scalp problem...ouch

[kneecapper]

Elka,

that is a very interesting description of what you have gone through. Interestingly enough I have not gone through the weeping etc. and especially on my scalp.

From the description that Tammy has given of her condition, I think that I would stick with the recommendation of trying the Capex shampoo. She needs something very gentle at this present time because of the actual condition of her scalp.

From what Tammy has described I am not convinced that she has seb derm, or at least not what I have experienced with seb derm.

You make some interesting points about the bacteria that lives normally on our bodies and how it affects us. However, I am not convinced with the general conventional wisdom as to its role in seb derm or in the case of Tammy I am not certain that it has a role.

I still think that Tammy is showing a reaction to the hair dye. Her symptoms came on after she had her hair coloured.

I should add here that I get colour in my hair and yes I have reacted to the hair dye. It has made my scalp sting. However, if the dye is applied so that it does not hit my scalp then I do not react. When my hair was last coloured I had a mild reaction only.

I am not convinced that the salicyc acid is best for Tammy's scalp because the scalp is so obviously sensitive. I think that the shampoo needs to be as gentle as possible so that Tammy can obtain relief for her condition. I have already recommended a shampoo that has the ingredient piroctone olamine in it. I have found this to be very gentle on my scalp and it has been very effective.

Maggie

[kneecapper]

Tammy,

just checking to hear what is the latest on your scalp. I hope that you are finally getting some relief.

Maggie

[tammy]

 :hi:maggie... no joy as yet... :'(sob..the last couple of days my scalp has been going mad..my skin seems to crust up in a matter of minutes..getting tighter and tighter all the time,,more skin grows over the previous scab..without any healing..i scratch because my scalp is so uncomfortable and releasing the scabby areas..gets rid of the tightness...but then i make it sore again...seems i have no willpower..and stress at work doesnt help things at all..at least i know the misery everyone else is suffering with their skin problems on this forum too..so im not alone..thanks for asking about me..but  at the moment im crazy..tammy

[kneecapper]

:hi:maggie... no joy as yet... :'(sob..the last couple of days my scalp has been going mad..my skin seems to crust up in a matter of minutes..getting tighter and tighter all the time,,more skin grows over the previous scab..without any healing..i scratch because my scalp is so uncomfortable and releasing the scabby areas..gets rid of the tightness...but then i make it sore again...seems i have no willpower..and stress at work doesnt help things at all..at least i know the misery everyone else is suffering with their skin problems on this forum too..so im not alone..thanks for asking about me..but  at the moment im crazy..tammy

Tammy,

   I am sorry to hear that things are not improving  

I guess it will not help to say "DO NOT SCRATCH"  

It sounds like you need to find a solution to the stress in the workplace. The constant scratching due to the stress in the workplace is very familiar to me.   I understand how hard it is not to scratch during those moments of stress.

Perhaps what you need to do is to see if you can find a solution to the workplace stress. You do not need to give responses online since that kind of thing can be deeply personal, but you could try and troubleshoot your situation and try to identify the source of the stress and then ask yourself what can you do about it.

The stressors of a workplace where there is friction can be very taxing on our systems, and perhaps this is the reason that you are not responding to the treatments that you have tried so far.

 

Maggie

[_Jo_]

Hi Im new on here to I saw what u had wrote and relised u have  a very similar problem as me.

I recently had my hair relaxed and it was left on to long so my scalp was burnt it is now enflamed and weeps now and again it is crusty and itched like hell and can be very saw after a while, I have not yet sin a doctor as I tried to make apointments but they are very buisy so I have to suffer.

Jo xx
 

[Gobe]

 

Welcome to Skincell nja and Jo!

 

[ChorusGirl]

