Natural Treatment for Itchy Scalp

Some of the natural treatments for the itchy scalp are discussed in this article. Some of the substances that are used for preparing these remedies are essential oils, chamomile flowers, rosemary leaves, peppermint oil, fenugreek seeds, lemon juice and baking soda and so on.

Itchy Scalp

Itchy scalp is the most common condition observed in older individuals. It is also seen in adolescents, but mostly seen in older people as they have dry skin, which might lead to an itchy scalp. There are several reasons for the cause of itchy scalp. They are dandruff, sunburn, Seborrheic dermatitis, psoriasis, tinea capitis, Pediculosis, acne vulgaris, and sensitivity to hair products, scalp folliculitis, lichen planus, scalp chicken pox and poor personal hygiene. Itchy scalp might result due to various allergies, use of poor quality shampoo and poor quality diet.

Symptoms of Itchy scalp

• Dead cells are formed regularly on the scalp. Dandruff that appears as white flakes usually sheds off.
• Baldness is a common symptom of itchy scalp.
• Scaly patches appear on the skin, while the individual suffers from itchiness all over the body. The scalp psoriasis condition is very common, which might result in itchy scalp. Psoriasis symptoms appear on the surface of the body parts.
• Lice lay their eggs in the hair bulb. The live parasites are traced by combing the hair with a special comb used for removing lice.
• Scratching the head in the Pediculosis condition might lead to skin inflammation.
• The secondary bacterial infection in Pediculosis might lead to the formation of ulcers.
• The scalp hair is mostly affected by the fungus and the border is slightly reddish and raised. The margin of the skin becomes irregular and the lesion center brings a few changes. The flakes similar to the scales emerge from the skin and resemble the dandruff.
• The scalp is severely swollen and becomes reddish leading to serious and acute itchy condition due to the hair care products that are applied on the skin existing at the back of the ear. The product has to be stopped from using,  if there is any allergic reaction towards it.
• The dead cells that block the tube of sebaceous glands in acne vulgaris leads to swollen glands and the condition is inflammatory causing itchy scalp.
• The crusted red-colored papules that are present in the entire body are seen in the case of scalp chicken pox. This condition shows intense itching sensation.
• The poor maintenance of the hair health can lead to the formation of allergic dermatitis and itchy scalp. Proper hair cleaner can keep the hair healthy and cured from infections and allergies.

Causes of Itchy scalp

• Dandruff: The dead skin of the scalp is shed off regularly and very extensively as scaly flakes. This can be a psychological process. In sensitive people, the white flakes are often seen on the scalp. If the person is exposed to high temperatures, extensive secretion of sebum from the oil glands in the scalp and a few fungi are found to be the stimulants of dandruff.
• Seborrheic dermatitis: Though this condition is same as that of dandruff, its causes are not the same as that of dandruff. This type of dermatitis shows the simultaneous impact on the varied regions of the body like face, scalp, chest, neck, forehead and abdomen. The other causes of Seborrheic dermatitis are M. furfur fungus, hypo immune states, environmental and genetic. This disease occurs in people who have more sweat glands and are deficient in vitamin B complex.
• Sunburn: These burns are caused by the UV radiation, which is originated from the sunlight spectrum. The UV rays will burn away the superficial cells in the scalp by damaging the DNA and producing the dead cells. The dead cells will result in the formation of itchy scalp. If the production of sweat is excessive, then this stage will become worse.
• Psoriasis: The autoimmune disease of the skin is chronic. The causes of this condition are thought to be due to the extensive production of skin cells and defective functioning of the immune system. The disease severity is dependent on the chronic stage of this disease.
• Pediculosis: The itchy scalp is caused due to the feeding of a small animal on the human blood. This small parasite is otherwise called as head lice. The infestation of this parasite can occur anywhere in the body. If it infests the scalp, then the condition is called as Pediculosis capitis. The parasites bite the scalp and cause itchiness.
• Tinea capitis: A fungus known as dermatophyte will infect the hair shaft. The hair will be damaged and as time passes, more hair gets damaged. Itching sensation that is continuous is a very big characteristic of the disease that is enhanced by the sweat.
• Hair care products that are sensitive: The itchy scalp is said to be acute, if the skin is sensitive for the hair products.
• Acne vulgaris: This is the irritation on the scalp causing itchy scalp. The sebum glands are covered or blocked by the bacteria and the dead cells.
• Folliculitis of the scalp: Itchy scalp also results due to the scalp tissue infection by the bacteria called as Staphylococcus. This infection might have spread from other body parts, and it might have caused this condition.
• Chicken-pox of the scalp: This is caused by the viral infection present in the skin which also includes the scalp. The scalp is also infected by the prominent chicken pox.
• Lichen planus: This fungus called lichen planus causes infection on the scalp which might lead to itchy scalp. This condition can result in loss of hair and scarring.
• Poor hygiene: The hair has to be cleaned regularly and must be kept healthy. The infection and allergies will result if the scalp is not kept clean. The untidy hair might cause an itchy scalp.

