Um. So, Do Normal People Get Pimples on Their Scalp?
January 4, 2016 3:13 PM   Subscribe

I pretty much always have at least one hair follicle on my head that's all plugged up with dead skin or full of backed up sebum or just generally gross and disgusting. I know this because I have trichotillomania. How can I keep my scalp healthier (and therefore keep my compulsions under check)?

So, I LOVE scraping gross shit off my scalp! I get such a thrill when I find something and I poke and scrape until it comes off, and then I harass the wound every single day until it disappears! I can't believe I didn't realize this was trichotillomania* earlier (a close relative has trich, despite the fact I'm diagnosed with Tourette Syndrome** for 14 years) but like. It makes sense.

So...what am I doing wrong? Is this just a normal, gross part of life like the occassional back pimple? is there anything I can do to keep my scalp healthier so that I'm not as tempted to pick?

-I have ultra greasy hair.
-I used to use Head & Shoulders and I still got messed up hair follicles.
-I recently bleached/dyed my hair and now use Conditioning Shampoo.
-My hair is really fine and sleek and straight, but I want it to be messy and flying everywhere and light and fluffy, so I really hate using deep conditioning products that build up and weigh it down.

*Trichotillomania doesn't always mean you pull your hair out; it also includes behaviors like skin picking and fingernail biting. Basically any finicky compulsive body grooming that you can do enough to hurt yourself.

**People with Tourette Syndrome have a lot of congenital brain deformities and chemical imbalances that make controlling compulsions and impulses more difficult/impossible. It's a spectrum disorder, which means it is often comorbid and/or has symptoms similar to a lot of other disorders including OCD, ADD, ADHD, and apparently trichotillomania.
posted by Juliet Banana to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (27 answers total) 7 users marked this as a favorite
 
I can't vouch for my normalcy but I get them, too. I do the best I can to refocus the need to poke at it on other things, like flecking off my nail polish. Of course I still poke at them and when I do, a little bit of neosporin rubbed into the spot helps it go away quicker and reminds me by being greasy that I need to not touch it.

I got a little pack of these dealies a while back (I disregard the reflexology woo and just use them as little fiddle-withs) and they've been invaluable for giving me something to do with my fingers that's not self-damaging. YMMV.
posted by phunniemee at 3:22 PM on January 4, 2016 [4 favorites]


I really like Neutrogena T-Sal shampoo for keeping my scalp healthy. You don't need to use it every time, but 2x a week helps when my scalp is acting nutty. I only use conditioner on my ends, not on my scalp.

Also, if you're a picker and have your hands in your hair frequently, wash your hands first. Use Purell or something similar in a pinch. You could easily be introducing gross stuff onto your scalp by scratching around with dirty hands. I also keep my fingernails trimmed very short as I find that having longer nails allows me to pick more.

Some of this can't be avoided. Like all skin, scalp skin can get pimples. I find that when I keep my scalp in good condition and my nails super short, the desire to scout and pick my scalp decreases a lot.
posted by quince at 3:29 PM on January 4, 2016 [6 favorites]


How often are you washing your hair? You could try using baby shampoo daily, which would be non-irritating, and cheap to try. The daily washing's scalp massage would help exfoliation of your scalp. Try it without conditioner to achieve light/fluffy hair. If you feel you absolutely need conditioner, you could try a detangling/conditioning spray for light conditioning on the ends.

You could get tea tree oil from the natural foods store and add it into the bottle - it's an antibacterial and with regular use it will help control the breakouts. There are tea-tree oil shampoos out there as well, but I don't know of any worth recommending.

I use pure tea tree oil on my face daily - it doesn't wholly stop my breakouts but I can definitely attest that they have greatly diminished. Not all tea tree oils are pure though, diluted versions didn't work for me... read the labels.
posted by lizbunny at 3:30 PM on January 4, 2016 [1 favorite]


Have you tried a shampoo with tea tree oil? I find that it de-oils my scalp a bit and prevents grossness. Trader Joe's makes a cheap good one called Tea Tree Tingle.
posted by barnoley at 3:31 PM on January 4, 2016 [3 favorites]


Oh hey, I used to have hair just like yours and a scalp prone to breakouts. What has worked for me is cutting out the shampoo completely, switching to silicone-free conditioner, and "washing" my hair by scrubbing my scalp with conditioner and then pulling the excess through the length.