...the sores were mainly on the crown of my head...which baffled the tric at the belagravia centre..i was diagnosed with seborahic derm... had steam treatment.a sulphur paste ointment,coaltar shampoo...(which stripped all the colour out of my hair)and a citric acid lotion to calm the itching...it didnt...they still wanted to continue with the treatment...it was too expensive smelt terrible... i went to my doctor, she perscibed me with a betnovate solution...ooooww...even worse..she gave me something else but i forget the name..telling me in 2 weeks it would clear...no way...the sores went to pimples.i have tried everything from chinese remedies to emu oil..but nothing helps.the sores have increased and i cannot stop the scratching...the pain of my scalp feels like that burning sensation you get with a cold sore ..at the nape of my neck the skin is very crusty..but applying moisturiser makes the skin break out in pimples..i have cut out orange juice and chocolate as i was told this can make the prob worse..but no affect.the tric said i could be allergic to wheat products...but the ingredients in the shampoo had wheat germ in it which puzzled me..and i lost my faith in them.I know i can never get rid of the skin condition ...but it is getting out of control..what can i use to wash my hair?and style it any ideas?..got to admit my hairstylist has been giving me highlights...she said its ok as it doesnt touch the scalp..but it does seem this could be a strong factor.My hair is very dry..it seems to lack any natural oil..if i leave it the sores are tight dry and crusty..put the oil back and the scalp becomes gritty and spottyand the sores weep out white fluid...sometimes the scalp bleeds.I dont think i have seboricc derm...but ive looked at pics of  p and i dont think its that either.Guess ill have to go to see my doctor again..and insist i get referred to a derm... and if there is anyone out there that has the same prob..and is beating it ..let me know...my heads driving me mad ...tammy

Hi Tammy and All, I'm new here and just wanted to say that you are not alone.  It's feels so great to also find that my fiance is not alone.  He is having the same problem(s) and has had this for a long time!  He is very miserable with all of the pain and discomfort.  I will get him on here to tell of his experience and hopefully the whole team of us can really research, create awareness (esp. to doctors), and find solutions.  P.S.  Have you heard of Folliculitis?

[peterb]

Hi ChorusGirl

Welcome to Skincell.

[ChorusGirl]

Have any of you looked into "Dissecting Cellulitis of the Scalp?"
It's very serious and my fiance has it.  At first I thought it was just Folliculitis -but it's much worse.  He's had it since the age of 12 and is just now getting to the point where he might consider laser surgery.  Please keep us in your positive thoughts/prayers.

[wendianne]

Hi,

Try Aveeno colloidal oatmeal powder. You can buy it to put in a bath, I would just lay in lukewarm water and give my head a good soak. If you do it before bed I would just leave the powdery residue in my hair and scalp, wrap it in a towel and try to sleep. I don't recommend any creams, they just seem to make things worse. I always used Aveeno when my kids had chicken pox, hives, psoriasis and it always seemed to work best with lukewarm water (just warm enough to not be chilly) and use lots of it.

Wendianne

[DuhBlondie]

hi im new here...wonder if anyone has same problem as me....i admit id lost a job and was under stress...i started a new job and treated myself to a hair cut and holiday...the hair cut was terrible..on holiday my hair fell out by the handful...my son took a video and nicknamed me the incredible moulting mum ;Dwhen i was in spain i got a new hair cut and had it coloured proff for the first time ..i felt great.then my scalp became real itchy and sores developed...this has become worse over time..i still go to the hairdressers but it has now become embarassing...the sores weep and crust...i scratch them which makes matters worse...and hair isnt growing where the sores are present...i wasted 400 pounds on treatment at a top trich clinic...but the products made it worse.nothing i try has improved things now the sores are worse than ever i have used coaltar products,citric acid lotion,soapfree products,achohol free products..homopathic oils...my head burns like fire...can anyone help?

[DuhBlondie]

