DD's Itchy Scalp

N

natumer

Active Member
Hi Ladies,

I need your help. My 11 year old daughter has extremely dry and itch scalp. I have only used more natural products like shea butter, coconut oil, jojoba, tea tree oil, and castor on her hair. I gave used these past products in to wash her hair: mud wash, trader joes, and black soap recently. I use an over-the-counter anti-dandruff medicated shampoo too at times.

Nothing seems to work to relieve her, the only relief seems to be for one or two days at most. I don't know what else to do at this point. She is constantly, (I mean CONSTANTLY!!!) tapping her head because of the itch, or wants me to help her scratch it.

She is also very sensitive in her scalp and complains a lot as soon as I touch her hair no matter how gentle I am. She has lost a whole lot oh hair in the past 7 months. I was just looking at an old picture to realize how bad it was she went from about bra-stap to almost shoulder length in this period!!!

I don't know what else to do:

Wash her more often? Every 2 days? Now it's weekly.

Take her to a dermatologist? How do I find the right doctor for this problem? I am in Atlanta.

Any products that can be recommended?

Any one ever dealt with this?

Please help!
 
:hugs: From one parent of a sensitive child. My daughter dislikes having her hair done. And sometimes fake the pain to avoid it. My son had some scalp issues.

I would suggest doing a diluted apple cider vinegar hair rinse. Pour in bottle, Add a 3 drops of peppermint, 2 drops of tea tree and 3 drops of lavender essential oil in the bottle. Shake and spray on scalp then massage. Rinse out. Whole foods sell essential oils or get them from vitacost.

Add the same mix to your unscented leave in spray. Oils - virgin coconut, olive oil, hemp seed oil, castor oil.

I had to stop any shampoo with sls and junk. California baby is what I use. Also menthol or sulfur might help. Hopefully someone from Atlanta can chime in with a good dermatologist.
 
lenu80 said:
:hugs: From one parent of a sensitive child. My daughter dislikes having her hair done. And sometimes fake the pain to avoid it. My son had some scalp issues. I would suggest doing a diluted apple cider vinegar hair rinse. Pour in bottle, Add a 3 drops of peppermint, 2 drops of tea tree and 3 drops of lavender essential oil in the bottle. Shake and spray on scalp then massage. Rinse out. Whole foods sell essential oils or get them from vitacost. Add the same mix to your unscented leave in spray. Oils - virgin coconut, olive oil, hemp seed oil, castor oil. I had to stop any shampoo with sls and junk. California baby is what I use. Also menthol or sulfur might help. Hopefully someone from Atlanta can chime in with a good dermatologist.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the hugs! I have done ACV rinse before but not consistently. Thank you for sharing your regimen. How often did you wash/rinse or use the spray?
 
I am similar to your dd. I know its frustrating to both of you.

My thoughts are its probably an allergic reaction to something (s). The scalp build up could be like an allergic reaction or even scalp eczema.

Speaking of, does she have regular allergies?
 
It sounds like an inflammatory/allergy problem. I would take her to a derm and they can see if she has anything like eczema or seborrheic dermatitis
 
My daughter had been having the same issue. I realized that her scalp does not like anything with coconut oil in it. Also, the leave in that I was using was leaving a film on her scalp and causing her to itch. I also tried Keracare's Itchy Scalp shampoo and that seems to help.
 
How do you normally style her hair? That could be important to understand her scalp. If her hair is being braided tightly, heat from pressing or there has been extension use, young scalps reject this. If not then there could be an allergic reaction or inflammation which would require the assistance of a dermatologist.

Her scalp seems off balance.

Try adding a drop or two of tea tree oil to her shampoo. But do not mix it in the shampoo bottle or it could go rancid, just take out the portion you will shampoo her hair with and add the tea tree oil to it. But be careful with tea tree it is a strong oil so only one small drop or two. It has an antiseptic effect.

