scalp problem...ouch

[deirdre]

CP,

Where has your amazing ativar gone?

[Celery Peach]

  I dont understand Dierdre, which Avitar do you mean ?   Perhaps the Ice Queen ?

[deirdre]

Didn't you have an illustration of a gorgeous woman covered tats and maybe a vine or two? As in.... Grand Tattoo...?

[Celery Peach]

  I think my host site must be down Deirdre, have I no avatar showing at all ? I'll have to lend Nicks spanners  

[kneecapper]

Tammy,

can you let us know how you are getting along.

Maggie

[deirdre]

CP,

The tattooed lady is back. I see she is a fairy? I haven't asked about the vines, but do you have an interest in the Green Man?

Deirdre

[Celery Peach]

  Deirdre

Im glad my little fairy is back   I have put it on another host site. More about the green man here

http://www.skincell.org/yabbse/index.php/t6189.php?boardseen=1

I didnt want to take over this thread  

  Tammy, I would also like to know how you are ?  

[Nick]

Hey there Tammy,

I'm sorry to hear that things aren't improving, but really is essential that you try and stop scratching.
Trust me, I know that it's not easy. I get scalp Psoriasis and there are times I find myself scratching without realising it. Each time you scratch you are undoing any of the good that any medication may be doing.
Try cutting your nails daily, as short as you can. that way when you scratch you will rub with your fingertips. As they are more sensitive than nail tissue you should be able to train yourself easier to stop the scratching

Good luck and keep us posted

[tammy]

hi everyone...thank you all for your support.. and thanks maggie for your research...aaahhh those pics were horrific..thankfully my head is not in that state yet..im still confused as to what the condition is..although the doc says it is seb derm ..i have looked at images of the other scalp problem maggie refered to..plus i looked at P...it is very hard to distinguish ..i only know what it feels like.the pics all seemed to be a greasy scalp ..but mine is very dry.Anyhow week 1 of treatment...and NO CHANGE.The sore spots have crusted..and nick ..im so resisting the urge to scratch ..because i know the sores will weep and bleed if i do...if the sores dry and scab over and i let them heal naturally ..perhaps the hair might grow there again..i hope so.its hairwash night tonight so out comes the medicated shampoo...i just wish there was a natural cure ..because i dont like the steroid lotion.Nick you are so right i think my problem is made worse by scratching..if ive had a stressful day at work ..i come home and before i know it i automatically go to scratch my head ..i think ive got into a habit..i bet i even scratch my head in my sleep LOL..but i never scratch it at work..no matter how much it itches..which is strange.It started about 2 and a half years ago and has just got steadilly worse..oooooh please i dont want my scalp to get as bad as those pics maggie sent links to..im determined to beat this..if there is anyone suffering the same symptoms as me..i just want to tell you I KNOW what you are going through.This weekend ill send another post to let you know if the medication has got things under control..im still hopeful..all the best tammy

[deirdre]

Tammy,

There have been times in my life when I picked at my scalp and the big scabs under my hair just seemed normal. I would try to not scratch and the itch would not stop... it was actually a salesclerk at a place called Barber And Beauty Supply who initially diagnosed my allergy to sodium layrul sulphate. She said that the root of my problem might be  afairly common allergy, and then went to the place where they kept samples of variosu products and found a few that were SLS-free and gave me a handful of each and told me to just try that approach... and she wouldn't let me buy anything except some conditioner that she first ensured was SLS-free (we have terrible labeling laws in Canada, so not everything has it's ingredienst listed).

I'm not saying that what you have is an allergy. But I *do* know something of what you are going through. Nick is right... though tough (nearly impossible at times!) please do try your very best to not scratcha nd pick, as you will heal much more quickly if you don't keep opening wounds.

This is a shot in the dark as I have never tried it for my scalp (I do get there and realize my scabby-scalp period certainly involved a flare-up, and now when I get one I am quick to get the Rx shampoo and lotion from my derm), but I have used it for sunburn and also in my mouth when my OLP flares-up. Have you considered aloe vera gel? You can buy food grade (meaning absolutely free of perfume) aloe vera inexpensively at health food stores. It is very soothing indeed. Maybe you would want to ask your doctor or pharmacist befoet you tried it, but maybe you could rub some into your scalp and find relief (it isn't at all greasy but does mositurize). You might want t ask one of SC's resident seb derm experts (Guzz, are you there?) what they think of that suggestion...

Also please don't get freaked out by the online photos. THey tend to be worst case scenarios. Odds are you will never get there yourself!

 

[kneecapper]

Hi Tammy,

well I just had my dermatologist appointment and I have a diagnosis for Seb Derm. I have been prescribed Novasone. I have been told that if I need to use it on my scalp I can leave it overnight and then wash with a coal tar based shampoo. That is the correct regimine for me.

