How can you use apple cider vinegar to help your itchy scalp?? An extremely itchy scalp and neck cries out for treatment. It can be SO embarrassing not to mention annoying. We’re going to talk apple cider vinegar, essential oils to help fix your itching head!
I really could itch my scalp all day. I don’t create oil there. I could go WEEKS without washing my hair (except I’d have to cut it off since it’d be so snarled). I had tried T-gel but nothing seemed to work, now a combination of things seems to have it under control.
Apple Cider Vinegar Itchy Scalp Treatment
Itchy Scalp at the nape of your neck
I tend to itch most at the bottom of my scalp and even down onto my neck (sometimes I get dry patches on my neck that looks like I have symmetrical hickies — but they’re itchy). I have had a doctor check it out at work, they recommend hydro-cortisone and a thick lotion, which mostly works but I feel like that’s just putting something on top of it, not really fixing whatever my problem is.
I try to rinse my neck well in the shower so that remaining conditioner isn’t left on there. It also seems to help with the itching.
ACV for your itchy scalp.
I put apple cider vinegar (also known as ACV) in a small spray bottle and keep it in my shower. When I first rinse my hair I spray it onto my scalp/neck. I use it not as a fine mist, but as a stream at that point. The spray bottle I bought shoots it really well and it gets right onto my scalp. I then rub it around a little, and move onto other showering tasks.
I figure the longer it can stay on the better, but I often have kids knocking on my door — you know how it is. I then quickly rinse it and then move on to conditioning (I don’t shampoo).
Sometimes I dilute it 50/50 with water and also add a few drops of tea tree oil. That really helps. I think it’s probably the best for an itchy scalp.
Essential Oils for Itchy Scalp
I first used Doterra, but the MLM thing bugged me. Now I just get them from Plant Therapy or Eden’s garden on Amazon. I have tried Rocky Mountain Oils, but I got a batch that smelled stale (like the oil went bad)… and a few bottles where the oil was so thick I couldn’t get it to drip out. So, I switched.
Sometimes, It does burn a little, but I don’t mind that as I just hope it’s working. It’s really helped. I no longer feel like I could itchy my scalp for hours on end and I’m not constantly bugged by it.
I do it a couple of times each week, sometimes even when I don’t wash my hair I will spray my neck.
**Be careful of how you lean down afterward as it can run into your eyes, which I experienced and wouldn’t recommend. Also be sure you don’t actually spray your eyes. Sometimes some bounces off the wall into my poor eyeballs. {sad face}
I’ve also started adding a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar to my water daily because I hear it helps keep you healthy. I have no idea, but if it keeps the doctor away, I’m all for it! 🙂
I also saw a great youtube video where she uses apple cider directly on her scalp.
Essential Oil Recipe for Itchy Scalp
After my daughter had Lice, I started to look into using tea tree oil more on my hair.
I made a little concoction in a dropper bottle.
- 1/2 bottle of fractionated coconut oil
- 1/4 (of the bottle) tea tree oil (I usually put a bit more tea tree oil than I do lavender) — also known as melaleuca oil
- 1/4 (of the bottle) lavender
**Just eyeball the % of the bottle, this isn’t scientific. 🙂
I just take a full dropper and put drops on my scalp before I shower. Sometimes I remember the night before, or sometimes just before I shower.
I massage it into the scalp as much as I can.
**Tea Tree Oil Stinks! So, make sure you get it rinsed out well in the shower.
**Under NO circumstances should you put the oils directly on your scalp/neck. I was super desperate last year and did this. It burned my scalp and then I had flaking scalp for a while…. make sure you dilute it (as it is in the recipe above)
Related post: Using Vinegar as Fabric Softener
Sulfate-Free Conditioner helps with itchy scalp
I find that when I use a sulfate-free conditioner, it helps my scalp not itchy so much.
I am also very careful to make sure I rinse my neck well after I condition. I think that perhaps some of my itchy nape was due to not rising my neck adequately.
I talk all about my current hair routine here.
Apple Cider Vinegar for Itchy Scalp FAQ’s
Yes, vinegar is a low pH which will kill head fungus and help balance out your own scalp’s ph.
You can. I am not a fan as it is SO smelly, and honestly, I’m not sure that overnight would be much better than a few minutes, but try it — tell me in the comments if it helps!
I’m sure if you dipped it long enough and entirely in a vat of apple cider vinegar it might start to strip oils, but as I mentioned in this article should be fine.