When a scalp is inflamed or having issues, it is important not to clog her scalp with oils. The scalp must be kept clean to prevent build up.

Best,
Almond Eyes
 
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DarkJoy said:
I am similar to your dd. I know its frustrating to both of you.

My thoughts are its probably an allergic reaction to something (s). The scalp build up could be like an allergic reaction or even scalp eczema.

Speaking of, does she have regular allergies?
Click to expand...

Foxglove said:
It sounds like an inflammatory/allergy problem. I would take her to a derm and they can see if she has anything like eczema or seborrheic dermatitis
Click to expand...


Yeah at this point that's why I am thinking it may be something more. Hopefully the Dermatologist can determine or rule out allergies or eczema. She was tested when she was much older for allergies but did not have any, but I guess this different. Also, she did have dry skin when she was a toddler acted somewhat like a light eczema but she outgrew it. Wonder if somehow it is reacting on her scalp but not so much on the rest of her skin.

Thanks for bringing these points.
 
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Cutiepie7691 said:
My daughter had been having the same issue. I realized that her scalp does not like anything with coconut oil in it. Also, the leave in that I was using was leaving a film on her scalp and causing her to itch. I also tried Keracare's Itchy Scalp shampoo and that seems to help.
Click to expand...

I do wonder about coconut oil. Is that the reaction she would have if coconut oil doesn't agree with her? I don't apply anything to her scalp anymore only to her hair and ends. She has a lot of dry/dandruff like flakes all over no matter how clean I get it during wash sessions they come right back. Sigh.

I will stop the coconut and see how she does.

Thanks!
 
almond eyes said:
How do you normally style her hair? That could be important to understand her scalp. If her hair is being braided tightly, heat from pressing or there has been extension use, young scalps reject this. If not then there could be an allergic reaction or inflammation which would require the assistance of a dermatologist.

Her scalp seems off balance.

Try adding a drop or two of tea tree oil to her shampoo. But do not mix it in the shampoo bottle or it could go rancid, just take out the portion you will shampoo her hair with and add the tea tree oil to it. But be careful with tea tree it is a strong oil so only one small drop or two. It has an antiseptic effect.

When a scalp is inflamed or having issues, it is important not to clog her scalp with oils. The scalp must be kept clean to prevent build up.

Best,
Almond Eyes
Click to expand...

She has never worn extensions, I usually braid her (cornrows), ponytails, or buns; lately she has been wearing more buns. Her hair is not usually tight as she is very sensitive and let me know really quickly if anything is tight. I only pressed her hair maybe 3 times a year, and blowed dry about that same. Something is definitely off balance with her scalp, the itchiness and the hair loss show that something is wrong. I no longer apply oils to her scalp to avoid product buildup, but it still accumulates a lot of flaky build up in a short time frame. I have also used both sulfur and tea tree but they don't seem to have much of a lasting effect.

Still not sure what's causing this but will take all the suggestions I received and see how it goes. Feel free to add on any additional comments to this mystery.

Thanks!
 
natumer said:
She has never worn extensions, I usually braid her (cornrows), ponytails, or buns; lately she has been wearing more buns. Her hair is not usually tight as she is very sensitive and let me know really quickly if anything is tight. I only pressed her hair maybe 3 times a year, and blowed dry about that same. Something is definitely off balance with her scalp, the itchiness and the hair loss show that something is wrong. I no longer apply oils to her scalp to avoid product buildup, but it still accumulates a lot of flaky build up in a short time frame. I have also used both sulfur and tea tree but they don't seem to have much of a lasting effect.

Still not sure what's causing this but will take all the suggestions I received and see how it goes. Feel free to add on any additional comments to this mystery.

Thanks!
Click to expand...