I know, I know, you're going to think because you have greasy hair and a nasty scalp that you NEED shampoo. You don't. If anything, this might be causing the oil production (and thus, buildup in your pores) to go into overdrive. It will take a couple of weeks (maybe even a couple of months) for your scalp to readjust but trust me, it will. Mine has gone from getting greasy by mid-day to being able to go 3 days without "washing" it.

My favorite conditioners for this purpose that are silicone free and do not weigh hair down are Pureology's reviving red (for some reason many of their other conditioners are full of silicones, but not this one) and Living Proof perfect hair day. Some of the Suave Professionals ones are decent too, if you're budget conscious. I cannot stress enough it must be silicone free so you don't get buildup.
posted by joan_holloway at 3:33 PM on January 4, 2016 [13 favorites]


Pay a visit to the dermatologist! You may have a scalp condition that would respond well to medicated shampoo.
posted by incessant at 4:29 PM on January 4, 2016 [2 favorites]


Agree that you might benefit from Neutrogena T-Sal. I use it on my greasy/crusty/flaky scalp. It's got salacylic acid, which is found in most acne face wash. It's pretty cheap, and you only need to use it on your scalp. I wash my hair first with regular shampoo, then scrub my scalp with T-Sal, leave it on a few minutes, then rinse it out.
posted by radioamy at 4:37 PM on January 4, 2016


I can't find anywhere selling it in the US but throw it out as an idea and an example of the idea -- Revlon Interactives Dandruff Control Renewing Peeling Box and Revlon Interactives Dermal Cleansing Clay are both very easy to use and effective scalp masks. Squeeze on the contents of a tube, rub in, lather out a little later.

(But I'd say the odd scalp pimple is a totally normal part of life.)
posted by kmennie at 4:40 PM on January 4, 2016 [2 favorites]


I (and many other mefites, I've heard) have found that my hair is a lot less greasy if I stop washing it frequently. If I wash it, it instantly gets really greasy for a week or so. You say yours is really greasy so perhaps your body is overcompensating for all of the oil being stripped away daily. You may have luck by going no shampoo for awhile even if it's rough at the start.

but yes, everyone gets zits wherever there are follicles.

Also yes dermatologist.
posted by OnTheLastCastle at 4:41 PM on January 4, 2016


I get bumps of stuff, and can get picky at it when I'm under stress, and the stuff gets worse when I'm not washing often enough or well enough, which also happens when I'm under stress or sick and not super on top of basic self-care. It is far worse when my hair is long, just because it is harder to get my scalp extremely clean plus I have to use a ton of product when it's long.

I use the t-sal sometimes (drugstore version) but I actually find using a scrub shampoo more effective. I have made my own with sugar, but it takes a ton of rinsing, so I find something like this peppermint scrub shampoo preferable. Not every time for either type of treatment, but once a week or so and a good minute or two of cleaning my scalp with tiny circular motions.
posted by Lyn Never at 5:08 PM on January 4, 2016


I also get scalp pimples. They're extra hurty! I was able to really cut down on the frequency of them by using Desert Essence's Tea Trea Shampoo. I used it for a few years and now I only get a scalp pimple a couple times a year. You can find it at Whole Foods and similar stores, or amazon, or you can buy it direct from them at that link.

Please note, the paul mitchell tea tree shampoo did NOT help with this.
posted by misanthropicsarah at 5:19 PM on January 4, 2016 [3 favorites]


You're not going to like this, but I would stop bleaching your hair. When I used to bleach mine, I would get huge drifts of dandruff (as did every other bleached blonde that I knew). It just really seems to abuse your scalp. The only thing that made it better was going back to my natural hair colour. Dying it dark didn't seem to have nearly as much negative effect, but bleaching strips the scalp and you get all sorts of issues.
posted by Jubey at 5:21 PM on January 4, 2016


Yeah, sometimes. Weirdly, they greatly decreased when I stopped using conditioner and now just slap a couple drops of argan oil on my hands and run it through. My hair is really fine too, but a bit wavy, and the argan makes it actually fairly curly — conditioner used to just give it VOLUME but make it poofy and kind of a pain in the ass.

Just a tiny bit of oil and not washing it (or adding oil) every day did wonders.
posted by klangklangston at 5:25 PM on January 4, 2016 [2 favorites]


I get them and have always assumed they are normal.

I have oily hair and often break out around my hairline anyway, so it seems normal to me that I would also get the occasional pimple on my scalp.

