Conditioner "Scalp Burn"

[ChristmasCarol]

Quick question, ladies.

Has anyone else ever experienced a "scalp burn" following use of a conditioner/deep conditioner? I'm using this term because I'm not sure what else to call it. It's not a "burn" that one might experience post-relaxer, more of an "irritation". No scabbing or anything like that, just redness for a couple days in a small spot or two.

This happened to me a few months ago while using VO5 Moisture Milks line, so I stopped using those and had not experienced the irritation again until I recently DC'd using a hodge-podge of conditioners + an ORS pak. None were VO5, however.

It's not a major problem, considering it has only happened twice during 7 months of co-washing 3/4 times/wk. I'm thinking I may have irritated my scalp somehow before washing and my scalp was reacting to this. IDK.

I'm just wondering if this has happened to anyone else and if you were able to pin-point the culprit?

GO CAVS!

 

[Janet']

I have never heard of this...I'm interested to see if anyone can guide you in the right direction...

 

[SelfStyled]

This has never happened to me either. Do you have sensitive skin anywhere else on your body?

 

[ChristmasCarol]

This has never happened to me either. Do you have sensitive skin anywhere else on your body?

Hmm, I'm not really sure. I've never really used commercial products - like bodywashes, scented lotions, bubble bath, etc. I only use makeup a few times/year. I use natural oils instead of lotion. I don't use leave-ins, mousse, styling gels, setting lotions, etc.

Conditioners are the only "chemicals" I come into contact with, pretty much.

I do have dry skin, but no history of skin issues, though.

 

[Ltown]

Sipp100, sorry this happen to you. Maybe it had alot of alcohol, was it clarifying conditioner?

 

[Supervixen]

I've had this. It feels like a tender scalp to me. I always thought it was from having a plastic baggie on my head and my scalp couldn't get air???

Typing that just made me feel crazy. LOL.

 

[ChristmasCarol]

Sipp100, sorry this happen to you. Maybe it had alot of alcohol, was it clarifying conditioner?

Thanks, ltown. No, it was VO5 Moisture Milks Strawberry. I'm not sure about the alcohol content.

I've had this. It feels like a tender scalp to me. I always thought it was from having a plastic baggie on my head and my scalp couldn't get air???

Typing that just made me feel crazy. LOL.

Hmm, I didn't have a plastic bag on my head, lol, but I always apply conditioner to dry hair and then rinse it out anywhere from 10 minutes to an hour later. Maybe the length of time it's on the scalp has something to do with it?

How many times has this happened to you, Cyd?

 

[CurliDiva]

It sounds like you are allergic to one or more of the ingredients! I would compare the bottle of VO5 to the others conditioners you used and see if anything is unique to both.

Or maybe you are not rinsing your scalp clean enough and mixed with any styling products are causing your scalp to feel irritated.

 

[ChristmasCarol]

It sounds like you are allergic to one or more of the ingredients! I would compare the bottle of VO5 to the others conditioners you used and see if anything is unique to both.

Or maybe you are not rinsing your scalp clean enough and mixed with any styling products are causing your scalp to feel irritated.

Yes, maybe I am allergic to something in it. I'll have to compare the Moisture Milks line to the other VO5s, which I don't have a problem with.

I never use styling products. The only thing I leave in my hair is grapeseed oil or EVOO.

 

[Supervixen]

Thanks, ltown. No, it was VO5 Moisture Milks Strawberry. I'm not sure about the alcohol content.



Hmm, I didn't have a plastic bag on my head, lol, but I always apply conditioner to dry hair and then rinse it out anywhere from 10 minutes to an hour later. Maybe the length of time it's on the scalp has something to do with it?

How many times has this happened to you, Cyd?

Frequently. I also put conditioner on dry hair. The longer I leave it on the more likely it is to cause the tender scalp feeling.

 

[ChristmasCarol]

Frequently. I also put conditioner on dry hair. The longer I leave it on the more likely it is to cause the tender scalp feeling.

That may be it! The last time it happened, I DC w/o heat for 30 minutes or so.

Thanks, Cyd

 

[SelfStyled]

It sounds like you are allergic to one or more of the ingredients! I would compare the bottle of VO5 to the others conditioners you used and see if anything is unique to both.