Sorry to hear about your daughter's scalp. The hair loss indicates something more serious so it is better that you take your daughter to a dermatologist but they end up prescribing something harsh that might make the situation worse. She could have an inflammation which could be caused by allergy to the products and scalp build up or irritation. In the meantime, you are correct in being very gentle and not using any oils to clog the scalp. She could be allergic to one of the products you are using on her hair. i would say stick to the tea tree in the shampoo but only use a drop because the stuff is mind boggling strong and try washing her hair with it once a week and spritz for everyday styling but be careful with the use of the comb as it touches her scalp.

When did this problem begin with the itching and what did you notice around that time in terms of her hair?

Best,
Almond Eyes
 
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almond eyes said:
Sorry to hear about your daughter's scalp. The hair loss indicates something more serious so it is better that you take your daughter to a dermatologist but they end up prescribing something harsh that might make the situation worse. She could have an inflammation which could be caused by allergy to the products and scalp build up or irritation. In the meantime, you are correct in being very gentle and not using any oils to clog the scalp. She could be allergic to one of the products you are using on her hair. i would say stick to the tea tree in the shampoo but only use a drop because the stuff is mind boggling strong and try washing her hair with it once a week and spritz for everyday styling but be careful with the use of the comb as it touches her scalp.

When did this problem begin with the itching and what did you notice around that time in terms of her hair?

Best,
Almond Eyes
Click to expand...

Thanks Almond Eyes. You know I am kind of ashamed to say this but I think she probably started itching about 2 years ago, a long time! I saw it as a very bad habit, and she needed to control herself... I knew her hair was washed well, no products used on her scalp, and only natural homemade products used for the most part. Plus we all washed at the same time (her 2 sisters and myself) somehow I could not understand she would have such a need to scratch :(.

I think the hair loss over the past 7 months also made me start taking this more seriously. I was not sure what to do anymore for the itching, but the hair loss made me see something is really wrong. So it finally occurred to me that maybe a dermatologist could help shed light on this mystery.

Thank you for making me think back. I wonder about the mud wash, it does well in de tangling the hair but I stopped using earlier this year in case it was not cleansing her scalp properly. I switched to Trader Joes Tea Tree, I tried the over the counters medicated shampoo after that, and more recently black soap.

I don't like having her on strong medication, but I am desperate at this time. I wondered if it was ringworm getting out of hand for going untreated, that's why I finally thought about seeing the doctor. But I don't think it maybe since she doesn't have any bold spots. At any rate she has one scheduled for the end of the month. I am just not really sure about the doctor, I really was hoping to use a Black Female. Do you think it would matter? Is there a way to search for a doctor so specifically?

Thanks again.
 
natumer said:
Thanks Almond Eyes. You know I am kind of ashamed to say this but I think she probably started itching about 2 years ago, a long time! I saw it as a very bad habit, and she needed to control herself... I knew her hair was washed well, no products used on her scalp, and only natural homemade products used for the most part. Plus we all washed at the same time (her 2 sisters and myself) somehow I could not understand she would have such a need to scratch :(.

I think the hair loss over the past 7 months also made me start taking this more seriously. I was not sure what to do anymore for the itching, but the hair loss made me see something is really wrong. So it finally occurred to me that maybe a dermatologist could help shed light on this mystery.

Thank you for making me think back. I wonder about the mud wash, it does well in de tangling the hair but I stopped using earlier this year in case it was not cleansing her scalp properly. I switched to Trader Joes Tea Tree, I tried the over the counters medicated shampoo after that, and more recently black soap.

I don't like having her on strong medication, but I am desperate at this time. I wondered if it was ringworm getting out of hand for going untreated, that's why I finally thought about seeing the doctor. But I don't think it maybe since she doesn't have any bold spots. At any rate she has one scheduled for the end of the month. I am just not really sure about the doctor, I really was hoping to use a Black Female. Do you think it would matter? Is there a way to search for a doctor so specifically?

Thanks again.
Click to expand...

