gross scabs on my scalp :(

[Fudgie]

I have a problem that's been going on for about a year and I need help.

 

Whenever I come to college, I get scabs on my scalp pretty quickly. I'm thinking it MUST be the water. I use the same shampoo wherever I go. I never get scabs/itches when I shower at home or the boyfriend's house so it just HAS to be the water here. At least I think.

 

I've gotten "checked" for bugs and nothing. I've used dandruff shampoo and it doesn't do much for me at all.

 

Sometimes my scalp itches but it's not really that noticeable to me, just a little more itchy. The worst part are the scabs. They are red too and I swear, I don't pick at them, but they never seem to heal. When they DO heal, I get more out of nowhere. I feel so gross.

 

The only hair product I use is my shampoo, no conditioner or hairspray. I have a gentle brush to brush my hair.

 

I don't know what's going on...

[Case_1983]

Do you colour your hair at all?

[Fudgie]

Nope...no dyes, highlights or ANYTHING. I'm really minimalist. I don't do anything with it. (see my profile picture - I mean, I cut it recently but it's been the same thing since I was 12)

 

It can't be dry scalp or shampoo because like I said, if I go home or go to my boyfriend's house, POOF the problem is gone.

[Sparkly Eyes]

The fact that it's red tells me it might be something serious. Do you scratch your scalp a lot? does it look like dandruff?

[Fudgie]

They are red from blood. They look like normal scabs too. It's so freaking weird.

 

I used to scratch my scalp a lot to get rid of the scabs but then I started saying "no" to myself so I don't do it as much. I don't want to disturb the scabs so I just leave them alone. GAH but they seem like they never heal.

 

Doesn't look like dandruff. Like I said, the scabs are red. I don't have dandruff in my hair at all. Just the scabs.

[petite]

I am not familiar with the scabs, but once a week or so I apply a mixture of honey/egg yolk/olive oil to scalp and hair. Put shower cap on and let it sit for 45-60 mins. I find this gives my hair a nice shine, it looks healthy, and during winter helps me not have dry hair.

You could try and see if this helps you, since it's all natural. Just be careful, once you are washing it off, it does have a bit of a smell (due to the egg), but if you rinse it off well and wash with shampoo after you wont even notice the smell later. If nothing, your hair will look beautiful shiny and will be super soft.

 

edit: Depending on the length of your hair, add 1 yolk for shoulder length hair, 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp honey. I have rather long hair and use 2 yolks, 4 tbsp olive oil and 3 tbsp honey. Mix the mixture well and apply with a coloring brush (the type hairstylists use to apply color).

[prettymommy]

You might want to get checked out for psorasis. I've had the condition in my scalp in the past, and my son has it now. Though psorasis often grows in other areas of the body, it is not uncommon for it to also be found on the scalp. It is like white scabs/scales that grow on your scalp and attach to the root shaft of your hair. It's not usually itchy, but if you pick at it and tear it off, it will bleed and scab over. I find psorasis often flares up worse in dry environments- so it's often worse in the winter than the summer, and worse if I am in a dry environment (like the desert) than a wet one (like near the coast or in a humid environment).

 

Use of tar shampoo can help minimize the problem; you can find it at almost any pharmacy or grocery store. Massage the shampoo into your scalp and let it sit for a bit. After you rinse your hair, running a comb or brush over your scalp and it should help loosen up any of the scabs.

[lostnscared]

U should try Biogen 9 products. They help promote healthy scalp and help with keeping your scalp cleansed. I had pretty bad scabs in my scalp and I actually started getting them around January. They would come and go(with no rhyme or reason) and they got so bad a month ago, that they resulted in a few baldspots(as a result of the scabs) and are starting to grow back. I've realized that it's purely emotional/psychological and that the scabs seemed to appear when I was most stressed, nervous, etc. Though the biogen-9 products don't completely cease the itching, since it's emotional for me, I've learned that by keeping my emotions tuned, and using healthy scalp products, it's greatly reduced this issue for me. Good luck.

[Fudgie]

You might want to get checked out for psorasis. I've had the condition in my scalp in the past, and my son has it now. Though psorasis often grows in other areas of the body, it is not uncommon for it to also be found on the scalp. It is like white scabs/scales that grow on your scalp and attach to the root shaft of your hair. It's not usually itchy, but if you pick at it and tear it off, it will bleed and scab over. I find psorasis often flares up worse in dry environments- so it's often worse in the winter than the summer, and worse if I am in a dry environment (like the desert) than a wet one (like near the coast or in a humid environment).

 

This sounds a LOT like what I have, psorasis. If I recall, the scabs started out white. If I picked them, they would bleed a lot and then be red. Yuck yuck. I'm going to find out some more information about this to see if it really could be something I have.

 

Thanks everyone!

[turnera]

I was going to say psoriasis, too. My family has it. It's irritated by stress. When my parents divorced, my mom's got so bad on her scalp that she lost all her hair! Not trying to scare you, but to point out that, untreated, it can get really bad. There's no cure, though. Just treatment.

[Fudgie]

Yikes! Yeah I'm gonna get it checked out.

 

Over the past year, it hasn't gotten worse, just stayed the same but still annoying. I don't want it to get worse though. With my PCOS and family history, I'm expecting to use Rogaine by the time I'm in my 40s. I don't want to have untreated psoriasis on top of that.