Shampoo for DD with sensitive skin and flaky scalp

[HalfACentury]

DD has always reacted to shampoos, bubble bath, etc so we tried various gentle ones. (We're currently using Child's Farm but finding it's not really cutting through the pre-puberty grease)

Added to that, she has suddenly got a really flaky scalp. It's coming off in big flakes and she's really embarrassed.

Can anyone recommend something we could try that might sort the flakes and not irritate her skin?

(One of the issues is that she has to wash her hair in the shower as we don't have a hose on the bath, so whatever product we use gets all over her and causes irritation. Tried getting her to bend over in the shower so I can wash it but that isn't really working for anyone)

My DS has just started getting this too. I bought a Neutrogena T-gel for sensitive scalp/dandruff, and a head and shoulders that's similar, I think it's called "scalp care". So far, he finds the T-gel more irritating and the H&S to be better for him.

When I was looking (in superdrug) there were loads of options - so you can try a few and see what helps.

There is a wonderful shampoo made by Mistry which is the most natural, effective one I've ever used. They make related products as well. You can buy in Health food shops or they have a web site.

I would use filtered\softened water to rinse your dds hair with. And 2 drops of rosemary ess. oil or Ttree mixed with a cup of filtered water for the flakiness .

gp can prescribe a shampoo too

Try SOS barefoot shampoo, I think you can buy it online, I use it for my sensitive scalp with no problems.

Thanks for the recommendations.

I might try the H&S as a cheap starting point but I'll have a look in the health food shop too. I'd looked for a Weleda one but they don't seem to have one. Good idea about the rinsing too. We live in a v hard water area, so that could make a difference.

Good to know about the gp. I'll hold that in reserve and hope we don't have to get there.

She's really embarrassed as other kids in her class spotted it and started teasing her.

Oh the Mistry products are not at all expensive either. They're made in London!

Have you tried using SLS-free products?
I had years of misery with itchy skin and flaky scalp from hitting puberty, with GPs and various dermatologists all missing the mark and prescribing harsh tar shampoos.

I started my own research five years ago, went SLS free with body washes and shampoos for the itching, with a weekly cider vinegar treatment for flaky scalp.

I've never looked back since.

I went through years of this. The only thing I have (finally!) found that works is Vosene once or twice a week with Body Shop ginger shampoo in between.

Be careful of T-Gel as it contains coal tar (many flaky scalp shampoos do) and some people, including me, react really badly to it and the problem just gets worse.

ppeatfruit they are so cheap for something that sounds so healthy. They look great. Which one do you use?
hipHipboo the barefoot ones look lovely but out of my price range just at the moment.

Oops, half way through a name change ...

Eucerin shampoo really helps with my sensitive flakey scalp, it's the calming urea one which I get from Boots.

Pantsalive We use ALL of them! The calendula cream and the organic liquid soap is lovely too. !!

OP I've just checked the H&S we bought, it's called "dry scalp care" and has pic of an almond on it.

Poor DD getting teased, kids can be such bastards :( I was worried about that too but I think DS might not tell me if it happened. The flakes have gone though, with only 2 hair washes.

Moo goo shampoo and conditioner

IME the most important part of shampooing regardless of what you use is thorough rinsing at the end.

Thanks everyone
Off to town to see what we can find.
Freda I think you're right about the rinsing. I've started helping her again to see if it helps.

I can definitely recommend Philip Kingsley flaky scalp shampoo.

I've suffered with an itchy flaky scalp for years but this stuff is great. I think I probably first heard about it on here. Its not cheap but a little does go a long way so a bottle lasts. I also find that I can alternate other 'normal' shampoos in between (I wash my hair every day) and it still does the trick. It is very gentle and pleasant smelling - nothing like the tar concoctions.

I have very sensitive skin with atopic eczema on my body, and sebaceous eczema on my scalp - this is the medical name for a lot of dandruff, and a sensitive, greasy scalp, it's probably what your daughter has. I use H&S shampoo, this contains zinc which has been clinically proven to be an effective way of combatting sebaceous eczema and is even recommended by the national eczema society (ie it's not just marketing the whole "anti-dandruff" thing, it's science). So I would recommend that as a starter.

If the H&S doesn't cut it, I would take her to the GP. I've had a number of shampoos on prescription for when I've had really bad flare ups and they have all worked well, Oilatum might be the next one to try, and then if that fails then would maybe go up to Polytar or something like that. You can buy most of these medicinal shampoos over the counter but they are quite pricey and your daughter will get free prescriptions and also benefit from the doctor checking the scalp too in case there is a fungal infection or something too. So that would be what I would advise as the plan of action as someone who has suffered from this kind of thing a lot. Hope it gets sorted soon, I know how awfully crushing it can be for your self-esteem, poor thing.

Angel74 you've said on another thread that you own the company you have linked to. Have reported for advertising.