Scalp irritation will affect us all with locks at one stage or another. As you can probably tell from the length of this blog post there are many factors that can contribute to an irritated scalp, but thankfully there are many treatments and even effective preventions.

Scalp irritation can be everything from an itchy scalp to pressure sores from the dreadlocks being too tight or heavy. If you're experiencing an irritated scalp I hope I have listed an effective treatment below. 

The baby stage of the dreadlock journey are most likely when your scalp will be more commonly irritated. This is because your scalp is going through a very transitional time adapting to the tight sections of the locks and also the relaxed washing routine. 

.

Tight - Dreadlocks are installed very tight to the scalp to ensure they 'set' in as neatly as possibly. The tight pulling hairs from the fresh install can definitely contribute to an irritated scalp.

This should ease with in 1-2 weeks or after the first wash. 

.

New Washing Routine - It's very common to wash your loose hair a few times a week or even everyday depending on your oil build up but with dreadlocks our washing routines are much more relaxed. 

Lunalockshop recommend a 3 week waiting period between professional work (install or maintenance) and wetting/washing. This is to ensure the crochet work is not interrupted while it settles and also ensures the pores on your scalp are not opening up from being wet. When your hair is tight and then your scalp gets wet it can lead to the hairs falling out more quickly then they typically would if they weren't wet. 

.

Extensions - Having extensions added will always add extra weight for your scalp to support. Your scalp is able to support this extra weight easily however in the first 1-3 of having the extensions it will feel very heavy and different to your scalp. This can cause itchiness, irritation and in some circumstances it can cause little red tensions bumps to present around the hair line. 

This will ease in less than a month and you won't have to worry about it again however in that month it can be very irritating. Treatments such as peppermint oil, scalp soothing sprays, lavender or rosemary oil applied directly to the affected area will help settle down your scalp. 

Dreadlock extensions come in multiple material types, the most common being human hair, kanekalon synthetic fibre and merino felting wool. 

The kanekalon synthetic fibre is a man made hair-like feeling material that most synthetic extensions available are made out of. Due to the material type and the chemicals used to treat the synthetic hair before it arrives to your loctician - it is important for all synthetic hairs to be treated before install. The synthetic hair has a different PH level than your scalp and in order for the hair to be comfortable to wear, we have to soak and clean the hair off. This practise commonly involves soaking the synthetic hair in either apple cider vinegar or citric acid to balance the PH, remove excess chemicals and ensure they're the best quality extensions for your scalp. 

IF you have synthetic extensions added and it results in a red rash or itchy skin around the hair line, neck, shoulders etc it can likely be eased by soaking your locks in a diluted apple cider vinegar bath and then giving your scalp a shampoo. It's likely that this reaction is caused by the PH imbalance the scalp and the extensions. 

.

New Products / Lack of usual products - When we have loose hair there are hundreds of products available that we incorporate into our washing routines. These products are everything from shampoo & conditioner, hair masks, hair serums, heat protectant sprays, leave in conditioners, dry shampoos, hair spray, gel, wax and more! As we use these products long term our scalp gets used to the climate/routine, so when we stop using this products your scalp can react poorly while it's transitioning into the new routine. The reaction can be itchiness, excess oil, dandruff etc. 

Your scalp is awesome and will regulate overtime. It's very likely that when you first get dreadlocks your scalp will take 1-4 weeks to settle down and ease into the new care routine. Your scalp will get used to washing less and having less products on it and in time will change the amount of oil and sebum production to mesh in with your new routine. Scalps are very good at regulating themselves if given the time to do so. 

Lunalockshop scalp soothing spray - https://lunalock.shop/products/copy-of-scalp-soothing-spray

.

Weight - As mentioned above, when we get extensions there is excess weight that your scalp has to get used to. This will ease and become normal in 1-4 weeks but during the transitional period you might get scalp irritation or headaches while your body is getting used to the change. Peppermint, lavender and rosemary oil are great natural remedies for irritation and inflammation which will help your scalp feel some ease.  

.

Lack of movement - Loose hair moves in the wind, knots up, get messy in sleep etc - Dreadlocks don't have that movement. They can move, absolutely! However the scalp will always be sectioned into the individual dreadlocks which restricts the movement of the hair closest to the scalp. This isn't an issue at all but when you first get locks your scalp may feel irritated due to lack of movement. Gentle massaging, scalp sprays, having a selection of different hair styles, and letting your dreadlocks down will all help the irritation from lack of movement. 

.

As expressed above, in the earlier stages of dreadlocks your scalp is very likely to go through some irritation periods. This is likely to ease after about a month when the scalp settles down. 

