Winter tends to bring on dry scalp issues and concerns.  This time of year, you're more likely to change products due to hair/scalp issues than most any other time during the year.

Where I could give you a general list of products that work on a variety of conditions, sometimes, dandruff is more than dandruff.  Sometimes, you actually need prescriptive ointments/shampoos to bring a condition under control.  So how do you know when your scalp issues are not normal?

I'm posting this checklist as a guide for those of you with scalp issues to keep in mind when posting.  Have your answers ready just in case.

we first have to nail down what type of scalp issue you're having and what may be causing it before i can say, use this or that.

1. have you had scalp issues in the past?  did they start/get worse after starting dreadlocks?

2. list the hair products you currently use.

3. how often are you washing your hair?

4. do you grease your scalp?  what products are you using to grease your scalp?  how often are you greasing your scalp?

5. do you oil your scalp/hair?  what products are you using to oil your scalp/hair?  how often are you oiling your scalp/hair?

6. did your itchies get worse as it got colder?  do you live in a cold climate like the northeast/west?

7. describe the itchies. are they resolved by scratching for a few moments or does the itching persist thereafter?

8. describe the itchies.  are the itchies accompagnied by a tingling/stabbing sensation? 

9. describe the itchies.  do you find yourself aggressively scratching your scalp to the point where it feels as if you might be breaking skin but you have to keep scratching?

10. describe your scalp.  what color is your scalp now?  what color is it after shampooing?  is it flesh tone?  is it white/ashen with no visible signs of flakes?

11. describe your scalp.  do you have large scaley plaques?  can these plaques be removed by scratching them (dandruff)?  or are the plaques stubborn with little to no flakes falling when you attempt to scratch them away  (not dandruff)?  do the plaques behave more like scabs than flakes?

12. describe your scalp.  after scratching your scalp, is your scalp slightly red/inflamed?  do you see clear excretions at the itch site?  clear secretions are a sign that you're not dealing with mere itchy scalp and dandruff.

i know, a lot of questions but would you rather answer the questions to figure out what's truly causing your scalp issues than having me or anyone else give you a list of products that may or may not work?  let's find out what the cause is and then we can work on some solutions.