Good shampoo for very itchy flaky scalp

[Comefromaway]

I’ve always used Neutrogena but found it’s not as effective these days and my hair never looks in good condition.

My scalp can not only flake but scab/bleed.

At the moment I’m using a goats milk shampoo brand I bought from a Christmas market (several colleagues had recommended their cream and soap for excema/dry skin so I was buying my mum some of that) and my scalp hasn’t itched or bled at all from it but I have a shower of ugly dandruff every day.

Another vote for Body Shop's Ginger shampoo, I've tried all the rest, and this leaves my hair lovely and clean, and no itchiness.

You definitely need a tar shampoo. My daughter gets this and like you, it scabs and bleeds when it gets bad. One wash with any brand of tar shampoo gets rid of it all in one go, it's amazing.

But only use it every so often, don't use it as your regular shampoo

Dermax shampoo from behind the pharmacy counter, or Philip Kingsley. Anything tar based can make scalps more sore, depending on what the issue is, as it can strip the scalp of natural oils and the top layer of skin.

I use Head and Shoulders. This thread is making my scalp itch.

Head and shoulders or T-gel when it gets really bad (although it stinks of tar!)

La Roche Posay have one for itchy scalp and it worked for my DD.

She now uses Head and Shoulders Itchy scalp shampoo to maintain it.

Another vote for the body shop ginger shampoo and conditioner.

I've tried loads of different stuff and it's the only thing that works. I just stopped using it for 2 weeks (ran out!) and my head got so itchy and flaky again.

The garner one with oats in it. I cannot cannot cannot tell you how amazing this was for me. I got both the shampoo and conditioner. I'll admit my hair wasn't in amazing Nick after it, but my scalp was fully back to normal. Everyone says the body shop ginger too so that might be better for your hair. I've now moved back to normal shampoos and haven't looked back. Scalp was sore and red with cuts, flaky everything. Best of luck OP!

By the way the garnier one is white with a pink lid.

The body shop ginger one is very good, miraculous almost! I use it every other shampoo now my scalp is better, and can use other shampoos too.

I suffer from seborrheic dermatitis and tried Neutrogena/head and shoulders type shampoos for a while to no avail, I'm a fan of Lush products so tried my luck there before going back to the doctors, their 'Soak and Float' shampoo bar I absolutely cannot recommend enough, it has been a life saver for my scalp (perhaps even my face as the issues I was having with that have coincidentally cleared too!). No more flakes, no itching, my hair is fuller and healthier - also more eco friendly. The bar will last for ages, it was around £8 and lathers likes a dream. I put it on my hair and leave it for a couple of mins before washing out, 1 wash was all it took to see a difference

Moogoo
Lush soak and float
Shea moisture black African soap range

SLS gives me terrible lumpy, itchy, bleeding scalp. I have to avoid it. I like Pureology Hydrate (the purple one). It isn’t cheap but I buy it in 1L salon sizes and so it lasts ages and is better value per ml than buying the smaller 250ml bottles.

I can’t use the BS ginger one, I tried after it was so highly raved about in here but it has loads of SLS in it and it wrecked my scalp. It took weeks to heal after I stopped using it . The right shampoo really depends on the cause of your scalp issues. If you can’t get a diagnosis, you’ll end up going through a PITA load of trial & error.

Lush soak and float for me too.

I used to use T-gel
I've gone over to H&S with argan oil and it is amazing! My hair looks fab and no itch.
I was no H&S fan before but this one is lovely.

I’ve toyed with Nizoral and Selsun over the years. They work for a while, but long term a SLS free shampoo is the only thing that works for my scalp. I like Faith in nature, Jason, Avalon, Aubrey Organics. All reviewed here:

www.gentlebubbles.com/buy-phthalate-free-products/sulfate-paraben-phthalate-free-shampoo/

I'm excited to try the Body Shop ginger stuff now. I have terrible scalp problems too.

Have you tried Polytar shampoo? A friend who has bad psoriasis on her scalp uses that and finds it very good. I had to use it myself as a teen when I got sebaceous cysts in my scalp and actually really loved the smell, although I imagine many people wouldn't! I think you can get it over the pharmacy counter in Boots without a prescription.

Ugh Polytar - used it for a while but the stink is like a bad chemistry lab.

PuppyMonkey my parents hated it when I'd been using the Polytar because of the smell, but I really liked it. I'm maybe a bit weird but it's like petrol, some people can't stand the smell and others love it!

A cheap, good Sulphate and Silicone free shampoo is Happy Naturals £4 from Sainsburys, it really lathers unlike some of the other SLS free ones I have tried. It comes in a range for different hair types.

Didn't get on with body shop ginger it made the itching worse. Anything sls and Paraben free works for me. I don't even know what these things are.

Body Shop have given me a free sample of the ginger one but Dd also wants to try it (she has a sensitive scalp too).

I’m wondering if I have psoriasis. T gel really works but I want nice hair so it seems the solution may be to try and find something to alternate with.