I, too, have a tendency to pick at them. Especially since there's no real social faux pas to worrying at a particular spot on your scalp in the way that it's considered unsightly to pick at your face. Back of the neck pimples are also irksome in this way.

The only solution that really works for me is distraction. Also, I try to "schedule" picking, like for example I'll decide I can't pick at home but can do it in this one particular bathroom at work. Or in the car in the interstitial time between parking and getting out of the car. If I punt it to times of the day when I usually have other things to do, I find that I don't pick as compulsively or destructively.
posted by Sara C. at 5:46 PM on January 4, 2016


can't vouch for normalcy either but I can get pimples on the scalp too. I have a skin-affecting autoimmune disorder that's mostly no big deal but which means I'm prone to dandruff, rosacea, bacne, and so forth. Even while flaking wildly at the scalp I used to get the occasional pimple. It's been some time, though; not sure if that's a result of more-aggressive treatment for the auto-immune shizz or just getting older or what (I'm about fifty). Given that my hair was prone to greasiness while my skin was as dry as Eastern Oregon, I'm guessing it's the drugs.
posted by mwhybark at 6:18 PM on January 4, 2016 [1 favorite]


The thing that works for me is cheap, bordering on free, so maybe give it a shot: I wash my hair with plain bar soap once every three or four days being careful to massage my scalp extra vigorously with my fingernails. It sort of clears the decks of accumulated grease. I then wash again immediately after with shampoo and conditioner, being careful to rinse the conditioner out thoroughly. Not sure if what soap I use matters, but it's generally the oatmeal bar soap from Trader Joe's.

I know the conventional wisdom is that plain bar soap will strip your hair of vital nutrients and blah blah, but my hair gets so greasy, all it really does it bust me back down to regular levels.

I have also been changing my pillow case more and taking the occasional extra shower before bed when I feel extra gross.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 6:27 PM on January 4, 2016 [1 favorite]


Best answer: You could potentially try the no-shampoo thing but if it does work (and pls note that it absolutely does not work the same for everyone) the zitty crusty greasy horrorshow will get a lot worse before it gets better.
posted by poffin boffin at 7:08 PM on January 4, 2016 [3 favorites]


I have no advice on the greasy scalp or pimple front, but...

I suffer from trichotillomania (eyebrows mainly), but my husband also has a very similar habit to yours (finds things on his head to pick at and then mindlessly picks until it's bleeding, then waits for it to minimally heal before having more of a go at it). What works for me on my brows is clear mascara type makeup (the strange feel of it "wakes" me up when I touch them and reminds me not to pull), but we were struggling to find a similar strategy for my husband.

So we came up with this: whenever he's at home he wears a bandana (specifically a Buff Headwear, since we have a few of those and you can configure them in a way that covers most of the scalp - see the "Pirate" example at the bottom of this image, but he tucks the "tail" back up under). When he's out of the house he wears a hat or baseball cap. When he reaches up to pick, he touches the hat or bandana and this "reminds" him that he shouldn't be doing it. He has fairly but not terribly greasy hair, but we have a few Buffs so we just rotate them through the wash.

The place he works is definitely not bandana or hat appropriate, so he's kind of on his own there, but cutting down on 50%+ of the picking opportunities is better than nothing.

Additionally whenever we notice each other picking, we say "UH!" (a short, loud-ish guttural exclamation like you would say to a cat or dog who's about to do something forbidden) to remind the other person what they're doing / about to do. :) (this amuses us for some reason?) But by far it is more effective for both of us to have this tactile reminder not to pick in the first place.

If you are just totally anti-bandana / hat, you could also think about something like cotton gloves while you're at home (that was my original idea for my husband but for some reason he wasn't keen on it, hehe).

Good luck, I know how frustrating this can be! There are heaps of support blogs out there for trich sufferers, some of whom I bet have great ideas / advice.
posted by snap, crackle and pop at 7:29 PM on January 4, 2016 [2 favorites]


It's possible that certain ingredients in hair products don't work for your scalp-- silicone and/or sodium lauryl sulfate are somewhat common culprits.

I don't know how apple cider vinegar affects dyed hair, but it can be helpful for scalp issues.

Dry shampoos might be another idea to consider.
posted by oceano at 8:37 PM on January 4, 2016 [1 favorite]


Also do you have hard water?
posted by oceano at 8:44 PM on January 4, 2016 [1 favorite]


I have similar scalp troubles and picking tendencies! Here are the things that finally worked for me, although I can't vouch for how this would affect dyed/bleached hair.

