Medication/things that have worked for scalp picking?

The only thing that helps me with scalp picking is me using dandruff shampoo, I don't know why but I used to pick a lot at my scalp and i've been using dandruff shampoo 2 in 1 and it makes my scalp feel better and I just don't have the urge too often, don't worry we are in the same boat, it only works if you use it like everyday for me at least, I hope you can find a cure for yourself

Just know that dandruff shampoo is very drying to the hair follicles because it often contains zinc. Just from personal experience, I couldn't use it every single day..maybe 2-3 times a week at most. It caused my hair to be very frail and easily damaged/frizzy. If you have short hair might not be a problem, but with longer finer/wavy hair its a hassle.

Make my own shampoo by mixing a plain shampoo with tea tree oil. It’s an alternative homeopathic remedy to dandruff shampoo and I find that it’s gentle enough for every day use and it makes it so there actually is less to pick on my scalp. If there is nothing to pick, I’m less likely to pick it, personally. Hope this helps!

I am new here and interested in learning more about my condition. When I was a child I hit the top back corner of my scalp against a wall in an accident and it started bleeding. I had to go to the hospital and get stitches for it. As it healed, the stitches itched a lot and I wanted to scratch them. Once they were removed and the area was continuing to heal, it still itched a lot and I would scratch at it to remove any crusty pieces of skin. I found that removing the dry surface skin at the back corner of the scalp and exposing the flesh below produced a cooling sensation in my head like a high. From then on at times through my life I've scratched at the same spot. If it's healed over it takes a while to break the skin, but once broken I will pick at the spot to remove every crusty piece of dried skin that rises above the flat level of the scalp. When it's really bad, this reduces the hair in the spot to stubs and leaves me with a bald spot there. The impulse to pick the spot usually comes when I am stressed and looking for the cool release it produces in my head. Once I've picked it to that depth, I definitely understand the difficulty in allowing it to heal over and especially in getting past the stage in the healing process at which it is covered in crusty dried skin and itches. These are some things I've found helpful personally:

(1) Cutting my nails short.
(2) Sleeping with a beanie on my head.
(3) Wearing a baseball cap during the day whenever possible.
(4) Cutting my hair short so there's not as much to mess with there.
(5) Washing my hair with hot/cold water and an itchy scalp shampoo with eucalyptus and mint in it.
(6) Keeping wire head massagers handy.
(7) Keeping a paddle hair brush with hard plastic bristles with balls on the ends handy for brushing the scalp instead of picking.
(8) Getting an occasional scalp massage.
(9) Not spending entire days alone at home where there's no social pressure to avoid picking (go to Starbucks or the library or something).
(10) Relaxing/sleeping to white noise (like rain sounds) or "ASMR" or mindfulness like they are calling it now.

I don't do all of these all the time. Some of them I only use if I've fallen back into the picking habit and need to stop and let things heal.

One more thing I forgot to add is that when I am working on letting the spot heal, I will take photos of the back top corner of my head to monitor the healing and hair regrowth. I think seeing the damage and the progress as it heals helps me push through.

Thanks for the info everyone. Great post, I am trying to learn more.