How to Remove Scalp Scale

Not many people will need to use the information I am about to provide, but those that do will find it immensely helpful. As many know, J has a rare skin disorder and requires assistance in removing the dead skin from his entire body.

At the age of three, this process has become increasingly tedious due to my son asserting his independence and for that matter just not wanting to be bothered. Unfortunately for him, he has no other option. At some point, he has to give in and allow the inevitable to happen. J’s sitter is absolutely fabulous. I do not what I would have done without her. She is always finding the best ways to care for him. Most the time much better than what I have tried.

Well, here is her remedy for removing scalp scales with little tears from pain. Now, tears from frustration are a completely different story.

How to Remove Scalp Scales:

1. Oil the scalp with your favorite oil. We use several: baby oil, baby oil gel, almond oil, olive oil, jojoba oil, or apricot oil. You will use a lot of oil so you may want to choose the cheapest for this task.

2. Use your clean fingers to massage the oil into the scalps and around the obvious scales as much as possible.

3. Cover the scalp once it is completely saturated with a do-rag. I found a site online (http://www.proudbiker.com/biker/bikerag1.htm), but you can find them at some Walmarts for around $3 in the men’s underwear department. Since the do-rag ties in the back, it allows you to tighten as much as needed for such a little guy’s head.

4. Allow your kiddo to run, play, or nap for at least an hour and a half.

5. Gather some sort of yummy snack that will last for quite some time and a good cartoon. Also, get a small toothed comb and your favorite oil of the day. You may want baby wipes and something to put the scales on as well.

6. Sit with your legs spread and your child between them facing the tv.

7. Remove the do-rag and apply oil to the entire scalp making sure to saturate all of the large scales.

8. Begin by finding the scale you wish to remove.

9. Gently use the comb to lift the edges of the scale. Lift the skin on all sides. You will begin to see that the hair has grown through the skin and needs to be removed. The comb I use has a single pick on the end (I think it is the kind of comb that was used for teasing your hair in the 80s.).

10. Slide the long pick as close to the skin as possible and gently begin to pull the hair out of the skin. This will allow you to remove the scale a little bit more. You will need to stop often to remove the hair from the skin.

11. If the scale you are working on seems like it is going to cause bleeding or is putting up a big fight, just add more oil and massage it into that area. You will need to let it sit for just a couple minutes to allow it to work its magic.

12. Remove as many scales as you can. Most of the time J will sit for about 30-45 minutes and then he is definitely done. I do not do remove the scales from J’s head daily. A couple of times a week is enough to keep the scalp manageable.

After this process, your kiddo will definitely need his/her hair washed that evening. Be sure not to use a medicated shampoo or conditioner though. You just exposed a lot of new, raw skin. Burning is not a pleasant thing for a little one to experience.

Hopefully, this is helpful to some mom out there dealing with similar issues to that of our family. I will try to take pictures of the process and post those as well. After all, pictures are worth a thousand words.