Scalp reaction to shampoo bar

So, for the past 5 or 6 weeks now my scalp has been incredibly itchy. I can only go 3 days between washing and before my dreads I always went 5 days. My scalp was definitely used to not being cleaned daily, so I couldn't for the life of me figure out why I was so itchy all the sudden. When I say itchy, I don't mean oh I have a little itch. I mean I was scratching to the point of making myself bleed on occasion. I know better then to scratch with my fingernails, but sometimes it's just necessary.

Anyway, yesterday was my fourth day of not washing. Usually I don't make it past three but I was so tired the day before I let it go. I wondered if I was having an allergic reaction to either of the shampoo's I purchased from http://shop.dreadlockshampoo.com/ . I bought the locking up liquid shampoo in the scent dragon's blood and the tea tree rosemary shampoo bar.
I have been using them both at the same time, the tea tree bar for my scalp and the liquid for my dreads. Yesterday because my scalp was so raw from the itch, I decided I would try just one at a time. I thought maybe since the bar's are said to be more moisturizing I would try that one first. Once I got it all over my scalp and dreads my scalp started burning and itching something fierce. I quickly rinsed it out. I then put the liquid on my scalp and dreads, and I immediately felt relief.

My conclusion is that I must have some sort of allergy to the tea tree bar, which makes me sad because I love what tea tree does for the scalp. Anyway, for now until the itch is fully under control I will be sticking to only the locking up liquid, which also makes me sad because I wanted to try the Spearmint Eucalyptus Dreadlocks Shampoo Bar next.

Has anyone else had a reaction, or know what I might be reacting to that is in the bar?

updated by @stephani: 02/14/15 04:46:07AM

Are you sure the bar was burning you cos of an allergic reaction, or because you had open sores? I a good half of the year with my scalp like that, covered in sores and insanely itchy, and when it's like that even the water stings, but using shampoo is...as you said, like a burning feeling. I can't say whether or not you're allergic to it or whatever, but I guess you'll have to try other shampoos til you find one that's OK. That said, could be something else, there are a lot of things that can cause an itchy scalp. See how you go with another shampoo first though. Also, you don't need to shampoo your dreads, you can just shampoo the scalp and it'll run down into the dreads.

hmm thats unusual have u tried teatree or rosemary before?

yiu can try a test make a rosemary tea u probly got some in a spice wrack scratch up your wrist (u dont gotta bleed just rough up the skin a bit0 then wipe the tea on the scratched up wrist wait to see if u get a reaction if not try the same with teatree

i havent try]=ied the teareee rosemary bar yet but if the teatre is too strong it can dry the scalp a bit rosemarty shouldnt so should be stronger then teatree
pearmint will cause an intence tinglu=ing even burning sensation if real strong u might want to try nag champa or dragoins blood bars

al;so discuss this with heather she might have an idea too

--
My new book Ban The Taboo Vol 1

It was definitely the bar, because when the water touched it there was no burn. It felt better when I rinsed it, and then when I put the liquid shampoo on it felt so much better. I don't have any problem with the liquid one so that one should be fine for me. Environmental smells tend to stick in my hair, they always have. That is why I wash my dreads too. If I don't my hair smells like ozone, it's not a fun smell LOL. Thanks for your help though!

Tara C said:

Are you sure the bar was burning you cos of an allergic reaction, or because you had open sores? I a good half of the year with my scalp like that, covered in sores and insanely itchy, and when it's like that even the water stings, but using shampoo is...as you said, like a burning feeling. I can't say whether or not you're allergic to it or whatever, but I guess you'll have to try other shampoos til you find one that's OK. That said, could be something else, there are a lot of things that can cause an itchy scalp. See how you go with another shampoo first though. Also, you don't need to shampoo your dreads, you can just shampoo the scalp and it'll run down into the dreads.

thats exactly what i came back to add on haha

Tara C said:

Are you sure the bar was burning you cos of an allergic reaction, or because you had open sores? I a good half of the year with my scalp like that, covered in sores and insanely itchy, and when it's like that even the water stings, but using shampoo is...as you said, like a burning feeling. I can't say whether or not you're allergic to it or whatever, but I guess you'll have to try other shampoos til you find one that's OK. That said, could be something else, there are a lot of things that can cause an itchy scalp. See how you go with another shampoo first though. Also, you don't need to shampoo your dreads, you can just shampoo the scalp and it'll run down into the dreads.

