I've totally been there. Actually, I've been dealing with lumps like these for years.
Recently though, I seem to have found a solution that helps. Two things seem to be making the biggest difference...
1.) Anti-fungal overnight treatment: I make a concoction consisting of castor oil, olive oil (to counteract the thickness of the castor oil), baking soda, grape seek extract (open up a capsule), noni extract (from a capsule),
Bentonite clay, oregano oil, and cinnamon. I mix it all up, then I massage it into my scalp, cover my head in a soft rag (large enough to cover my head), and I leave it in over night. Then shower in the morning (I usually have to shampoo twice in the shower in order to get the oil out).
I recommend some combination of castor oil, baking soda, 1-2 natural anti-fungals, and
Bentonite clay. This combo seems to create a healthy, anti-fungal environment that weakens and dissolves the lumps, while soothing the irritated scalp.
I am NOT a dermatologist, and I have no clue if something like this will work for other people. I've simply been dealing with this for years, but only recently started using this approach with some noticeable relief.
and 2.) use natural hair care products. This is the latest thing I have tried (for the past five days), and SO FAR it seems to be making a noticeable difference. I was using "Spiker" which is filled with toxic chemicals and I felt an "inner wisdom" telling me that it might be caused acute inflammation on my scalp, so I found a natural alternative on Amazon. So far, it seems to be helping.
I'm also eating a fairly clean diet (80/20 paleo, high-fat, low sugar) and exercising almost daily (exercise is fantastic for detox).
So those would be my two biggest tips: an overnight anti-fungal treatment, and switching to natural products (while growing in your practice of a healthy lifestyle).
Would love to know if anyone else has found success in a method like this!