Maggie

[deirdre]

maggie,

I hope it works

[tammy]

hi girls..maggie.let me know how the norvasone works will you..im getting desperate to find something that makes an improvement...wheres the ice bucket...LOL...ill keep you posted..but so far my progress is nil....tammy

[kneecapper]

hi girls..maggie.let me know how the norvasone works will you..im getting desperate to find something that makes an improvement...wheres the ice bucket...LOL...ill keep you posted..but so far my progress is nil....tammy

Hi Tammy,

I have not used it on my scalp yet and I did stick to using the coal tar shampoo (well, the truth is by the time I got home last night I could not be bothered putting something onto my scalp). My scalp is really under control and it is not too bad.

However, I have begun using it on the other areas and with a lot of success. Once again I have noticed that after two applications my face looks a lot better. I am also using the chickweed gel plus the sorbolene as a moisturiser. I am fortunate because here in Australia we have a big choice in sorbolene products and I have a product from Redwin that has been developed as a light moisturiser for the face. I am also using a coal tar shampoo from Redwin because it is not as harsh as Neutrogena's offerings.

I continue to suspect that you have an allergy to the hair dye, and even if your scalp does not look anything like those piccies (thank God) a scalp folliculitis might be the true answer to your problem as you have described it. I really am not certain that you have seb derm.

I have been struggling with dandruff since I was about 9 or 10 years old. This problem has been on top of my other skin condition that manifested a few years later, and was diagnosed when I was 19. I have continued to struggle with trying to clear my skin and face ever since that age. I have used a lot of products over that time and nothing has been so soothing as the sorbolene cream.

Maggie

[deirdre]

Magggie,

Sorbolene cream? I'm intriued. What is it? I had thought I would have problems sourcing 100 per cent tea tree oil (which my husband wanted after looking online... he is dealing with nail fungus), as it seemed hard to come by except on Australian sites, however I have found that Whole Foods, a USA-based big chain natural foods store, has an excellent selection of products from Australia... and their prices are decent.

I find that Neutrogena shampoo is not particularly gentle, either. My mother could not use it as it gave her eczema in the ear. The brand of coal tar shampoo that I like (if one can like something that reeks of coal tar) is Tersa Tar.

[tammy]

mmm not heard of any of those products  in the uk except neutrogena...tried it made no difference...its expensive too.and reacts with hair colourants..nizoral..no difference..more itchy..polytar ..same again..dead sea products..shampoo lovely smell ..but scalp still itched..culticura soap(tried it cos its anti bacterial)scalp didnt sting when washed with it..but its difficult to wash out properly and leaves a residue that dulls the hair.i could go on with the countless products ive tried....hope i find something soon.medication  has not made any improvement...infact it is worse especially at the nape of my neck..guess ill be back to the doctor..hope this time he will refer me to a dermatologist.anyway does anyone know if seb derm is fungal?my doctor says it is ..but when i went to the tricologist centre they said it wasnt.and when i have looked up info i get conflicting views..puzzled...tammy

[GuzziHeroV50]

tammy - I just posted in rant n rave...Ive now gone flake-less for 6 days!!!!!

Im using Selsun...Im not saying it works for everyone, because what works for one doesnt necessarily work for another...but Im jumping through hoops here!

[brigette]

 >:(hIYA IM A NEW MEMBER.iVE JOINED THE FORUM BECAUSE I HAVE JUST BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH PSORIASIS.
AT THE MO ITS IN MY SCALP AND ITS DRIVING ME BONKERS ESPECIALLY AT NIGHT!I HAVE BEEN PRESCIBED COAL TAR AND JUST WONDERING WHEN IT WILL START TAKING  EFFECT.
ANY IDVICE WILL BE HELPFULL AS IM NEW TO ALL THIS.
THANKS

BRIGETTE

[Gobe]

 

Welcome to Skincell Brigette!

We have lots of   sufferers here who will be along soon with advice for you.

I am an   sufferer.

Sorry to hear you are suffering so at the moment.

 

[tammy]

oooh brigette...welcome...sorry youre suffering too..the guys here are of great support..my head goes bonkers at night too especially when im hot...spent the whole day looking at scalp problems on the net..im still confused.Oh and guz...i did buy some selsun...bit runny isnt it...has a more lasting effect than the shampoo the doc perscribed for me...but in my case im not doing any cartwheels...sob...im happy for you though.Brigette like me its all trial and error at the mo...thought the doc had it sussed ...but wow he should see my scalp now..its worse than before hopefully you might see some improvement...but it might take a while..keep me posted on your progress..take care..tammy