--
My new book Ban The Taboo Vol 1

I have used tea tree in my other shampoo's for years and never had a problem before. That leads me to think it could be rosemary. I don't know that I've ever had or used rosemary before using this bar. Most of my past shampoo's have had some sort of peppermint or spearmint in them before because I like the tingly feeling lol. Unless it is a reaction to on of the other ingredients.

Ingredients for Teat Tree Bar: saponified oils of organic coconut oil, organic unrefined first press extra virgin olive oil, organic castor bean oil, beer, china white clay, organic essential oils of tea tree and rosemary.

Ingredients Liquid Shampoo: distilled water, decyl glucoside (natural corn oil & natural plant sugar), lauryl glucoside ( natural coconut oil & natural plant sugar), beer, calendula, rosemary & green tea infusion, essential oil, sea salt.

So this leads me to think it's not the rosemary, since both green tea and rosemary are in the liquid shampoo as well. So by process of elimination, it could be the castor bean oil or china white clay.

soaring eagle said:

hmm thats unusual have u tried teatree or rosemary before?

yiu can try a test make a rosemary tea u probly got some in a spice wrack scratch up your wrist (u dont gotta bleed just rough up the skin a bit0 then wipe the tea on the scratched up wrist wait to see if u get a reaction if not try the same with teatree

i havent try]=ied the teareee rosemary bar yet but if the teatre is too strong it can dry the scalp a bit rosemarty shouldnt so should be stronger then teatree
pearmint will cause an intence tinglu=ing even burning sensation if real strong u might want to try nag champa or dragoins blood bars

al;so discuss this with heather she might have an idea too

Allergies to castor oil are not uncommon. They can range from the mildy itch to severe rash and hives. If you reacted this strongly to it, you are probably in the later category.

It's now something you should be checking for in any cosmetic product you use, as well as food. It's used as a preservative in some foods.

But the FDA only approves it as alaxative, so there are no clinical trials that show it is safe for other uses

I knew someone who was allergic to bar soap. Period. He would get itchi hives when he used it because the ingredients that kept it solid were what he was allergic to. Could this be a possibility? Sometimes we don't realize that bar soap has been slipping further and further away from everyday use, even in the home.

Stick it out with the liquid soap for a bit and see if you have a noticeable change in your scalp health. If it changes for the positive, you can always add a couple of drops of tea tree to it in a separate bottle and test with that. If it works out, then you aren't completely out in the cold with using the tea tree

Thank you! I will definitely be checking to see if it is!

Baba Fats said:

Allergies to castor oil are not uncommon. They can range from the mildy itch to severe rash and hives. If you reacted this strongly to it, you are probably in the later category.

It's now something you should be checking for in any cosmetic product you use, as well as food. It's used as a preservative in some foods.

But the FDA only approves it as alaxative, so there are no clinical trials that show it is safe for other uses

It could be a possibility, but I don't have problems when my dove bar soap that I use. I am allergic to zest though. It would always give me hives as a child. I'm so allergy prone it's not even funny LOL.

Valrie said:

I knew someone who was allergic to bar soap. Period. He would get itchi hives when he used it because the ingredients that kept it solid were what he was allergic to. Could this be a possibility? Sometimes we don't realize that bar soap has been slipping further and further away from everyday use, even in the home.

Stick it out with the liquid soap for a bit and see if you have a noticeable change in your scalp health. If it changes for the positive, you can always add a couple of drops of tea tree to it in a separate bottle and test with that. If it works out, then you aren't completely out in the cold with using the tea tree