Ok, I will try this again. Hello there! I am a 36 y/o female from New York. I have been researching a problem I have been having for quite some time and came across this board and I am hoping someone can help asvise me with this problem I have been having. I am not severe as Tammy is (or was hopefully since I haven't seen her post lately) and I have many differences. For four years now I have been getting these terrible scalp sores. They range in size but are generally small. They are hard to see so it is difficult for me to precisely describe what they look like but I will do my best. I believe they start out as small, flat red painful marks that eventually begin to rise. When they do of course I pick them although I know I shouldn't. They seem to be filled with blood and if I peel off a scab it is like a pocket of blood. They are usally on the top of my head and can take weeks to heal and I usually have several at a time. I do not know if they just lie dormant and then come back or if they are new and different ones. I get excruciating headaches from them and it is becomming unbearable. As far as any origins here is all that I can come up with. I believe I noticed the first sore 4 months after giving birth to my first child. I was 2 months short of my 32nd birthday. About 2 months prior maybe I started taking ortho tri cyclen birth control pills and also tetracyclen which I didn't stick with that long. I dyed my own hair at that time and believe the sore(s) appeared after that. Since giving birth and being on birth control for an extended period of time my menstrual cycle was the most regular it has ever been in my life. I may have dyed my hair once since then and did get highlights, but through a cap...But the last time was well over 2 years ago since I did anything. Since I stayed home fill time after having my child my lifestyle and hairstyling did change. When I worked I blow dried my hair every day. After quitting I rarely blow dried my hair and let it grow very long. but the sores appeared long before I had any significant length so I imagine that isn't a cause. Unless I had somewhere to go, my daily hair routine would be to shampoo and put in a pony tail either wet or dry but probably it was damp most of the time. Now I know that stress is a big factor in the severity of my breakouts because a month after the first breakout my life had a devastaing blow and my marriage more or less failed. Since then it has been downhill personally and the stresses of being a single mom with a 4 year old that is hyper and doesnt listen very well has added to it. I have had some very terrible things happen to me these past few years and have this perpetual black cloud looming above. This does not help matters of course and I am not being pessimistic....I really have bad luck...Way beyond my control...But I suppose that is for another message board..Hahaha! I have noticed that the severity of the pain and quantity of sores increases dramatically prior to my period. I have been off the bi rth control for quite some time and decided to stop it as a process of elimination. I cut out sweet and low for the most part.
I know I need to see a doctor but I have no medical insurance and am struggling as a single mom and cannot work yet. I did ask my OB/GYN once and he said maybe psoriasis but I do not think that is it. It is so hard for me to find anything online that matches my problems. I find bits and pieces in many disorders and diseases. Most of the disorders have dandruff, scales or alopecia. I have none of these problems. I have a very full head of hair and it is for the most part healthy (except the ends which need a good cut). I get many compliments on my hair which seems odd since the area it is growing out of is a mess! I go tanning and have a sun lamp which i use on my scalp periodically. It seems to help a little, but maybe because it helps dry them up. I have no allergies that I am aware of. I have tried some prescription topical creams and ointments like cortisone 2% and Momentisone...Doesn't do much. Any antibiotics I have taken does not do much as well. I have tried antifungal creams to no avail....applied peroxide, alcohol to the area to try and dry them up with some success but not enough. I apply tea tre oil and that helps sometimes with the discomfort. Sometimes it seems as if they are healing and then flare up worse. I know that my picking and scratching is the WRONG thing to do and I try to control it but I cannt help it. Sometimes when I pick them and hurt them myself they actually feel better for a bit as odd as that may seem. They seem to be very deep sores...Due to stress I have inconsistent sleeping patterns but the rare times I am able to get a few good hours straight they seem to feel better so I know that is one of the contributing factors. I plan on going to a doctor when I get some insurance and cannot go until I do. I am just wondering if anyone else has experienced this same thing without flaking, scaling or hair loss and with very bad headaches. I just want to get a heads up on what to possibly expect. Sorry for babbling...I hope I didn't confuse anyone...
Thanks for reading this!

[wendianne]

Hi!

I have the same problem on my scalp, do you normally have oily hair? I get mine from a reaction to too much sebum (oil) and my own sweat! I have to use a shampoo that really cleans oil off, then condition so that my scalp won't produce even more oil because it's too dry! Go figure. My scalp gets oily, then when I sweat it gets itchy and breaks out into blisters. If I scratch, then they go really raw(bleeding etc).

After all the stuff you've done to your hair and scalp it is probably screaming from overattention though, so try to give it a break. Try a colloidal oatmeal powder (the type you put in a bath like Aveeno) in a bath soak(not too hot), and let the residue dry on (don't rinse it off right away). Stay away from creams, I've found it just makes it worse.

If this flare up calms down, you could try tea tree oil in a basic shampoo, and stay away from really goopy conditioners (did you use one after your color job?) you need to condition but only lightly. I find I have to shampoo my hair every second day, otherwise my scalp breaks out, especially if my hair goes really oily. If I start to sweat because of heat or exorcise, watch out, I break out bigtime!

If your hair gets really oily sometimes you may have the same scalp problem I do. By the way, on me the flakey stuff on my scalp isn't skin, but dried oil. When it's still in the really oily stage, it is kind of yellowish white creamy stuff.  Sebum looks just like dead skin when it dries and builds up. If I sweat underneath, I break into blisters and itch like crazy. If I wash my hair right away it calms down and goes away.

If your hair doesn't get really oily, it was probably a reaction to the chemicals when you got your hair done. The colloidal oatmeal powder will still work well for you. That's what we use here in Canada for kids chickenpox, sunburn etc...

Good luck!

Wendianne