Have you considered baby shampoo? IDK about its 'repair' qualities but it is certainly less harsh and non-irritating compared to regular shampoos. Maybe your scalp just needs time to heal on its own and a less abrasive/irritating shampoo might be all that's needed.

I'd also question the frequency of washing your hair. Unless you have very oily hair, a couple times a week - if that - is all that is necessary

If you've been researching you've probably already seen this, or a similar article. This article lists some ingredients for you to avoid in shampoos if you're scalp in sensitive and does have some suggestions for shampoos.

https://www.self.com/gallery/hair-products-for-sensitive-skin

I read in bed also but I have a couple of pillows that my head is actually resting on. I hope you find a solution.

Inexpensive is a relative term when it comes to shampoo. Spend 60.00 or 70.00 dollars on a liter of good shampoo and it will last you for well over a year if you have long hair and a lot longer if you have short hair. Or you could end up spending a lot more yearly on monthly purchases of inexpensive shampoo.

I normally like Pureology products. But they tingle. So when I had shingles on my scalp I found Bumble and Bumble Gentle Shampoo to be the least irritating to my blistered, tender scalp.

It is very hard to say what will or will not work for you because what is OK for one may not be OK for another. You have already been trying to use the so called healthier choices and they are not working for you.

I too have a very sensitive scalp that has become worse as I've aged. I just have had to try new things to see what does or does not work...it is just trial and error and LUCK!

I am currently using one of the cheapest shampoos on the market, the Suave Daily Clarifying shampoo. My condition is not as cheap, the Matrix Biolage detangling conditioner. I just happened upon these. I got sample sizes of the Biolage first. I could not say these would also work for you.

My scalp was so sore and itchy, I felt like there were things crawling on my scalp, that's how bad it itched. Thank goodness I have been able to find something that works.

You may want to just go back to using what you used before you started buying the so called "healthy" stuff and see if you can still use those...assuming they were OK for your scalp.

I agree with what arkansasgirl said. it is hard to recommend a specific product without knowing some specific problems and reactions you might be having.

The article linked by blfenton is very good. The only thing I would add is pay attention to sodium chloride as an additive too. It is very hard to find a shampoo without it, however. But it is getting easier to find shampoos without SLS, parabens, pthalates, and other ingredients not good for your skin and scalp. If you are still confused, go to Ulta and ask for help.

Agree that it is hard to make recommendations as what is sensitive to you may not be to me. At 58 however I have some scalp issues and loss of hair. I use clary sage essential oil. I don't find it necessary to dilute it with a neutral oil but some may. A lot of people take issue with the oils. I have a niece that is native American and studies (degreed) natural roots, flowers, plants and their benefits. We combine our research efforts when it comes to an issue we are facing or asked about.

I don't recommend baby shampoo. I used it a few years ago and found it very harsh. Remember, it has stuff in it to control or prevent cradle cap. I wonder if you have an allergy on your scalp.

I have been battling severe dermatitis for over 2 years. I have had issues for many years but it has reached the " life altering" stage. The doctors ( MANY) have determined that I am allergic to Balsam of Peru, a fragrance additive in so many products. Therefore I do not use anything with fragrance. I was given a website that lists the only things I can use.

My hair has been awful! It went from thick and curly to thin and straight. It is distressing to say the least. I have had good results with :

Free and Clear shampoo for sensitive skin

Free and Clear conditioner

Dermarest medicated shampoo plus conditioner

Neutrogena T/sal Therapeutic Shampoo scalp build-up control

You might want to try to eliminate ALL products with fragrance! That includes detergents and cleaners.

I would see a dermatologist and see what he/she recommends. One does not want to end up bald!

When I was a child, we children suffered from eczema. In desperation our mother bought large bars of OLIVE OIL castile soap, grated it, simmered it on the stove with a little water to make a shampoo for us. It worked well. The olive oil castile had no fragrances added, and no other source of oil.

I am wondering at the description of the area feeling like it is bruised - ie painful. Have you had anyone actually look at the area? There could be something going on under or in the skin, more than just irritation. If you haven't, I think that you should.

I developed a terrible itch last summer all across the back of my head, from just above the hairline up to the curve of the skull. The area was hot, too, and it would get worse at night.. Thought at first it was a styling product I had tried, but it never went away - finally got rid of the Dove shampoo and conditioner, started shampooing with Nizoral (on the advice of my MD), and rubbed Benadryl cream into the area after each shampoo - which quickly fixed it. I am back to using a regular shampoo without any other problems. I won't try the Dove again; I think I must have developed an allergy to it.

This is the olive oil shampoo I use, as a rule, https://www.kiehls.com/hair/shampoos/nourishing-olive-fruit-oil-shampoo/625.html . My scalp is super sensitive to most expensive and cheap shampoos except for this Khiel's olive oil, the aforementioned super cheap Suave, and OGX brand. Oh, and Head and Shoulders DRY SCALP two in one conditioner and shampoo helped me get over a bad case of ugly scalp that looked like dandruff, but was dry scalp.

I would skip working on this on your own and get a doctor's help asap. I am far too vain to take a risk with my hair.

