Serious scalp issues!

I'm having some serious issues with my scalp! I know I have seborrheic
dermatitis of the scalp. For a few months my scalp was fine after using
apple cider vinegar. i thought I was cured. Since January however, my
scalp started becoming extremely itchy and scabs were forming. I
usually can go a week or more without washing my hair. Now, i can't go
more than two days! I have this oil medication Dermasmoothe, but it
only helps with the flakes and stuff when I put a shower cap on. I
can't wear a shower cap all day and it has mineral oil! Anyone have suggestions?

Have you tried castor oil? This is my miracle oil... itching, flakes, dryness... castor oil's got it covered.

Hope this helps [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

I have jamaican black castor oil.....I love this stuff...but not even it can conquer my scalp...it helps slightly for like the first day but then that's it.....

hmmm... i did a little research and here's what i came up with:

- use shampoos that contain coal tar (DHS Tar, Neutrogena T/gel, Polytar)

- you can use a soft brush while shampooing to loosen up the flakes

- steroid lotions (provided by the doctor) may help

- you can also get your doctor to prescribe a shampoo that contains 2% ketoconazole (brand name: Nizoral)

- you can also try shampoos, cleansers, or topical treatments that contain salicylic acid, sulfur, ciclopiroxolamine, ketoconazole, selenium sulfide, or zinc pyrithione

- aloe vera gel may also be worth a try


I hope you find something that works! [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

I use to use ketaconazole...dried my hair out to no end! I've been meaning to get T-Gel but the maximum strength one. That worked for me a few years back. I will buy some at the store and hopefully it works because these shampoos are very drying. I just wonder why it came back all of a sudden how it did.

I had a really bad dandruff issue a few years ago and my dermatologist recomended the Neutrogena tar shampoo, before doing a prescription type. I found that the generic Walgreen's brand tar shampoo worked better for me than the name brand. I'd let the shampoo stay on my scalp for a few minute, then follow with a DC. I also, found a scalp treatment in the same hair section that helped. It's a clear liquid you put on the scalp and don't wash off, I don't remeber the name though. HTH.

Thanx. Imma definitely look into getting some T-Gel soon.

Glovers!

I have ickthyosis and I had baaad flakes. I do not know exactly what has "cured" it but I think it was a combo of alma, almond oil, grapeseed oil, avocado oil, coconut oil and shea butter.

I never heard of ickthyosis before....I just looked it up...I might try the amla...I hear good things about it.......

Yea, my skin desease is not as bad as some peoples. Mine is/was on the scalp and on my legs. I am sure those perms they put in my hair when I was little did not help any and damaged my scalp.

Yes that's another reason why I stopped the relaxers...I know it was making my condition worse....

my husband had really bad sebbohreic dermatitis...it cause him to prematurely bald (at only 25!)

What controls it is a healthy diet (he eats healthy foods with regular exercise 99.5% of the time) and a product from Israel called SeboCalm...they have a scalp moisturizer that has great antifungal properties and works really well! Its actually not that expensive in Israel, but I don't know how much it would cost to get it shipped here. T

Their website is Sebocalm.co.il ... its in Hebrew but I think you can translate it with GoogleTranslate.

Their products are REALLY good and actually the only products that work on my face! (I dont have the condition but I do have super dry & sometimes sensistive skin)

Thanks cutephantasm....I'll look that up.....

kk...i dont know where to find it here...when we go to Israel (about once a year) we stock up... lol

I have psoriasis and know how you feel. My daughter has seborrheic
dermatitis and I am worried that it really is psoriasis in disguise. My scalp would turn white and my hair would just fall out from the root in weird patches - so I not only had thinning but giant parts too! At first the docs said I had thick hair and should be grateful but I knew my hair was thinner than it should be and that a baby pink scalp color wasn't natural on a brown skinned woman. Finally I got to the right dermatologist and she put me on a really strong steroid temporarily. The falling out stopped but my texture was messed up where I used the meds.
I use Dermasmooth too along with Clobex shampoo. If you get in a bind and run out of your scripts you can use over the counter cortisone cream but do know cortisones thin your skin over time. I don't even know what steroids do. (scary)
My doctor said that these conditions get much worse in the winter. You mentioned that the vinegar worked for a while.I know Florida was hit bad this year. I would keep up with the vinegar. Other than that I am also looking for a solution - preferably natural. I am going to do more research. Thanks for the post!

Thanks for the post swoodward...this scalp diseases are sometimes very hard to deal with and can be very embarrassing, especially growing up....I used to be scared I really had psoriasis as well...but I think it would've been a lot worse...I put some apple cider vinegar in it this morning and it seems to not be itching as much...I guess my scalp decides for itself whether it wants to stop itching or not...I just hope it lasts for a little because I don't want to go out and be itching my scalp or have flakes the whole time...it's so annoying! [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

I remember when I was in college, I took some penicillen but did not know that I was allergic to it and it made all my hair fall out. I had a big scab all over my scalp and my hair fell all the way out. It was horrible. It also caused burn like sores all over my hands. I can't believe my hair fell out and that I had a scab for a scalp. It is a wonder that my hair even came back from that. Sulfameth is a cousin to penicillen and it causes the burn patches but not the hair falling out. Sometimes the things they give us to fix it makes it worse!

I remember sitting in meetings and being afraid to touch my hair for fear of a snowstorm. Then going though a bunch of products and medications that made me itch and flare up even more. Makes my stomach upset. I have had handfuls of my hair fall out after a flare up but I have been blessed. My hair starts to grow right back and I still have enough of it so that only I know what's really going on. (but boy do I have a lot of short spirals!)

I had my psoriasis under control then went to my hairstylist to get it cut last week. He used Motions and Humectress, then blowdryed my hair. It was very cold that day. My scalp exploded. I was terrified I was going to be right back where I started. I have washed with the meds twice in the last week to try to get the inflammation down and I had been down to once a week. I can't handle those mass production products anymore. I have to stick to the natural products from now on.

I was so happy to see your post, Janique. Today after doing a lot of reading, I tried the vinegar rinse for the first time after using the shampoo and my scalp looks much better. Better than when I use the Clobex alone. I'll check back after my bantu knots dry. I can't believe I have lived this long without trying this! duh!

I have been thinking of getting a shower filter too. Does anyone else use one? Has it helped?

Oh I think a shower filter will be great. I told my husband that I wanted one of those for our anniversary present. I am a simple gift type of person. I like things I can use. Forget the flowers and candy nonsense!

Yes it's something so amazing how the cheapest and most natural things work so much better than chemical products. I once had this supposed cure all medicine that cost $500! My mom had to fight with the insurance company to pay that one. it was supposed to replace the Dermasmoothe...but it didn't really do much better...just was less messy...the ACV seems to finally have calmed my scalp down again....my scalp didn't feel as itchy and look as flaky as it was for these past few weeks thank goodness!