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Original poster

At wits end with son’s hair / scalp.. please help!! (Photo included)

27 replies

RebeccaDecember · 01/09/2024 20:20

Hi all, I am at a loss what to do with my sons scalp. Photo is attached. It’s been like this for about 10 days. At first, thought it was headlice, but three lots of treatment and a lot of time with a nit comb haven’t helped. I’ve also tried T gel and an anti dandruff shampoo. Took him to a pharmacist who had a look but admitted she didn’t know what it is either, said we should keep applying the nit treatment and the dry scalp shampoo.

He’s back at school next week and is quite embarrassed about it. He’s never had any problems with dandruff or dry scalp before.

Anyone who can offer any help would be a hero!

At wits end with son’s hair / scalp.. please help!! (Photo included)
OP posts:
Meditationgame · 01/09/2024 20:24

A bit drastic but could you shave his head and clean/moisturise it daily if you're sure it's not nits?

WeeWeegieWummin · 01/09/2024 20:26

Try Selsun shampoo, my son has bad dandruff and this works for him.

Hadalifeonce · 01/09/2024 20:26

DS had something like that. He was given a prescription for a shampoo, which sorted it out.

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AgnesX · 01/09/2024 20:26

Is his scalp very dry, might a scalp serum help?

Soontobe60 · 01/09/2024 20:27

Are they flakes that move if you brush his hair? Or are they stuck to the hairs?

LoremIpsumCici · 01/09/2024 20:27

Did you use a nit comb? The headlice treatment kills, but the dead nits still stick to the hair until you use a nit comb. Easiest way is to wash hair, put in conditioner, use nit comb all over and then rinse hair.

NothingAGoodCuppaDoesntFix · 01/09/2024 20:27

Comb it out too without scraping scalp with a ' nitty gritty ' comb. Best comb you can get. Then get a shampoo from doctor.

HelpMebeok · 01/09/2024 20:27

Ginger shampoo from the body shop works great for dandruff. Worth a try? I would probably cut it very short too.

LittleGreenDragons · 01/09/2024 20:33

You need to use anti dandruff shampoo for longer than you have for it to work. What items did you use and for how long?

I'm assuming DS is reaching puberty when all sorts of weird things happen to the body, including dry scalp. You/he could try massaging conditioner into the scalp for a few minutes, leave while he washes his body properly, then rinse off with lukewarm water. That can sometimes help.

kitchenhelprequired · 01/09/2024 20:33

How old is he? When hormones start to kick in pre puberty it can cause cradle cap. DD had that at 10 which was fun with waist length hair.

SmileyHappyPeopleInTheSun · 01/09/2024 20:34

Selsun Suspension Anti Dandruff Shampoo - only thing that works for DS.

Though would also do nitty gritty comb to try and get rid of white bits.

Putmeinsummer · 01/09/2024 20:34

Did he get sunburnt? I remember having this one summer and it was because my parting had burnt and now peeling and it looked like bad dandruff.

Original poster
RebeccaDecember · 01/09/2024 20:35

Thanks so much everyone. Noting all the replies! I don’t think his scalp is particularly dry but his hair is thick and there is a lot of it so hard to tell for sure.
We did use a proper nit comb, the flakes can be pulled out / moved, but are very stubborn and I think there is more of it now then when we stared the nit treatment / dry shampoo treatment so worried neither has really worked… thank you so much for all the suggestions x

OP posts:
Original poster
RebeccaDecember · 01/09/2024 20:36

Son is 10

OP posts:
CrushingOnRubies · 01/09/2024 20:37

Is his scalp scabby?

I had this as a kid occasionally now as an adult. I was prescribed salicylic acid in aqueous cream. It makes your hair greasy but works a treat

TomatoSandwiches · 01/09/2024 20:38

Is it just flakes in his hair or actual flaky skin on his scalp l, my DD developed cradle cap again around her crown and the back by her ears at around this age, we used that pink dandruff shampoo and left it on for 30 mins before another hair wash.

MabelsBeats · 01/09/2024 20:40

Nizoral anti-dandruff shampoo.