If you had a bad enough problem with head fungus, it may be impeding your hair from growing — so in that case, yes — but it’s not actually making your hair grow, it’s just keeping healthy conditions so hair can thrive!
Like I mentioned above — it can make your scalp healtheir, which can help make your hair less brittle, and seem like less hair loss. BUT, if you’re actually losing hair (going bald) due to a genetic trait, I don’t think apple cider vinegar will help with that.
Not REALLY, no — but in my home remedies for lice post I talk about how it weakens the “glue” that holds the lice to your hair, making it easier to comb them out. Apple vinegar is one of the things we use to help lice!
I use it every couple of weeks.
It can help clarify it and remove deposits from conditioners and other styling products. I like it for that as well!
Like this type of post (using household items to make life better)? Don’t miss my essential oil blend that has saved us a ton!
Also, be sure to check out my other weird things that work in this series.
This post was originally written 2015 but has been updated.
Havok says
Vinegar, both apple and regular, is a magical liquid. I’ve heard of apple cider vinegar being good for various skin things, but didn’t know about this!
Hilary says
Yeah, who knew? What did the world do before Pinterest? 😀
Laura @ Little Bits of Granola says
I do this too! I dilute mine with water though because straight vinegar tends to sting. Same idea though. 🙂
Hilary says
I kind of like the burn… 😉
Laura @ Little Bits of Granola says
Ha! You just made me choke on coffee. 😀
Hilary says
Oo… maybe I need a warning label. 🙂
Saira says
Hi Hilary, I found you on the Thrifty Thursday link party & wanted to invite you to another blog party – just for MOMS with blogs like you. No need to stick to thrifty articles – you can post about whatever you like. We’d love to see you at the Mom Blog Party!
Hilary says
Ooo, I entered!
Kelley says
I can’t wait to try this. The winter always leaves my scalp itchy. Thank goodness for blogs. No doctor would ever recommend such a simple possible solution.
Thanks for sharing.
Hilary says
Haha, Doctors — what do they know? 🙂
Natasha says
Not sure what you mean by you are a “black woman in [your] hair follicles.” But anyway, this is probably caused by product or even conditioner residue that doesn’t get rinsed out when you wash. When curly girls wash their hair the product tends to settle at the nape of the neck if you are not thorough with your rinse. ACV is a known clarifying solution – in basically removes residue from styling products and shampoo/ conditioners. It also balance the pH on your skin. So it’s great to do every so often.
Hilary says
Hmm…. I wonder if that is it — I’ll have to try it!
Stacy says
Tips and treats to help save money (not to mention time which is better spent with family) are always great! I love your blog and look forward to reading more.
Hilary says
Thank you! Be sure to sign up for my newsletter! http://www.pullingcurls.com/stay-in-touch
zeze says
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Hilary says
Thanks!
Christy says
I have an itchy scalp too. I did an ACV with the Mother (unpasteurized) rinse and it really helped. Since my hair is dry, coarse, and naturally curly, I only used 2TB with 4 cups of water, left it on for a few minutes then rinsed it out after shampoo. No conditioner after I was surprised how soft my hair was, although the humidity did frizz it later in the day. Can’t have it all! I have used a mix on my face also. I’m liking it.
Hilary says
Interesting…. you do vinegar on your face? I’d be afraid to get it in my eyes. 🙂
Lauren says
Okay I tried this as my scalp is killing me and I am desperate. Now the burning I got (which to be honest I might have poured it directly on the scalp in desperation) however after shampooing and conditioning I feel like I still smell it. Did you have the smell afterwards?? It’s like it haunts me.
Michelle {Fun On A Dime} says
Awesome! You should add a couple of drops of Rosemary to the mix too. It will feel even more awesome! My scalp is the same way (plus, I have that issue with my hands). I have a coconut oil base concoction that I use with lavender, melaleuca and rosemary essential oil for the rest of my body, but the coconut oil is harder to get onto my scalp and leaves my hair oilier feeling. I’m going to switch out the coconut for the apple cider vinegar and try that.
Apple Cider Vinegar and coconut oil seem to have so many uses! You can also drink lemon water to get the same results as drinking the apple cider vinegar and it tastes better. 😉
Hilary says
Hmm… Idon’t have rosemary. Maybe I should grab some. 🙂
Jill says
I figure this might amuse you because you are a labor nurse, but I put mine in an old peri-bottle. 😀
Hilary says
WAY smart!
anon says
Sorry, but there is no scientific evidence to support this.
Pulling Curls says
I am not talking about dandruff, I’m talking about just itching. This has worked really well for me so I wanted to share.