To prevent your scalp feeling unsettled after having dreadlocks installed you can prepare your scalp as much as possible before the appointment day. 

This can be achieved by: 

• Reducing how often you wash your hair 
• Reducing the amount of products used on the scalp 
• Avoiding chemical processes like bleaching or dying 
• Letting your scalp regulate on its own - yes this means rocking the oily hair for a while as your scalp regulates! 

Above I have listed treatments options for each circumstance but as a summary guideline these are some good options:

• Essential Oils such as peppermint or lavender to reduce irritation and inflammation.
• Apple Cider Vinegar or Ciritc Acid Soak to regulate the PH of your scalp.
• Wearing your lock in different styles to ensure the same areas of the scalp are not pulling - this includes wearing it down which is very important for movement!
• Scalp massaging in the affected area
• Time and patience when first getting your dreadlocks is the most effective treatment. Your scalp will settle before you know it!  

 

Thankfully once your dreadlocks have matured, your scalp won't be going through any transitional periods that are stated above. However, this doesn't mean that your scalp cant be irritated anymore. Below are some reasons your scalp might be feeling irritated even when your locks are fully mature and how you can prevent or treat it. 

.

Build up - 'Build up' is a term used when products or debris are trapped inside the middle of the dreadlock. This can be shampoo, dead skin, twigs/lawn, smoke, car grease/fuel.. anything! Build up can irritate the scalp because of the products sitting in the dreadlocks, these products will likely cause very hard spots in your locks and often result in single hairs being constantly pulled tight at the scalp.

Build up can be treated by completing a deep soak (or 2), followed by a shampoo. This will remove all excess build up from the middle of the dreadlock leaving your scalp feeling fresh and your locks feeling loose and soft again.

.  

Needs a wash - It can be that simple! If it's been a while since your scalp has been shampoo'd the irritation is very likely just due to the scalp not being able to breathe through the excess dead skin and dirt on your scalp. Giving your scalp a wash and washing off the dirt and skin will help your scalp breathe and feel ease. 

.

Hair pulling from needing maintenance - If you haven't had maintenance in a long time your scalp might be getting itchy, sore and uncomfortable. This is likely due to hairs pulling in the wrong direction and/or lack of air flow to the scalp. 

A maintenance session will help your scalp feel ease. 

.

Tightness from after maintenance - For the first few days after maintenance your scalp may feel uncomfortable. Due to the pulling of hair in the appointment and then your locks being tighter after maintenance your scalp has to ease and this will take a couple of days. They will naturally loosen and ease on their own. 

If you experience a discomfort that you cannot deal with then try using a scalp soothing spray/peppermint oil directly onto the affected area. This will likely help settle down the irritation. If pain or a headache presents - feel free to use paracetamol for the pain or ibuprofen for the inflammation/irritation. 

.

Mental Health - Stress, anxiety, depression and more can all affect us physically as much as mental. When our mental health takes a dive it can result in hair loss/thinning or headaches. This can absolutely irritate your scalp and make the dreadlocks feel uncomfortable to wear. As we all know there is no one size fits all treatment for mental health but there are plenty of options thankfully! 

Finding your calm is the best way to treat and prevent thinning hair from mental health issues, this will be achieved differently for everyone.

Some things you can try are- 

• Mindful breathing / Meditation / Quiet Time 
• Listening to / Playing music 
• Exercise 
• Journaling 
• Eating / Drinking more wholesome foods 
• Eliminating unnecessary stress factors out of your life 
• Gaming 

Above you will find prevention option for all factors that could result in scalp irritation. Below is a summary:

• Adopt a regular deep soak routine (one a season at least) 
• Book in for regular maintenance (3-4 times a year) 
• Separating your roots so they're not matted together (air flow is king) 
• Have a regular washing routine 
• Don't change products unnecessarily 
• Having calm mental health practises in place 

• Complete a deep soak to remove the excess products built up in your locks Find Lunalockshop deep soak here - https://lunalock.shop/products/lls-deep-soak-powder
• Complete an apple cider vinegar soak to regulate your scalps PH levels 
• Give your scalp a good shampoo to remove all dirt and dead skin cells 
• Use a collagen or hair/skin/nails supplement to promote hair growth 
• Book in for a maintenance to have your sectioned unmattered and your dreadlocks retightened to promote air flow. 

As you can tell there are many reasons your scalp may be uncomfortable, I hope that in this blog post you find some information to help you prevent issues or treat them when/if they arise.

If you havent been able to find any help please contact me on Facebook or Instagram via the Lunalockshop page and I will try my best to guide you through your issue and find you some ease.