Or maybe you are not rinsing your scalp clean enough and mixed with any styling products are causing your scalp to feel irritated.

I am officially(sp?) stumped....IA w/ CD maybe you are allergic to one of the ingredients. One thing I have noticed w/ my scalp is that around certain times of the month it is more sensitive than others. Do you hair journal? If you do I would start marking it down, scalp issues, what products you used, etc.

 

[daydreem2876]

I did... i was experimenting the DC'ing overnight with CON strengthening and moisturizing conditioner. I was thinking it had something to do with the chemicals in the product and trying to make something do what it was not designed to do. Scared me so bad I do not use that product anymore and pushed me into using organic and natural products on my hair from now on

 

[Iluvsmuhgrass]

Possible allergic reaction(s) from individual products, leaving it on too long, or mixing too much stuff. I would shy away from mixing conditioners (unless it's conditioner plus oils or something like that) because the last time I mixed a few left overs just to use them up, I had a reaction like what you've described. A lady on Youtube (FamilyGoingNatural is the name I think I heart her) made a vlog about this very thing. Once I stopped, I didn't experience it anymore. I also experienced a sore and itchy scalp (I cowash 1-3x a week) and when I clarified it stopped. (But I still get growth itchies. Totally different thing for me.)

 

[Whimsy]

Aw, you may want to go to the dermo. Do you have sensitive skin in general?
Were you able to pinpoint any common ingredients in the products that caused you irritation?

 

[ChristmasCarol]

Thanks for your concern, Whimsy. No, I won't see a derm unless it happens often or is severe. There were two pea-sized red spots and they disappeared within a couple days. Now I don't even know where they were.

 

[Nightingale]

Joico Kpak gave me a chemical burn behind my ears when I DCed over night. My scalp was ok though. I haven't had that issue with any other conditioner.

 

[ChristmasCarol]

Yeah, it seems like leaving conditioner on for a long time can cause sensitivity. From now on, when I DC, I'll start a few inches from my scalp. My new growth (11 months into transition) isn't dry and doesn't really need DCing, I just DC to keep my relaxed ends healthy.

 

[Muse]

I know exactly what you mean. This happened to me when I did a cowash with White Rain. I rubbed the con into my scalp and my scalp was on fire, like I had a relaxer in it for too long. I did not leave it in long (3-4 minutes) and I don't have a sensitive scalp, never had any allergic reactions to any hair products before. After that I just started to do conditioner rinses, never massaging the con into my scalp.

A few days ago I decided to 'wash' my scalp with con again. This time I used Mane N Tail and rubbed that in because they said it could be used on the scalp. Same thing happened but not as bad as the White Rain but my scalp was a little irritated. Just tried Nature's Gate Tea Tree con last night and same thing happened yet again only slightly less irritated than the MNT. Now I'm trying to figure out how people are getting their scalps clean with conditioner only. Are you guys rubbing it into the scalp? Is it just me who's having these reactions?

 

[bimtheduck]

Happened to me once when I prepooed with garlic oil. Near my temple behind my left ear I got a sore, red, bumpy patch about the size of a nickel. It left about 3 days later and never returned.

 

[Mz.MoMo5235]

i got it from using skala.... i figured it was an allergic reaction. i prolonged the irritation by continuing the use of the product (didnt realize what was happening yet) and my whole head was full of owies i sorry

 

[Iluvsmuhgrass]

UPDATE: A few months ago..... Ok sooooo You know how we try to use stuff up? I had half a bottle of Moisture Milk sitting in my bathroom and I thought,"What a waste... I should use it up." BAD IDEA. I put it on and went about my day, rinsing it out like 15 minutes later. When I tell you that it felt like I had been scratching with a fresh relaxer... I used tea tree mixed with evoo to soothe the burning sensation and I was sore for three days. I didn't think about it again.... until I was massaging my scalp and had SCABS come off in my hands where this stuff burned me. Not small insignificant scabs but 3, up to dime sized. No hair loss but still.....

Vo5 Moisture Milks can go to hell in a gasoline soaked thong.

