people do tend to lose more hair when they're using stuff like Pantene, though.
That's weird, and kind of scary
 
Top