A black woman doctor might be more sympathetic to your daughter and work harder to find a solution.
 
natumer said:
Thanks Almond Eyes. You know I am kind of ashamed to say this but I think she probably started itching about 2 years ago, a long time! I saw it as a very bad habit, and she needed to control herself... I knew her hair was washed well, no products used on her scalp, and only natural homemade products used for the most part. Plus we all washed at the same time (her 2 sisters and myself) somehow I could not understand she would have such a need to scratch :(.

I think the hair loss over the past 7 months also made me start taking this more seriously. I was not sure what to do anymore for the itching, but the hair loss made me see something is really wrong. So it finally occurred to me that maybe a dermatologist could help shed light on this mystery.

Thank you for making me think back. I wonder about the mud wash, it does well in de tangling the hair but I stopped using earlier this year in case it was not cleansing her scalp properly. I switched to Trader Joes Tea Tree, I tried the over the counters medicated shampoo after that, and more recently black soap.

I don't like having her on strong medication, but I am desperate at this time. I wondered if it was ringworm getting out of hand for going untreated, that's why I finally thought about seeing the doctor. But I don't think it maybe since she doesn't have any bold spots. At any rate she has one scheduled for the end of the month. I am just not really sure about the doctor, I really was hoping to use a Black Female. Do you think it would matter? Is there a way to search for a doctor so specifically?

Thanks again.
Click to expand...

Sorry for the late reply. I was running around today like crazy.

It is good that you were able to catch it now, that is the most important thing. I think your daughter may need some blood tests just to make sure things are fine and the loss of hair and itching is not a more serious condition like something auto immune. It could be inflammation of the scalp which my cousin had but she needed to get blood tests to determine this. She was terrified and thought she has lupus but thank God it wasn't. She is on medication and things are improving.

Best,
Almond Eyes
 
almond eyes said:
Sorry for the late reply. I was running around today like crazy.

It is good that you were able to catch it now, that is the most important thing. I think your daughter may need some blood tests just to make sure things are fine and the loss of hair and itching is not a more serious condition like something auto immune. It could be inflammation of the scalp which my cousin had but she needed to get blood tests to determine this. She was terrified and thought she has lupus but thank God it wasn't. She is on medication and things are improving.

Best,
Almond Eyes
Click to expand...


'Tis the time of year for us to be running around, that was the kind of day I had as well :yep:

Thanks for alerting me about the blood test. I have an appointment scheduled for her next Friday, I will be sure to bring that up to make sure everything is addressed. I am very anxious to hear what the doctor will have to say, hoping that we can determine what the problem is very quickly.

Thanks again Almond Eyes!
 
natumer said:
'Tis the time of year for us to be running around, that was the kind of day I had as well :yep:

Thanks for alerting me about the blood test. I have an appointment scheduled for her next Friday, I will be sure to bring that up to make sure everything is addressed. I am very anxious to hear what the doctor will have to say, hoping that we can determine what the problem is very quickly.

Thanks again Almond Eyes!
Click to expand...

Most welcome. Good luck. And God Bless the situation.

Best,
Almond Eyes
 
I would have invest in a shampoo bar and ACV rinse. The chemicals in the products you are using are drying out your child's already sensitive scalp. In between washes just rinse her hair with plain water. You need to go back to nature and rely on the hairs natural built in conditioner sebum, you can also use a little natural oil to lightly coat the hair. Also you'll need to brush her hair to distribute the sebum. This method takes at least a fortnight to see results and the impact will be amazing!
 
MeechUK said:
I would have invest in a shampoo bar and ACV rinse. The chemicals in the products you are using are drying out your child's already sensitive scalp. In between washes just rinse her hair with plain water. You need to go back to nature and rely on the hairs natural built in conditioner sebum, you can also use a little natural oil to lightly coat the hair. Also you'll need to brush her hair to distribute the sebum. This method takes at least a fortnight to see results and the impact will be amazing!
Click to expand...

Thanks MeechUK!

