scalp problem...ouch

[tammy]

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?

[Gobe]

 

Welcome to Skincell Tammy!

I am so sorry to hear about your scalp problem.  

It really does sound like a severe allergic reaction and I think you require urgent medical attention to treat your scalp before it gets even worse.  Please see your doctor as soon as possible and ask for a referral to see a dermatologist.

If the burning is extreme it might even be worth going along to the Accident and Emergency department of your local hospital.

If your sores are weeping they might be infected and this means you may require an anitbiotic.

Please do keep us posted and please please see a doctor about this as soon as possible.

 

[lulu]

Hi Tammy
I'm sorry I can't help you  with your problem but I'm sure someone will be along to help. Just wanted to welcome you.
                                                                  lulu

[deirdre]

I have had a not dissimilar problem.

You may have . Also, you may be experiencing an allergic reaction to some ofthe ingredients in the producst you are using on your hair. Consider eliminating *all* products containg sodium lauryl sulphate from your life (shows up in shampoo, body washes, even toothpaste... and is "naturally derived from coconut oil" so don't let greenspoitation products fool you).

You *must* get to a dermatologist asap. If you are in pain say pain whenyou are booking the appointment. Some hair loss can be permanent (I don't mean to alarm you) so don't hold back due to cost.

My hair stylist recommended products that made my scalp problems much, much worse. The dermatologist will probably take one look and know exactly what you've got.

Good luck!

[Val]

Tammy,

Firstly welcome to our SkinCell cyber family.

I'm in total agreement with the others, go see your doc and get referred to a derm as soon as you can. As you're in the UK it won't cost you to see a derm unless you go private.

I also think Gobe's suggestion of going to A&E if your scalp is extremely painful. It is often a fast track to see a derm too.

Please do let us know how you get on, and also feel free to join in with us around all our boards.

[peterb]

 :hi:Tammy

A warm welcome to the forum.  Yes, go see a Derm to get an accurate diagnosis, your symptoms do seem a lot like Psoriasis though.

 

[Fishs]

 

Hi There Tammy.


Welcome along to the forum.

Mm  

Well I would say you have had a severe reaction to whatever the hair salon or stylist used on your hair/scalp

Many of the setting lotions and conditioning lotions are just hopeless and should never be anywhere near a person let alone on a scalp.

As Deirdre says ..Any product with sodium lauryl sulphate in which most hair lotions and setting lotions have is a receipe for problems ..

I personally would never let anyone near me with  it .Hair sprays and commercial Dyes are just as bad

Fish

[SF]

Tammy, just to go along with everyone else...sounds like you're having an allergic reaction to something used on your scalp...nickel, formaldehyde, cobalt chloride are all chemicals commonly found in hair dies and such, and alot of people have allergy's or intolerance to these.

After my last similar experience with getting my hair died, I'm not planning to do any more of that in the near future.

Good luck!

[tammy]

  thank you all so much for the warm welcome...when i first got the problem..i thought it was something to do with the hairdye used in spain...i think it was left on my head too long...but because of the hairloss before...i could not be certain.the sores were mainly on the crown of my head...which baffled the tric at the belagravia centre..i was diagnosed with seborahic derm...sorry cant spell it,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 :(in the summer everyone thought i smelt of hotdogs ..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...thanks again i will keep you all posted..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

[Knanuk]

Hi Tammy : a hearty welcome to the forum

[Ami]

Welcome to skincell

I've got simlar problem but my is due to the I get very large sores on my head but lucky my hair has'nt come out.

[Nati]

Welcome to the forum Tammy.  
I hope your problem gets resolved soon.  
-Nati

[deirdre]

Tammy,

1) Please don't say you will never get over the skin condition. Stay strong! Attitude is an important factor in healing.

2) Have you seen a dermatologist? I wasn't sure what your abbreviations meant. If you haven't you MUST.

3) You might want to bacxk off on highlights until the scalp situation is under control. My colourist has permanent sores on her arms... but she lives with them as it is that or no income.

4) Dermatologists prescrive various steroids for almost everything. For my scalp flare-ups I use Capex shampoo (a wonderfully gentle shampoo to which you or the pharmacist adds a capsule of steroid) and Elocom lotion.

5) I suspect that in your current state anything at all will hurt your scalp. HOw often do you shampoo? I *never* shampoo more than twice a week. When I do, Iapply a conditioner but to the shaft of the hair only, not where near my scalp. I am vigilant about reading ingredients lists and NEVER use a hair care product containing sodium lauryl sulphate (SLS), as I am allergic to it (as are many people).

