Close

You must be logged in to love this post! Please sign in:

Close

You must be logged in to follow this post! Please sign in:

Amber (Pa) on 08/07/2016
5 out of 5 stars

About 2 weeks ago I noticed 3 different knots or small mats forming in my hair, they were about the size of a quarter. I didnt think much of it because my hair is very long to my butt, and has always gotten tangled easily. I had also been sleeping alot lately and not brushing my hair after showers. Well I a friend offered to brush out the knots because she is a hairdresser. So she worked on my hair for 4 hrs one night, and didnt get out a single knot, as a matter of fact, they all got BIGGER, and hard, they formed actual shapes, one was shaped and sized exactly like a computer mouse, one was perfectly circle and flat about the size of a 50cent pc, and the third was perfectly round like a ball. The amount of hair in each knot grew, like it was attaching itself to all the hairs. They got so big and firm that I couldn't even push a safety pin into one, not even a mm in! I scoured the internet along with my friends and family for 3 days trying to find anything that even came close to what I had, we couldn't find anything because these were no normal knots.

I came across and discovered It was from an EXTREMELY rare little known condition called Plica Polonica (I suggest anyone suffering from weird hair conditions, like sticky/tacky/dark slimy-like sections of hair, anywhere on the hair, look up this condition). Doctors still know very little about the cause and there is no cure or remedy except to cut the masses of hair off. But I suspected all along this condition is actually due to a fungal or bacterial growth. I tried everything known to man to get the knots out including wearing an entire giant jar of mayo on my head for 18 hours! I tried vinager, listerine, dawn, olive oil, hot oil, everything! I ended up cutting off the hair after a week of failed attempts to even remotely loosen them. But ever since I cut them all off 2 days ago, I have been getting these big pimple like bumps all over my head.

So I tried tea tree oil directly on the bumps, and its working! I don't know what the bumps are, but I know they have something to do with the scalp hair condition Plica Polonica, and the Tea Tree oil is killing it. If you have very knotty sections of hair, or you feel something kinda sticky in your hair, I suggest doing Tea Tree oil all over your scalp. I think if I would have paid more attention to the signs and treated my hair and scalp earlier, it never would have developed into Plica Plonica.

REPLY   4      

Replied By Nastasia (Leander) on 05/03/2017

I have the same thing. I used tea tree oil but it does not help. The hair mats into a ball of dry dandruff like mess. Sometimes sticky ooze forms. What brand of tea tree oil do you use? Like you I tried everything. It sometimes gets painful.
REPLY   1      

Replied By Sawyer (Nevada) on 09/08/2017

Hey I just totally saw this a few minutes after reading your post no it's not what I'm dealing with I just wanted to give you five things up for you are totally on track with your diagnosis and treatment why here it is sorry I feel the need to share but I'm going to :p

Demodex brevis mites feed on the glandular cells of the sebaceous gland that attaches to hair follicles (pilosebaceous glands) and meibomian glands. The sebaceous glands produce an oily substance known as sebum. Meibomian glands produce meibum which prevents tears from rapidly evaporating. It plays an important role in eye moisture.
Medication
TREATMENT:)
Tea tree 5% ointment.
Mercury oxide 1% ointment.
Topical insecticides like permethrin and crotamiton creams.
Topical antibiotics like erythromycin and metronidazole.
Oral medication like ivermectin for people with weakened immune systems such as in HIV infection.

REPLY   3      

Replied By Shanti (Austin, Texas ) on 02/04/2018

I am not sure if I have the same problem as you, but here is what happened. I have extremely curly hair. I stupidly left it in a bun for about 3 weeks without washing it. Once I took the bun out my hair was two giant matted knots on each side of my head. Same as you, they were very hard. It took SEVERAL sessions over a 2 week period of attempting to brush out. I tried everything I could think of and what I read on the Internet. Jojoba oil, coconut oil, Vaseline, several deep conditioners, olive oil, apple cider vinegar, etc. never found the tangler teaser (name?) and didn't go as far as fabric softener or we-40, but on a daily basis I patiently used a pick, a stick, and my fingers- digging my way through the knots. My hair was pretty long- it took YEARS to grow it- I am biracial, and though my hair is thin I had lots of it. When I finally got the last knot out I was left with very little hair :-(. A couple of pieces of my long hair remain, but otherwise I have areas of very short hair and I have very little left of it. I can fake a hairstyle by moving the longer pieces near the short ones. But what worries me most is my scalp.

During the time I was brushing it out and now, my scalp is EXTREMELY itchy. There are no big splotches or bumps, but I am constantly itching. Feels as if small bugs are crawling on my scalp. Could this be from dry hair? Or does it sound like an infection or fungus of some sort. I fear that my remaining hair is going to fall out. Oh, AND when I was detangling it there were pieces of hair that looked like they were covered in a dark slimy oil substance. It's been about 3 weeks and I'm still constantly itching. Not sure if I should try natural products or if I need to go to the doctor-maybe it's the same condition you have? The difference is my hair knotted because I didn't take care of it and left it tied up.

I would appreciate any suggestions. Thanks!

REPLY   1      

Replied By Marnie (Madera, Ca) on 02/07/2018

Hi Shanti,
Borax (2O Mule Team) from the laundry aisle is the first thing I would try. It's safe and effective. It's anti-fungal. It's great for your skin. I would get some pure Castile soap (such as Dr Bronners). Get the soap lathered all over your scalp. Then add a handful of borax on top of your head and work it throughout your entire scalp. Massage it in and let it sit for a while. Rinse. If you're going to use conditioner, then only apply it to your hair and not your scalp. This should really help relieve the itch and get your hair nice a clean.

Other great things to try-
- Tea tree essential oil (added to shampoo or to some coconut oil for scalp treatment)
- Scrub wet scalp in shower with baking soda. Wash as usual. Final rinse with water mixed with some apple cider vinegar
- Coconut oil and / or Castor Oil (pure, 100%). If you feel your scalp is dry and irritated, massage with oil and leave on for an hour or overnight. 1-2 drops of lavender essential oil added in can be soothing.

Hope this helps!
REPLY   4