Itchy scalp and neck

[WinterRoad]

My scalp feels so itchy and sore. It seems worse at night and when I've just washed it.
I have v dry hair, so is scalp dry?
I've tried just washing hair with sulphate free shampoo, no styling products. It helps a bit but hair looks truly dreadful.
I wondered if it was washing powder used for pillowcase. Appears not.
Anyone have any suggestions?
I'm post menopausal if that helps anyone.

I randomly developed this but peri-menopausal time. Doctor says it is psoriasis in my case, Try E45 shampoo for very dry hair and scalp. It worked better than the coal tar shampoos and I have no flakes now or itchiness. It's about £7 a bottle on Amazon. It will come back after a few weeks if you stop using it, though.

I have this, I was told mine was sebhorreic dermatitis, I don't get dandruff but when it gets inflamed I do get some false skin on my neck. Not really found anything to ease it either, the special shampoos seem to make it worse. I am convinced it's perimenopausal too but so far the gp keeps telling me at 46 I am too young...despite multiple other symptoms.

I had this recently and discovered (to my horror) it was headlice. Had to treat it. I got them from my primary school aged kids. Gross!

Are you certain it’s not headlice? The only reliable way to check is to cover your hair in conditioner and run a nit comb through (not just a normal comb) and wipe it on a paper towel and look for lice / nits. If you have children it’s very possible you’ve got them and haven’t realised. They’re not visually obvious in some hair.

Had the exact same. Head and neck itchy for weeks, sort of stung in the shower. Decided it couldn't be head lice as hadn't seen any in my children's hair. Finally saw them in my daughter's hair so combed everyone and I had loads. So gross.

I am allergic to certain fragrances, both in products I apply to myself and in household chemicals. Fragrance allergy is incredibly common.

In your place I would first try using fragrance-free shampoo and conditioner, but not Simple as it is very drying IME. Of the lower-price products, Waitrose Pure is good, also Faith in Nature Fragrance Free. The F in N one may only be available in health food shops or OL.

If your scalp is very dry, shampooing will make it drier. Can you wash your hair less often? Or use shampoo only every other wash and conditioner every wash?

You can also lock in moisture on your scalp by massaging your scalp with oil. Use a pure, unscented oil, not one made up for cosmetic purposes. Even just cooking oil will do, although jojoba, almond, avocado or rose hip are very good. Dab tiny drops onto scalp or fingertips and massage scalp well. Do this in the evening. Put a towel on your pillow that night and wash your hair the following morning.

Yes, check for nits first!

Sebhorric dermatitis.

Nizarol shampoo. Or ‘As l am dry and itchy ‘ shampoo.

You may need a prescription to calm it down.

I don't think it's nits. I'm 63 and my kids have long gone.
It feels v tight and sore as well as itchy. No flaky bits though. Would dermatitis involve flaky bits?

Likely sebhorreic dermatitis, try nizoral shampoo.

could be psoriasis but it’s difficult to tell without looking at it and you’d probably have patches elsewhere such as knees, elbows etc

Seborrhoeic dermatitis does, but allergic dermatitis not necessarily.

You’re bang on the age for peri-menopause! Try a different GP (or ask your GP to reconsider). I started HRT at 45 last year and it made a huge difference!

Incidentally, itchy scalp (and face and neck) was one of my main peri symptoms. I tried so many different treatments, shampoos and conditioners. The only one that I can tolerate now is Neal’s Yard seaweed shampoo (unlike the Cornish seaweed one, this one does lather). I use the conditioner too.

I've just washed my hair in the Dead Sea magic itchy scalp conditioner. It's made a huge difference. Doesn't itch at all at the moment. Fingers crossed.

Do check for psoriasis as it can develop at any age. The tightness could be indicative of that.

I had a terribly itchy scalp last year and do get Seborrhoeic dermatitis sometimes. I found the body shop ginger shampoo nothing short of miraculous. It stopped the itching almost immediately.

God this is me. I’m on HRT now but every summer for the last 3 years I’ve had wildly itchy scalp and back of neck. Not nits, no dandruff. It’s awful.

That's exactly it. It's driving me mad. I'm obsessed with it. It's driving DH mad listening to me.

I have had this problem too - the trigger seems to have been menopause and my whole body seems to have suffered from post menopausal dehydration and dryness, from down below (back and front) to back of head, eyes, and hands and feet. All post menopause. The joys!

@abracadabra1980
Me too. Everything on my body that can be dry is dry. I feel like a dried up old prune. It's so much fun getting older.

I had this last year and you have my sympathy … it was awful. I tried everything then finally saw my GP who diagnosed it as Psoriasis and prescribed Enstilar foam which got rid of it and it has never come back.
Enstilar is expensive to buy over the counter though.

I’ve got a massively itchy scalp although can also get it on other parts of my body too. If I take an antihistamine pill it calms it. Doctors weren’t very helpful, just told me to take them long term, I have no allergy diagnosis. I’m 46 but been dealing with this itchiness since probably 2019