What's new

Itchy scalp remedies?

I wear a bump cap at work, with earmuffs for the noise. I understand there's going to be an occasional itch for most people, but I'm constantly taking my gear off and scratching my head. I've got a thick head of curly hair, and it doesn't matter how short I keep it, there is constant itching. I clean the inner pads and straps of the bump cap with alcohol, as well as the earmuffs, at least twice per week. I've tried Head&Shoulders as well as Dove "anti-itch" shampoo with no luck. I accidentally left some styling gel in my hair before going to work once, and that was the only time I experienced relief. Naturally, I tried to do this again, but was left with the same itch. I don't get dandruff. Is there anything else I can do?
 

EclipseRedRing

I smell like a Christmas pudding
I suffered from a dry scalp and dandruff and found T/Gel shampoo by Neutrogena a great help. I alternate using the T/Gel with my regular shampoo, in my case Pashana Original. I also use an oil base hair tonic or pomade daily for a bit of shine which also helps. That might not work well though if wearing a cap all day at work. Good luck.
 
Paul Mitchell Tea Tree Oil Shampoo is really nice. The other thing I would suggest is using a styling balm with soothing and conditioning ingredients. There is a small company in Asbury Park NJ called Shear Revival that makes some of the best hair products I have ever used. I have four of them. The come in one ounce jars or larger jars once you find a favorite. They are essentially all natural products based on aloe vera juice with tons of things to condition your hair and scalp. Get a small jar of Crystal Lake and a small jar of Loyal Sea Clay. They are both awesome and the latter is a deep scalp and hair conditioner that you can leave in and style with.
 
It's hard to recommend something without knowing the actual cause of the itchiness. Could be dry scalp, allergy to some product, or something else entirely. I think the therapeutic shampoos are worth trying. Neutrogena T/Gel and T/Sal are two shampoos that might be helpful. I know they say they are for dandruff, but they can help with the itchiness, also.

If your scalp is dry, you might try washing your hair with shampoo less frequently, just rinse your hair with plain water on the other days. Most people do not need to shampoo more than a few times a week.

I'd also suggest you try brushing your hair and scalp daily with a natural boar hair brush for a few minutes.
 
If your scalp is dry, you might try washing your hair with shampoo less frequently, just rinse your hair with plain water on the other days. Most people do not need to shampoo more than a few times a week.

I've never heard of this before. Always shampooed daily with my shower, due to always working in more labor-oriented jobs and excessive sweat. I'll definitely try shampooing less.
 
I've never heard of this before. Always shampooed daily with my shower, due to always working in more labor-oriented jobs and excessive sweat. I'll definitely try shampooing less.
You can try it and see. If your hair/scalp are dry it may help you. It may take some time for your body to adjust to the change. You could try every other day to start with. Shampoo takes away oil so too often can leave your hair/scalp too dry. If you get oil build-up then you can shampoo more often.
 

steveclarkus

Goose Poop Connoisseur
I wear a bump cap at work, with earmuffs for the noise. I understand there's going to be an occasional itch for most people, but I'm constantly taking my gear off and scratching my head. I've got a thick head of curly hair, and it doesn't matter how short I keep it, there is constant itching. I clean the inner pads and straps of the bump cap with alcohol, as well as the earmuffs, at least twice per week. I've tried Head&Shoulders as well as Dove "anti-itch" shampoo with no luck. I accidentally left some styling gel in my hair before going to work once, and that was the only time I experienced relief. Naturally, I tried to do this again, but was left with the same itch. I don't get dandruff. Is there anything else I can do?
The best "shampoo" I've ever used is "Grandpa's Pine Tar Soap". Second to that is "Grandma's Pure Lye Soap". Both are available on Amazon. Years ago I had a dandruff problem and began Ising coal tar soap with 100% success. After it became unavailable, I switched to pine tar and it worked the same. All I can say is that it is worth the try.
 
I'd try one of the store brand coal tar shampoos---basically what the T-Gel is. Once a week works for me.

I can also recommend the Grandpa's Pine Tar Shampoo. I used it for quite a while, but switched the the coal tar because it's cheaper and available locally.
 
Vichy Dercos anti-dandruff SENSITIVE. I didn't have dandruff, but I did have an itchy scalp years ago. I'd already tried a lot at the time, but nothing helped. One day, I read a review from someone describing a strikingly similar issue, so I bought a bottle of the Vichy Dercos Sensitive and the itching went away. Simple as that. I never looked back. Sometimes I use different shampoos from the drugstore again (mainly because I tend to forget that there was ever a problem) but sooner or later, the itching starts all over again and I switch back to Vichy. Solves the problem every time.

It's hard to offer a solution when the source of the problem is unclear though. I think the issue in my case was that I suffered from eczema as a teen and it sometimes still flares up the tiniest bit. I don't even have to use medication, but I think that's why my scalp is still prone to itching. I shouldn't use drying aggressive shampoos with SLS and whatnot, because that compromises the barrier function of my skin and unfortunately, triggers irritation. If you happen to have eczema or psoriasis in your family, the Vichy could be a good option to calm your scalp.
 
Not that I'm aware of.
That’s all I’ve got. Maybe wear a dorag or something underneath it to help draw moisture away. Maybe it might help getting a little bit of air under the bump cap. I get an itchy head when I wear a cap and my head starts to sweat and get hot.
 
I went a week without using shampoo and still have the itch.
I've seen recommendations for both pine tar and coal tar shampoos in this thread. Is pine tar/coal tar just a type of shampoo, or is it a brand name? I saw Grandpa's Pine Tar, but I've also seen a bar of pine tar soap in a Dr. Squatch commercial. I will definitely look these shampoos up.
 
Top Bottom