 

[Mz.MoMo5235]

UPDATE: A few months ago..... Ok sooooo You know how we try to use stuff up? I had half a bottle of Moisture Milk sitting in my bathroom and I thought,"What a waste... I should use it up." BAD IDEA. I put it on and went about my day, rinsing it out like 15 minutes later. When I tell you that it felt like I had been scratching with a fresh relaxer... I used tea tree mixed with evoo to soothe the burning sensation and I was sore for three days. I didn't think about it again.... until I was massaging my scalp and had SCABS come off in my hands where this stuff burned me. Not small insignificant scabs but 3, up to dime sized. No hair loss but still.....

Vo5 Moisture Milks can go to hell in a gasoline soaked thong.

yup, exact same thing happened to me and skala except i didnt get a burning feeling... just a warm tingly feeling. but like a stupid head i kept using the product as a leave in for a week and then come next wash day all hell broke loose.

my scalp is still recovering. i'm doing the same thing though, evoo, evco, and t-tree oil. my scabs were small though, but all over my scalp

 

[jerseygurl]

I'm sorry you ladies are experiencing this, I hope I never have to.

@Luvsmuhgrass @ gasoline soaked thongs

 

[Jazala]

This is why I don't use Nexxus products. They do a number on my scalp.

 

[justicefighter1913]

Wow ya'll I seriously thought that something was wrong with me or that I was using a product incorrectly. Yes, I've felt exactly what you all are describing. When I rinsed the conditioner off of my scalp it felt like I had been scratching my scalp prior to a relaxer. I can't really pinpoint which particular conditioner has this effect on me (probably b/c I switch up often). However, the very last time I washed my hair, I had some SM on it and rinsed it out. After I rinsed it out, I applied prosity control, like normal. ooooooh myyyy lord, it felt like my head was a flame! That's never happend to me when I' ved used PC before.

Going forward, I think I'm going to aware of which products I'm putting on my hair, so that I can pinpoint which product(s) are causing this type of reaction.

 

[Bnster]

It could also be you have a sore already on your scalp and when you added a substance to your scalp you picked up on the irritation. Example once in a blue moon when I do an ACV rinse it may irritate me on random spots. So something in the liquid is irritating you when you have a sore spot (s).

What about shampooing, does it irritate you sometime? But I know when I have sore spots when I feel up on my scalp sometime caused by massaging to much on certain spots.

 

[ChristmasCarol]

OK, so this seems like it may be a fairly common occurance. I haven't had any problems with conditioners since I made this thread, but I've also stopped mixing conditioners (for the most part)

Iluvsmuhgrass, Moisture Milks IS the DEBIL, so yes, hell w/ a gas thong is an appropriate place for it!

Luckily, Mz Momo, I haven't had any problems with SKALA products - my new bff.

Justicefighter, I'm too lazy to actually keep a record of which conditioners I use, so I just stopped using the Moisture Milks line altogether. It's not a great condish anyway, just a cheap way to cowash on the daily.

Bnster, I don't use shampoo and I haven't for a few years, so I don't know if it would irritate my scalp.

Thanks for your replies ladies!

 

[Eluv]

I had to stop using the Suave Coconut conditioner because it gave me an itchy sensation the more I used it. I figured it was something in it my scalp didn't like, so far I haven't had that feeling with the VO5 moisture milk.

 

[Tiye]

OK, so this seems like it may be a fairly common occurance. I haven't had any problems with conditioners since I made this thread, but I've also stopped mixing conditioners (for the most part)

Iluvsmuhgrass, Moisture Milks IS the DEBIL, so yes, hell w/ a gas thong is an appropriate place for it!

Luckily, Mz Momo, I haven't had any problems with SKALA products - my new bff.

Justicefighter, I'm too lazy to actually keep a record of which conditioners I use, so I just stopped using the Moisture Milks line altogether. It's not a great condish anyway, just a cheap way to cowash on the daily.

Bnster, I don't use shampoo and I haven't for a few years, so I don't know if it would irritate my scalp.

Thanks for your replies ladies!

I think it would depend on the shampoo ingredients. I do use shampoos that agree with me, but overall I'm sensitive to a lot of cosmetic and beauty products. So this actually acts as a control mechanism for potential product junkism because I have to b very careful about what I'll use. Most of my family has the same problems so you're not alone.