Waxy white stuff!

Hey guys.

I've had dreads for 6 months now, and the last couple of months my scalp has started producing this white, waxy (sometimes flaky) goo that ends up under my nail if i scratch my scalp. I don't know what it is, and it doesn't seem to go away. I have heard about oily scalps taking some time to adjust to the new washing routines of dreadheads, but it surely shouldn't take as long as 6 months?

I've been washing with BS with tea tree, lavender and sometimes peppermint oil. I've also tried alternating with Dr. Bronners (Tea Tree scented) sometimes, but it doesn't help the problem and it leaves my dreads feeling waxy if not rinsed REALLY thouroughly. I've done some ACV rinses the last months, but that didn't seem to help either, and i stopped it when i read here somewhere that if your scalp is oily you shouldn't be using ACV.

I've been washing my hair approx. once a week, and i've upped the frequency to maybe 2 times a week the last month. It still doesn't seem to help, the waxy stuff comes back really fast, and i can even find some of it in my scalp RIGHT after washing.

I have moderatly hard water, and the last thing i tried was boiling the water I make the BS shampoo with. It got rid of more of the waxy stuff than earlier, but i'm still experiencing problems.

Anybody know what this is/how i can fight it?

updated by @reben: 02/14/15 09:19:36AM

was wax ever used even once it could be the dead skin mud ppl have from bs too weak is the hair oily by nature if not u should be using acv every time bronners will leave nasty buildup in hard water try a clarifying shampoo..once to remove buildup then try the dreadlockshampoo.com soaps..then report back a couple weeks after using those

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My new book Ban The Taboo Vol 1

Same exact thing that is on my scalp. I've been dreading for 29 weeks... since July 15 2012. I wash the same as you, and I notice more when only washing once a week. I've come to believe its just dead skin, almost like a dandruff because we don't comb anymore there is more of it on the scalp till we wash. I've figured one thing out also that makes it so there is less of it at all times... that is to rinse your head with COLD COLD COLD water before leaving the shower, let it run all over your head. I wash twice a week now, and even in days between washes I wish always rinse my hair before I get out with super cold water (I shower around 11 am everyday so I have no problem with air drying.) since washing twice a week and doing super cold water rinses everyday before I leave the shower, I made the amount of white gunk on my scalp almost GONE! I know its the same as you because its in my finger nails just like yours and we wash exactly the same with oils and everything. Hope that helps.

I've never used wax, no. And my BS mix is mixed according to measurements found at this site, made by some pharmaceutical guy. And yes, my hair is kind of oily by nature.

And i've been doing cold rinses for about a month now, and the problem seems to receed, but i still have to wash 2 times a week. I would really love not having to wash that often, as i live in Norway and the weather is cold now in the winter, and i don't have the opportunity to rinse my hair everyday, because then it won't dry properly.

Sounds like the exact same thing BeauZay. Tell me if you ever get completely rid of it!

I don't think we'll ever get rid of it completely to be honest with you. Something we will have to accept as long as there is skin under our hair, it will proceed to get oily/dry and there will always be some dry skin to wash off.

Fair enough, but i would really like it if it didn't build up that fast, and there's also so MUCH of it!

Oh well, I'll just keep the cold rinses up and try to wash as often as i can.

What do you think about blowdrying? I was blowdrying a lot at first, but i've stopped it now because i thought it might contribute to the buildup. Then again, blowdrying makes it easier for me to wash more often. Thoughts?

i had a similar problem and once i just started uing one product only consistenly the problem went away ....try just using one shampoo the same one everytime for about 6 weeks ....i mean thats what worked for me ..worth a try

I still get the white goo. In the beginning it happened a lot. Now It doesn't show up as much. I gently scratch my whole head with my nails before I wash and then as i am washing my scalp i gently scrub it again with my nails. I use liquid shampoo on my scalp to wash to goo away. I wash it twice and it gets rid of it. It doesn't happen often anymore, but it still does occasionally.

Maybe the heat from the blowdryer (if your using it with hot air) is making your scalp produce oils which then lead to the skin just building up when you don't wash for a few days. Just a thought. If you're using hot air which I'm guessing you are because it'll dry the hair quicker, then that would probably cancel out the cold rinse you had just done before making it pointless. Just adding too the scalp buildup

yea sure, i get that. i stopped blowdrying my hair (with hot air) the same time i started cold rinses (bout 1 month ago). i understand that it opens up my pores more and probably puts more stress on my scalp. but as i said, haven't been using the blowdryer for a couple of months now...

So i'll just stay as clean, bronners-free, blowdrier-free and such until my scalp gets healthier.