Natural Treatment for itchy scalp

• The hair and scalp must be kept clean all the time so that dead skin cells and grease does not develop on the skin. This kind of oil development in the skin will enhance the itchiness. The hair can be washed with mild shampoo at least two times in a week.   
• The effective care for the scalp that is itchy is taken by using natural shampoos instead of harsh chemicals. The current shampoo can be replaced with the tea tree essential oil. This oil consists of anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties, and it reduces the itchiness of the scalp.
• There is another natural and essential oil called as jojoba oil, which is beneficial in battling against the dandruff and decreases the itchiness in the scalp.
• The blood circulation in the scalp can be enhanced by combing the hair every day. Itching in the scalp is removed by abandoning the flakes present on the scalp.  The hair has to be massaged every day to improve blood circulation as well as to get rid of the dust and dead skin from the scalp.
• One more natural cure for the itchy scalp is reduction of stress. The healing process in the body will be enhanced naturally by decreasing the stress. The bath oils such as lavender oil and valerian oil are used on the hair, for reducing stress.  
• A mixture of chamomile tea bags and rosemary leaves can be made as concoction. The water that is taken on a vessel can be added with rosemary leaves and chamomile tea and boiled. The boiled water can be filtered and cooled.
• In the alternate days, the mixture of oils such as almond oil, coconut oil, castor oil, olive oil, and mustard oil are applied to the scalp. They have warmed a little bit before they are applied to the scalp. The root of the hair should be massaged intensely and left like that overnight. Shampoo has to be used in the morning to wash the hair intensely and hair serum is applied on the hair.
• It is not suggested to go out with oil applied on the hair. This is because the dust particles will block the pores and they stay on the hair sticking to it.
• The hair should not be washed with either cold or hot water. Tepid water has to be used for rinsing the hair.
• After using shampoo for cleaning the hair, was good to use beer or tea decoction in boiling state for rinsing hair for the last time.
• The development of sweat in the scalp region might enhance the itching sensation. So, it is very important to keep the hair clean.
• The scalp has to be massaged or rubbed every day with the diluted curd. The scalp also can be rubbed with lemon juice.
• The soap nuts can be soaked in water overnight and used for washing the hair in the morning. This can be done for two times in a week or one time in a week period.
• The itchiness is relieved by massaging the scalp with Aloe Vera gel and tea tree oil. Just massaging the scalp using the Aloe Vera gel alone and then washing it off can act as an effective natural therapy.
• A teaspoon of baking soda is added to one cup of water. This paste can be rubbed on the scalp and used for washing the hair after nearly one hour. It is suggested to apply olive oil before this mixture is applied to the scalp.
• The mixture of essential oils like eucalyptus oil, lavender oil, German chamomile and avocado oil are very good natural therapies for treating itchy scalp. This mixture can be added to water and applied on the hair, which is naturally helpful in healing the scalp that is itchy.
• Few drops of peppermint oil can be added to the water and this solution can be applied to the scalp to bring relief from itchy scalp because of dryness.
• The itchiness that is caused in the scalp due to dandruff can be alleviated by using the mixture of oils like Margosa, coconut, tea tree, and olive.
• The use of hair care products has to be chosen with utmost care by seeing whether it has a pH between 4.5 and 5.5. 
• The scalp can be applied with one teaspoon of apple cider vinegar and four spoons of water that is warm. The scalp can be massaged with this solution.
• Few fenugreek seeds can be added to water and soaked for the whole night. Then they are made into a paste and applied on the scalp. It is left like that for nearly an hour. Then it can be washed off. Lemon juice can also be added on the fenugreek paste to give better results.
• If the itchiness in the scalp is because of dryness in the hair, then it is good to treat the hair using two bananas and one avocado. This can be left like that for about one-hour duration. Then it can be rinsed off.

The diet that is recommended for the person suffering from itchy scalp

• The diet has to constitute foods that consist of iron, zinc, vitamin B and vitamin C. The food rich in lettuce, spinach, vegetables, nuts, fruits and seeds are very useful for the hair and scalp.
• It is also suggested for the person to eat yoghurt as the body needs sufficient amounts of yoghurt.