Can you be a bit more specific about the shampoo bar. I am currently using black soap, I think I have seen it in the form of a shampoo bar as well ... Is that the same thing you were referring to?

After, her wash I only use natural products like Shea butter, coconut, jojoba, castor, vitamin e, tea tree. Are there chemicals in these, I thought they were essential oils. Can you please explain further.

Thanks!
 
natumer said:
Thanks MeechUK!

Can you be a bit more specific about the shampoo bar. I am currently using black soap, I think I have seen it in the form of a shampoo bar as well ... Is that the same thing you were referring to?

After, her wash I only use natural products like Shea butter, coconut, jojoba, castor, vitamin e, tea tree. Are there chemicals in these, I thought they were essential oils. Can you please explain further.

Thanks!
Click to expand...

Coming from someone who's allergic to a lot of things my suggestion is to start eliminating stuff to see how her scalp and hair react. Just because an ingredient is right out the ground doesnt mean we cant be allergic to it.

See, when I started my hhj i started removing stuff out my hair diet and went to a natural one like you have with yoir daughter. But guess what? I was allergic, scalp sensitive, my hair broke or shed like mad from certain natural products regardless .

For example: im crazy allergic to castor oil (hives), black soap dries my scalp and makes it itch, leaving on aloe causes breakage, lavender causes breakage and shed, Shea is good on my strands but on the scalp it created itch and flakey build up. There are several others but you get the point.

How I figured it out was, I tried Ayuvedic powder, tea rinse and cowash bandwagons (all at once) which mostly healed my scalp from the irritating exzema and massive shed and allowed me time to reintroduce stuff and find out what I am allergic to.

Now that I know ive begun reintroducing commercial products without the ingredients from above and my scalp and hair are doing much better. Took about a year and a half to get my list of nono ingredients.

Just food for thought. Perhaps your baby girl might need such a drastic intervention as well.
 
DarkJoy said:
Coming from someone who's allergic to a lot of things my suggestion is to start eliminating stuff to see how her scalp and hair react. Just because an ingredient is right out the ground doesnt mean we cant be allergic to it. See, when I started my hhj i started removing stuff out my hair diet and went to a natural one like you have with yoir daughter. But guess what? I was allergic, scalp sensitive, my hair broke or shed like mad from certain natural products regardless . For example: im crazy allergic to castor oil (hives), black soap dries my scalp and makes it itch, leaving on aloe causes breakage, lavender causes breakage and shed, Shea is good on my strands but on the scalp it created itch and flakey build up. There are several others but you get the point. How I figured it out was, I tried Ayuvedic powder, tea rinse and cowash bandwagons (all at once) which mostly healed my scalp from the irritating exzema and massive shed and allowed me time to reintroduce stuff and find out what I am allergic to. Now that I know ive begun reintroducing commercial products without the ingredients from above and my scalp and hair are doing much better. Took about a year and a half to get my list of nono ingredients. Just food for thought. Perhaps your baby girl might need such a drastic intervention as well.
Click to expand...

Thanks DarkJoy! That's what is so confusing for me I try to keep very simplistic and basic with the products I use but there must be something in out regimen that's not reacting well with her. I think is am going to start with keeping coconut oil out.

Also, I going to straightened her hair this weekend for both the holidays and to make it easier for her consultation next week. She has very thick hair and I want to facilitate the examination of her scalp as best as possible. Her last heat session was this past May.

I need to look into Ayurvedic powders and tea rinses.

Thanks!
 
My girls both have eczema and experience itching/flareups when the seasons change. I use the Shea Moisture African Black Soap Dandruff Shampoo and Conditioner on wash days. I also use the conditioner as a daily moisturizer for her hair. I massage her scalp with the conditioner in addition to old school Sulfur 8 hair grease (light blue jar). If I see a dry patch in her hair, I use her prescribed eczema medication on her scalp and it goes away the next day. She is prescribed Desonide (generic) ointment.
 
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