- Once every 1-2 weeks, use Sebex 2% salicylic acid shampoo with sulfur. It's a real scalp treatment - you leave it on for five minutes or so. This clears my scalp like absolutely nothing else ever has. I've tried nearly every dandruff shampoo and this is by far the best (at least for my issues - fine oily hair, flaky/oily/breakout-prone scalp). This stuff seriously works miracles for me. I hadn't used it in 2 weeks and my scalp was getting itchy, so I used it today and my scalp still feels noticeably 'relieved' somehow.

- Most days, just use a cleansing conditioner - sounds like you're already using something similar, but maybe try something more gentle. I did find that daily shampooing made my hair oilier, but could never manage to skip days without using a ton of dry shampoo. This is a pretty decent middle ground, and I can wash my hair every day without getting oily if I use this. If I use sulfate shampoo instead, my hair starts getting oily again immediately. I really like Palmer's olive oil cleansing conditioner - it's moisturizing enough to use without conditioner if my hair isn't already feeling dry.

- Wash with plain baby shampoo whenever I start feeling like my hair is getting limp, getting oilier faster, or has build-up.

- Try to avoid silicones. I use a little silicone in my styling product, but I use a silicone-free conditioner when my hair needs more moisture.
posted by dialetheia at 8:58 PM on January 4, 2016 [4 favorites]


I have similar scalp issues that trigger actual trichotillomania* so I have experience dealing with this. I find that washing my hair less often, but with natural, sulfate-free bar soap helps a lot. I follow this up with conditioner. This probably has stylists cringing in horror, but it allows me to actually have hair sometimes and, given the control difficulties, I consider that a major win.

* trichotillomania is literally hair-pulling-mania; the umbrella term for finicky compulsive body grooming behaviours is "Body Focused Repetitive Behaviour." If you pick your skin but don't pull out hair you may be dealing with dermatillomania; closely related but not the same.
posted by bibliotropic at 10:14 PM on January 4, 2016 [4 favorites]


I used to have a similar problem for years, and it went completely away once I grew my hair long and started to wash it every two/three days instead of daily - no other treatment necessary! My hair got used to it after a very short time and doesn't look greasy/oily. Caveat: I've never dyed/bleached my hair.
posted by amf at 10:22 PM on January 4, 2016


When you shampoo, mix in a few drops of tea tree oil and scrub it into your scalp. This will reduce the scalp acne. And never put conditioner directly on your scalp (just the ends of your hair).
posted by Polychrome at 2:19 AM on January 5, 2016


I have the same problems with sebum, pimples and tricho. I've used nettle shampoo and tonic (one or the other, not at the same time) successfully to decrease sebum. Scalp feels fresh and healthy after use. I have also tried adding a couple of drops of tea tree oil to my shampoo, but my scalp and pimples only felt more irritated.
posted by frantumaglia at 2:39 AM on January 5, 2016


My husband gets the scalp pimples too. When we looked closer, turns out they line up with the pads on his bicycle helmet (he bikes most days). Too much sweat build up and friction, plus the pads just get manky over time. Now he has two sets of pads and swaps then cleans them regularly and it has made a big difference to his scalp. He does still get the occasional pimple up there, but they are far less common and heal faster when they do appear.

It's probably not the whole answer. But I remember that you ride too so maybe taking a look at your helmet can help a little.
posted by shelleycat at 6:58 AM on January 5, 2016 [4 favorites]


I used to get the same thing all the time (ultra-greasy, super straight, fine hair, and not a lot of it). It's changed a lot since I went fully no shampoo (no co-washing, no baking soda/vinegar, just straight "washing" with water). What made a huge difference to me was actually shampoo brushes. They're "meant" to be used with shampoo to help create lather, but just on their own they are really great for massaging the scalp and loosening up any crud. They get so much more done than just trying to massage your scalp with your fingers.

I use this one in the shower. I make sure the water is running in the same area as the part of my scalp I'm massaging with the brush. I go over my whole head a couple of times, and spend extra time anywhere that feels itchy.

I have another, pointier one that I use before bed or on days that I'm not "washing" my hair, just to fluff it up at the roots.
posted by Francies at 9:44 AM on January 5, 2016 [3 favorites]


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