6) Wash your hair as infrequently as possible. Consider seeing if plain water works. Ask your pharmacist if s/he stocks a brand of shampoo that does not contain any perfumes dyes etc, and MAKE SURE that it also does not contain SLS. It will smell terrible.

6) Instead of considering styling products (which are very big these days: and ALL salons are set up to push product on the customer) consider styles that you can fashion using various clips, bands, ribbons, etc. Someone on another string said that if you are in enough pain go to A&E (does this mean meregency?) which will get you seen by a derm very quickly.

7) If you have not yet seen a dermatologist do so immediately.
 
If your stylist keeps doing things/selling you yproducts that cause you pain, switch stylists... and tell the new one why (perhaps find out who does hair at your local hospital, as many stylists do visit patients).

[tammy]

thank you deirdre for the advice went to  a tricologist clinic..they are supposed to know all about scalp problems but it didnt help me.i know i must take time off work to visit my doctor so that i can be refered to a dermatologist but money is tight at the moment and the company i work at is very busy...so i will have to suffer a bit longer until i can book some time off..meanwhile my head is still burning and the sores increasing everyday ..wondering about water quality the  water has chorine and fluoride added...would it be best to use mineral water?also ill say hi to the others who have welcomed me...its great having new friends...tammy

[idil]

 

I popped to say "hello" and "welcome".

I had a terrible experience at a salon in switzerland a couple of years ago. I went to get highlights done and they left the hair colour on my scalp for awhile. My scalp started to burn and they kept on telling me it wasnt time to remove it.  When i couldnt stand the burning sensation any longer i told them to wash it off and they did. To my horror they gave me platinum blonde highlights, i guess what i wanted got lost in the translation. Anyways i returned to the salon 3 days later demading that my hair colour be changed. They did and i went home. Weeks later i started getting white scaly patches on my scalp. I just thought that my scalp was dry and i kept on moisturizing it. After 3weeks i went to see a doctor and he prescribed nizoral for me. The first couple of times when i used it, it hurt my scalp. I just continued on using it and voila my scalp got better.

Have you tried nizoral?  

[Karen F]

 

Hi Tammy and a big welcome!  So sorry to hear about your scalp problems.  I go along with everyone else on here and say that you must see a Dermatologist and get yourself an accurate diagnosis.  Let us know how you get on.

[deirdre]

Hmmmm.... does your comoany have any policy re: sick leave. I'd say that whiel you are in agony you can't be at peak productiviity. I don't want to get all schoolmarmish, but at one point a couple of years ago I had a problem that I did not have time to looks after... by th etime I got to th edermatologist she  needed to get me a referral with another specialist. This was just before Xmas and she said, "If you won't see her this week I will just tell her to go directly to emeregency beceuase frankly she is at that point." I did not let on to my colleagues what I was going through, and was shoulderinga double workload, with an irrepsonsible intern who was supposed to lightne my work load but insread kept creating situations that toook hours of diplomacy to correct.

Meanwhile I was in so much pain that my family physician gave me Adavin just to keep from screaming.

Did I get thanks for being Superwoman? Absolutely not. Did I head straight into the office having after having a diagnostic proceedure done that, I subsequently learned, it not exactly routine. No way, I went straight to the office and continued witht the Superwoman routine.

Do I have any regrets about the situation? Many. Not the least of which is that I lacked the self-esteem to say, "I know we are busy but I have a serious medical condition and you'll just have to figure out a way to cope while I look after myself."

If you get docked pay for medical appointments then tell your dctor it is urgent that you be seen either befor eor after work.... or hike on in to emergency straight from your job.

Be strong, and look after yourself!

 

[Shadowmaiden]

Hi Tammy, welcome to the forum!

You'll get lots of good advice here, you're amongst friends!
Be Well,
Shadowmaiden

[tammy]

my head feels like fire today... only washed my hair in water..my eyebrows and inside my ears have flared up too..it feels like someone has a blowtorch to my head..think it is cos i have a cold too..im desperate must go to a doctor..wanted to scratch my head at work could feel a crawling sensation..the air conditioning at work makes it worse...please someone tell me how i can cool my head down...

[GuzziHeroV50]

Well, Keke Rosberg won a scorching hot Formula One car race in 1982, after investing in a water-cooled skullcap...but I think thats a little extreme...

I thought I had replied to this thread to welcome you, but I havent ...so, a belated welcome to Skincell!  

I have an eczema scalp condition called Seborrhoeic Dermatitis, but from the sounds of it, you have something far more severe.  Please please PLEASE see a dermatologist soon, I hate to see you suffer