The scalp naturally produces oil called sebum. These little oil pumps are attached to the hair follicle. Sebum protects us from infection and helps our skin be hydrated and keep our hair shiny. However, sometimes these oil pumps start pumping too much oil and causes this itchy scale and embarasing oily hair. This is also called Seborrhea Dermatitis.
If you are scratching and it feels Waxy and you feel thick patches of this, than we need to address it. Itching causes inflammation & inflammation can cause hair loss.
This can be caused by:
Genetics ( Uncle Bob )
Hormone shifts ( Puberty, Menopause, Pregnancy )
Diet ( Sugar & Refined carbs ) ( Food Allergy )
New Medications ( Lithium, Psoralen )
In order to slow these oil pumping machines down we need to shampoo our hair with sulfate free shampoo. These detergents will strip ALL oil from your scalp and hair & that just tells it to produce more oil.
It will take a few weeks to notice a change but if you can start shampooing every other day and incorporate the changes below. It will help.
Natural remedies include applying Aloe Vera, Apple Cider Vinegar & Tea Tree.
These can be applied at night & shampooed out in the morning or applied for even as little as 20 min.
Eating Clean and incorporating omega 3 and lots of green veggies balance the skin as well.
Severe patches of Dermatitis might need something more aggressive.
There are topical Corticosteroids that can be applied to the areas or shampoos that are made with Coal Tar or Salicylic Acid.
If this is something you have been struggling with for a long time than make an appointment with a Trichologist or your Dermatologist to help you find a solution.