My DD had the same issue at a similar age, and this worked well and quickly. It’s available from Amazon. I would also insist on washing it yourself - at the time I was slightly worried that part of the cause may have been that DD was not thoroughly rinsing out her regular shampoo and conditioner.

novocaine4thesoul · 01/09/2024 20:41

I am not sure it looks like headlice to me, maybe the eggs, but even so, they were not that prolific in my 4 kids - it looks more like dandruff. When you did the comb with the nit comb, did you get any live ones? - if not, it probably isn't that. I realise you are running out of time before school but could you cut his hair fairly short. One thing that worked in all of mine and it isn't a particularly pleasant answer but I got desperate after the girls had constant nits and eggs. I was told that the nits got "resistant" to the over the counter treatments. I was told to mix plenty of olive oil with a couple of drops of tea tree oil, smother their hair with it, and then put a shower cap on them for a couple of hours. The olive oil apparently "clogs the live nits breathing apparatus up" (not sure about the biology of this, but I was desperate). Then a good comb through with the nit comb (made easier by the oily hair) then wash it through with tea tree shampoo and conditioner (one more go with the nit comb unfortunately for them). Worked an absolute treat. The downside is the effort, and also they objected pretty noisily about the smell. Obv you have to be careful if this is not the issue, although I can't see why olive oil would particularly irritate a dry scalp (probably the opposite), so it might be worth a go. Hoping someone will come along to give better advice, or even de-bunk mine, but it worked for us. xx

Thistooshallpass24 · 01/09/2024 20:49

Could you ask a pharmacist ? The one I go to knows everything! She's incredible.

LittleGreenDragons · 01/09/2024 20:50

RebeccaDecember · 01/09/2024 20:35

Thanks so much everyone. Noting all the replies! I don’t think his scalp is particularly dry but his hair is thick and there is a lot of it so hard to tell for sure.
We did use a proper nit comb, the flakes can be pulled out / moved, but are very stubborn and I think there is more of it now then when we stared the nit treatment / dry shampoo treatment so worried neither has really worked… thank you so much for all the suggestions x

Ahhh... maybe he isn't thoroughly rinsing his hair after washing and it's shampoo build up. It happens around puberty because mum is no longer doing it/timing the shower so it's a quick in and out job. He needs to rinse shampoo off for twice the length of time he thinks whilst ruffling his hair so the water gets to the scalp.

Bounty95 · 01/09/2024 20:51

RebeccaDecember · 01/09/2024 20:20

Hi all, I am at a loss what to do with my sons scalp. Photo is attached. It’s been like this for about 10 days. At first, thought it was headlice, but three lots of treatment and a lot of time with a nit comb haven’t helped. I’ve also tried T gel and an anti dandruff shampoo. Took him to a pharmacist who had a look but admitted she didn’t know what it is either, said we should keep applying the nit treatment and the dry scalp shampoo.

He’s back at school next week and is quite embarrassed about it. He’s never had any problems with dandruff or dry scalp before.

Anyone who can offer any help would be a hero!

Ginger shampoo from body shop! My scalp was like this and not even medicated shampoo from the Drs worked but the ginger shampoo has kept it under control for years

wineandsunshine · 01/09/2024 20:53

I'm using coconut oil on my son's hair who has very similar!

Leave it for 2/3 days without washing - lets the scalp soften and then wash/massage the scalp. It's really helping

QueenOfHiraeth · 01/09/2024 20:53

The shampoos most often prescribed for scalp problems are Selsun or Nizoral so you could buy one of those but it may take a while

Original poster
RebeccaDecember · 01/09/2024 20:56

Thank you all x

and thank you @novocaine4thesoul (excellent user name - love Eels!) we haven’t found any live nits, the pharmacist who had a look for us said the same thing - it could be the eggs but probably not if you haven’t seen any live ones.

He is at the age where he’s appearance conscious and loves his hair longer but I might have to insist on a decent short cut!

OP posts:
Sia8899 · 01/09/2024 20:58

What does it look like where the skin meets the scalp? Is there any redness or crustiness here or anywhere on his head? Or is it just flakes with a normal looking scalp?