Wishing you a speedy recovery.

Thank you so very much to all of you for your helpful responses, recipes, recommendations to various products (which i hope are affordable, though nothing really is anymore), and warnings about essential oils which i totally agree with. I don't think it's only tea-tree, but anything which is impure or too intense rather than well-balanced.

I took a look at the list of no-no's, but my case isn't so much genetic, as much as the dermatitis type (such as brushing hair, and leaning back). Granted, aging is also probably a factor.

It's probably a black-and-blue mark mostly, but i also know that that Argan product was no good.And who's to say it was the Argan for sure? It could have been another ingredient.

See, I lean back against my sheetrock-wall, because a bed+headboard is too hard for me to maneuver when cleaning, as i'm a weakling. So i've always avoided headboards due to that.

So insofar as my bruise, indeed raee_gw, that part about Nizoral & Benedryl sounds interesting. I'll have to check in with a dermatologist again at my next chance. I've actually just seen one about other issues, such as inflamed fingertip. He gave some cica-cream sample which was horrible, but at least i also got silvadene out of that visit, which is helping a bit. I think i may consider switching to someone else, because he seems very world-weary by now.

It's unlikely i'm allergic to anything which lathers my hair - it's more likely that essential oils, or argan oil can cause it, if not properly counteracted by a professional formulator with knowledge on neutralizing ill-effects of strong ingredients (no matter if harsh, acidic, alkalinic or whatever).

Guess what - i have jojoba oil which wonderfully agree's with me - so i might rub that into my scalp for awhile and see if i achieve some sorta bruise-repair. As well, i might look out for oliveoil-mayonnaise to go on sale, and try that too. I think that probably would be THE most healing.

It's cute how some of you are concerned about my beauty (i.e. hair-loss). But you know, i can't decide what's worse, hair-loss or pain!

BTW, since we're anyway on the topic of sensitive skin-care, can any of you with sensitive skin advise whether Cherry-blossom or Milk-honey Softsoap liquid-soap agree's with you (but not Aloe softsoap which gave me the creeps (similar to touching a dry towel after a bath). I currently use blue-dawn, ivory-dishsoap and ivory-bar-soap comfortably. But various palmolive stuff such as the softtouch-coconut and green-original liquid-soap give me creeps.. Note this is not itchiness or pain like on my scalp, but rather its creeps & a dry-skin-feeling.

This is a silly question - but is this for doing dishes or for showering/bathing.

See, I lean back against my sheetrock-wall

Rather than trying to fix a bruise/sore spot from the outside, why not try to eliminate its cause by using a backrest pillow?

I am confused - you said initially it is "like a black and blue mark" but later it sounded like it actually *is* a black and blue mark.

If it really is a visible bruise - like spot: Unless you have some known reason that you bruise easily, or have been repeatedly banging your head against that wall, I don't see why you would have a persistent bruise from resting your head against the wall. Drywall is actually softer than an unpadded headboard.

Again, just my opinion, but get it checked by an MD (preferably a dermatologist. There are some skin conditions that can look like a bruise, and can occur anywhere on the body, including the scalp.

Nizoral, Benadryl, jojoba oil etc will do nothing for a bruise, and no essential oil or any other product will cause one.

I thought about padded-backrest decades ago when sighting them at Walmart, but they looked as if they'd be bulky & uncomfortable for me in bed since they're curved into armrests, and what if i'd feel the need to fall asleep, then what? Sleep in upright position? Sleep on the arm?

I'm not a strapping youth like those featured on backrests on youtube.

I've seen all sorts of such pillows in catalogs over the years, too, such as Dr.Leonards, including a 3-way pillow or some such, but because i had such bad luck even finding comfortable regular pillows over the years (due to fibromyalgia, being a shrimp, and multi-sided sleeper) that i just wound up finally with MyPillow (having removed filling until approx. 14oz.)

...yet i still need to keep fluffing it all the time. There's nothing definitive, merely by seeing online demo's, which shout THAT's the one for me.

As for the softsoap Q, its rather late, because i need to go to the store tonite, so i'll just have to ask people there. I once was on a forum where people could take answers "off-the-air" and just click if a post resolved it. Not Quora, something else.

Again, thank you all for your comments! And btw, there's not one review wherein anyone speaks of which Softsoap liquid-soap avoids triggering creepy-feeling shriveled-palm tendencies. As if i'm the only one. And that's because most people don't communicate by offering the "whole-picture". Y'know, that's actually a form of charity to potential readers! Hardly anyone realizes that!

I recently bought this live clean shampoo. For curls. It smells great and really cleans well.

https://us.live-clean.com/en/products/new-super-fruit-waters-quenching-curls-shampoo-12-oz/

Would you believe, i just found what i had in mind, but now see its discontinued!!

I wonder what it cost, does anyone know?

It seems to be discontinued due to lack of funding. Or is it because hardly anyone heard of it? Shouldn't it have been on As Seen On TV - or was it?

https://us.amazon.com/RestEZ-Portable-Headboard-0001GRA/dp/B00IK5ABWY