hair drama

As I hinted at in the last post, there was a bit of hair amusement several weeks ago...

We all know I've gone "No 'Poo" (aka, no shampoo or conditioner) since March. Which hasn't been too bad. But, on occassion, I have issues with flakes and I've been really determined to solve that problem. So what did I do?

I googled it. (The problem; not my hair.) One of the main suggestions I had read in the past was using Apple Cider Vinegar, which, oddly enough, I was already using. I was sure to let it sit on my scalp longer, and with more vigourous massaging, but there were still weeks when I had flakes. Sometimes terribly. Sometimes just a bit.

So, a bit more research for better solutions, and I came across several references to Tea Tree Oil and/or Lavendar Oil, and another that suggested Hydrogen Peroxide to disinfect the scalp. Now, I don't have psoriasis as far as I know, just a dry scalp, but I thought it couldn't hurt. We also had a full ounce of Tea Tree in the house (that doesn't sound like a lot, but it is quite a bit for a single bottle of an essential oil!), so on a Sunday, I marched my butt into the shower with a new blend of ACV/h2o2 and Tea Tree. I started by washing my scalp vigourously with the h2o2.

Now, I can't find my Tea Tree source now, but I SWEAR I did it as I read to. And did NOT (until trying to find that article now) read all the other articles about using a 5% solution with the Tea Tree...

So I doused my head in 1/2 ounce of pure Tea Tree oil.

If that doesn't phase you, you've never worked with Tea Tree before. I knew what I was getting into, but I have a pretty thick skin and was fairly desperate, so I just did it. I poured capful by capful onto different parts of my wet head. Then wrapped my head in a towel and let the burn begin.

And it did burn. Not painfully. But a heat. And later, when I opened the towel a bit, I could tell that it really was "burning" off the extra derma. So, ok, not so bad, doing the job... right?

Here's the other thing about Tea Tree: it stinks, in high doses. So I stunk while it sat there on my head all afternooon, and evening, and night.  In the morning, I figured I'd just wash it out and be done with it. And by that time I was used to the smell.

So I washed. And washed. And washed again. I doused my head in the rest of the ACV/h2o2 so many times that, when I finally used the Baking Soda rinse, my head LITERALLY EXPLODED into trillions of middle-school volcano bubbles.

And my head still stunk.

No problem, I sit in the corner cubicle, away from everyone. I'd joke with my coworkers and tell them to stay away from my stench and endure that for another day or so. Until I got to work and remembered I had a dentist appointment. You know, that thing where you lay in a chair and someone hovers over your head for 30 minutes?? Oh dear god the drama!!

Lucky for me, it was a new dentist for me. So my first thought was, well, this will be my ONLY visit here!!. But when I arrived and met the dentist, he was a nice elderly man in a surgeons mask, so I figured he would either not smell it or be too polite to say anything, and he was the only one who came near me. So, whew to that! The smell faded after another day.

In any case, the Tea Tree did burn off the derma, but didn't prevent new dry skin from piling up in my long hair. So I guess it is good for a "reset button" sort of thing, but I would recommend starting it on a Friday night and plan to have a weekend ALONE.

Good news, I did find a solution. A very simple solution... and one that works amazingly well!

Drink. More. Water.

Swear to god, I've improved my water intake this week and I haven't had much of a problem at all with my scalp. And come to think of it, my dry scalp became more of a problem again when I stopped working out (and extra water for that) and during the heat of the summer when I avoided the outdoors (and, again, didn't feel the urge to drink while in the A/C).

So. Lesson Learned: Don't stink it up. Just drink it up.


Any amusing stories of big personal failures to share? I can't be the only one!?!

Much Love,
Able-Bodied Girl