[Nike007]

Hello. I know I need to shower more, but I naturally have a dry scalp. It sucks. I get massive dandruff. I need to buy my special shampoo because it really helps. If I don't, like i am doing now, I pick at the dry skin at my head. I can do this for hours if I wanted to. I am able to stand in front of a mirror, and scratch my head until all the dandruff is gone. I know you may say this is normal, but the thing is, I do this until my head bleeds. I have scabs on my scalp from scratching my head too much. Some of the dry skin that I pick comes off red from blood instead of white. I usually stop there or I move to a different area on my head. Do other people do this? Should I get this looked more into? I am diagnosed with OCD, so I don't know if I need something separate for this? I really hope I'm not the only one that scratches their head until it is bleeding. Thanks for the response .

Social anxiety disorder, GAD, OCD, and panic attacks

Lexapro, 10 mg

[coyotee]

It sounds like it most likely is dandruff, since you're saying your shampoo is effective at managing it.

This is a good comparison of dandruff vs scalp psoriasis though just for reference: Is It Dandruff or Psoriasis? - Psoriasis Center - Everyday Health
If dandruff shampoo doesn't work against it, there are other shampoos for psoriasis.

You can lose a compulsion with the right mindset, but in your case, I also think to accompany that there should be several ways you can get rid of the triggering event.
There are a lot of good natural remedies for dandruff control that might work alongside the shampoo. The thing is you need to stop picking the scalp to use them. I know for instance that there's a lot of great lemon recipes to treat it but you really shouldn't do that if you have open sores because it might burn.

[Nike007]

Originally Posted by coyotee

It sounds like it most likely is dandruff, since you're saying your shampoo is effective at managing it.


This is a good comparison of dandruff vs scalp psoriasis though just for reference: Is It Dandruff or Psoriasis? - Psoriasis Center - Everyday Health

If dandruff shampoo doesn't work against it, there are other shampoos for psoriasis.


You can lose a compulsion with the right mindset, but in your case, I also think to accompany that there should be several ways you can get rid of the triggering event.

There are a lot of good natural remedies for dandruff control that might work alongside the shampoo. The thing is you need to stop picking the scalp to use them. I know for instance that there's a lot of great lemon recipes to treat it but you really shouldn't do that if you have open sores because it might burn.

It probably is. The normal dandruff shampoo doesn't work, it's this expensive stuff (about $12 for half the size of a regular bottle). It's used to kill severe dandruff and hair fungus of some kinds, I am not sure.

Thanks. I read it, and somethings like my scalp bleeding would fit, but others I am unsure.

Ya, the lemon thing seems painful for me since I accidentally scratch holes in my head I guess. And yes, with the special shampoo, I am fine, but I ran out a few months ago and it's been terrible. If I use it, I don't scratch my head because there isn't anything to scratch.

Thanks for the response and help .

Social anxiety disorder, GAD, OCD, and panic attacks

Lexapro, 10 mg

[BlackSheep79]

I have ezcema on my scalp and I do this. However, I'm diagnosed not only with OCD but also Bipolar. I also pull my hair out. I seem to only do this where there is severe damage to my scalp when I'm manic. I can't stop when I'm like this. So I'm not sure what illness is doing this, or its both. I don't know about dandruff but I use a recipe on line using apple cider vinegar. I don't do it when it is open sores, stings bad. It's not a cure all for me but helps.

[obscurity]

I have that too. Its called trichotillomania. Its also something that runs in my family (yeah, I was the lucky one that got all the bad genetics). The only thing that I've found that works is to distract myself by doing something else. Somehow, it's easier to control than the OCD. I wish I had more info to give you, but I wanted to let you know you're not alone.

[psychadelic]

picking at the skin on your scalp sounds like a stim. If the picking helps calm you down or feels good to do then its probably a stim, it's common in people with autism spectrum disorders but I think people with other disorders do too.

[Nike007]

Originally Posted by psychadelic

picking at the skin on your scalp sounds like a stim. If the picking helps calm you down or feels good to do then its probably a stim, it's common in people with autism spectrum disorders but I think people with other disorders do too.

It doesn't feel that good to do at all. It takes up a lot of the time of the day to do stuff. I want to stop doing it, I can't seem to do so. It helps calm the anxiety I get from it, but it's only temporarily.

I am being evaluated for autism, and I know I tap my feet, but the more common one associated with autism is I rock back and forth while sitting. I used to spin and hum while doing stuff, but not anymore. Mainly rocking back and forth. That is a stim for me for sure.

Social anxiety disorder, GAD, OCD, and panic attacks

Lexapro, 10 mg

[avlady]

i hope you can get a handle on this problem, i'm sure alot of people suffer with dandruff but maybe not as bad.

[emwell]

Originally Posted by Nike007

It doesn't feel that good to do at all. It takes up a lot of the time of the day to do stuff. I want to stop doing it, I can't seem to do so. It helps calm the anxiety I get from it, but it's only temporarily.

I am being evaluated for autism, and I know I tap my feet, but the more common one associated with autism is I rock back and forth while sitting. I used to spin and hum while doing stuff, but not anymore. Mainly rocking back and forth. That is a stim for me for sure.

I always found rocking back and forth to be a great way to decrease anxiety. Maybe the rocking has more to do with anxiety than with autism. Maybe people with autism are also anxious therefore they rock.
I was taught to use rocking as a way to calm myself by a man who had autism. He also had anxiety.

[Rose76]

Originally Posted by Nike007

If I use it, I don't scratch my head because there isn't anything to scratch.

There is the key to a solution, right there. As long as you have things on your head to pick at, the temptation will probably be too great to ignore.

What you are calling "dry scalp" may actually not be "dry" at all. Severe dandruff is often caused by excess secretion of sebum by skin glands in the scalp. Sebum is an oily substance. Have a doctor diagnose your scalp problem, if you haven't already done so. I had seborrhea of the scalp and it produced little scabs all over my head that I found impossible to not pick at. Like you, I found ordinary dandruff shampoos ineffective.

Prescription shampoos were the answer for me. (Sebutone - a tar shampoo - worked great. Doctors also prescribe Ketocanozole.) If you get prescription shampoo, your insurance might pay for it. You can get products over-the-counter that are similar, and, yes, they are very pricy.

Walgreen's puts out a tar shampoo that is its own brand. That's the most reasonably priced OTC shampoo that I've found, and it's pretty effective. But see if your insurance will pay for stuff your doctor orders.

I found that, if I stick with the expensive shampoo for a while, that I can then switch to something less expensive, once the scalp clears up.

Maybe what you are calling "dryness" has more to do with the texture if your hair than actual dryness. (That was my situation. Coarse, thick, wavy or frizzy hair can seem "dry," when it's really just hard to manage.) I found that using conditioner for my specific hair type helped make it more manageable and does not make the dandruff any worse. Suave products are cheap and work well.

You want to get this under control because you may, otherwise, give yourself a bad scalp infection. In the beginning, frequent shampooing is needed, but, then, less frequently may be enough. As you get older, this problem may decrease quite a bit. Sebum secretion sometimes decreases greatly with age.