# Help! My scalp is flaking/peeling and nothing helps



## LoveChild421

I've never had any issues with my scalp but in the past 2-3 months my scalp has been flaking and peeling horribly- I feel like I always have all these flakes all over and I have to make sure to shake my hair out before I go out of the house. It's awful.

I can't figure out why it's happening. nothing i'm doing seems to be helping.

It looks like scales of dry skin. I don't think it's dandruff b/c it isn't oily at all- it's extremely dry. I've used Head and Shoulders and Selsun Blue and neither worked- only made my scalp burn. I bought some Desert Essence Tea Tree and Blue Cypress oil shampoo to use and it seems to do better but still not helping that much. I've tried oiling my scalp with olive oil, borage oil, cod liver oil (yuck), and tea tree oil. They all make the flaking stop for the day but then I wake up and it's just as bad as before I oiled it. I've been taking omega-3 and omega-6 supplements and high quality food based vitamins.

Could it be hormonal- I'm breastfeeding.

Anyone have any advice- I'll try anything


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## circlemama

maybe it's hormonal? maybe a sensitivity to a food? any changes in the water you use?


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## Golden

I could've writtten your post....two weeks ago.
I've been dealing with this for about 6 months and it was just so gross. I was tired of it. I tried everything. All the conventional dandruff/dry scalp/seborehic (sp?0 dermatitis shampoos -the zincs, the coal tars, sulphurs, etc. I tried all the natural shampoos, apple cider vinegar rinses, fish oil supplements that I take in good quantities for the last year and half......

I finally gave up and went to a dermatologist. I normally avoid this route like the plague. Try to treat the cause, not just the symptoms, but I was desperate. She of course gave me 3 perscriptions. One was for a antifungal shampoo, one for a steroid ointment, and a third for a Vitamin D solution. It was pretty much gone in a week and totally gone within a couple more days after that.

I stopped everything two days ago. Keeping my fingers crossed that it doesn't come back.

Forgot to add that I also did an elimination diet (with no obvious clues) and I have low thyroid that I take meds for, but all my levels are always fine.


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## lilsishomemade

Have you tried just not doing anything to it? Letting your natural oils help it out? Too much washing can make your scalp dry. I have eczema and occasionally get it on my scalp (and my hair is really thick, so it's a pain to try and treat). What I have to do is just stop washing every day, do the no-poo thing for awhile, to get all the chemicals away from my head until it heals up. Also, giving your scalp a massage to increase circulation and help to exfoliate (gently).

This weather could be causing it, also. I like mixing a little honey with the baking soda, it's a humectant. I'm so sorry, mama!! I know that's the worse place to have this problem! Mine gets so bad, I get HUGE flakes/scabs everytime I comb my hair.


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## luna-mia

I'm guessing it could either be some kind of fungal problem and a trip to the derm is needed or b/c of the change in weather -- the cold air etc can be very drying. No advice but I remember seeing a shampoo for dry scalp by head & shoulders maybe??


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## LoveChild421

I normally only wash my hair every 3-4 days anyway (high needs baby, no time







). I tried washing only every 5 days but it seemed to get worse. It's been going on since August (which was very warm here) but does seem to have gotten worse since the change in weather.

I'm gonna try the honey and baking soda and then I think I'll call the derm. at least maybe he can tell me what the problem is and maybe I can find a natural way to help treat it. How does one aquire a fungal infection? I stopped blow drying my hair a while back and my hair doesn't feel dry for the whole day. maybe that caused it?

thanks mamas!


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## Golden

anti-fungal shampoos can be for yeast too. The stuff you use to treat a yeast infection are antifungals.

That said, even when I did an elimination and avoided all sugars and simple carbs, it did nothing.

I say head to the derm. If the steroids scare you (like they did me), just try the antifungal shampoo and see if that works. If not, then try the next step?


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## LoveChild421

yeah I definately want to avoid the steriods but I'd try the antifungal shampoo- anything to get rid of these darn flakes


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## EricaLeigh

I have the same problem, & have yet to find a cure!


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## lindaem

OMG! I'm 68 and the very same thing started to happen to me about 2 months ago. Now my entire scalp is flaking/peeling. Never had dandruff in my life so I can't understand what this is. Making appointment with Dermatologist tomorrow.


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## kaleonar

I am having the exact same problem, except I am not pregnant, nor have I ever been. I'm 23 and have never had a problem, and suddenly about 3 months ago the exact same symptoms and no lasting cures have happened to me. I found your post by googling my problem, hoping to find someone's solution. I'm replying just to help, like I doubt it is hormonal, considering I don't have any children/not breastfeeding.


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## mamaofsesame

I'm pregnant now and had the same problem. Yours could very well be a food sensitivity (try cutting out dairy and wheat for awhile, that's what I did), but mine is hormonal. I generally have sensitive skin and it's just extra sensitive with the extra hormones. I cut back to washing my hair once or twice a week and that helps a lot. My scalp was flaky and so very itchy. It's not anymore. I also had a recipe for making my own shampoo if washing less often didn't help. Since the itch has gone away, I haven't done the homemade shampoo yet.

The homemade recipe if you're interested is:

Shampoo: 1 tablespoon baking soda to 1 cup hot water (hot to help it dissolve faster)

Conditioner: 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar to 1 cup water

For the first two weeks your scalp will over produce oil and you may be oily, but after that it will calm down.

Good luck!


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