scalp problem...ouch

[tammy]

thanks for the welcome ..this is agony :'(i was told i had the same problem as you by a tricologist..but the products they  told me to use have made things worse...i am going into my third year with the scalp problem..it was an ovenight thing after the hair dye i had done in spain..one or two sores developed into more...it didnt help when my hairdresser continued to use hairdye in england she said it would be ok.i stopped going to the hairdresser for a long while but my scalp didnt improve atall...if i do have the same skin ailment as you...what do you use ?are you losing your hair where the skin is affected?i am very embarrassed about the sores i think people are looking at them..and i am horrified to see bald patches developing in my once lovely thick shiney hair...please let me know more about your condition and how you cope...thanks..tammy

[GuzziHeroV50]

I have seborrhoeic dermatitis on my scalp, forehead, sides of nose, under my eyes.  Im not sure about triggers as I have suffered with severe dandruff for many years (well over 10).  My skin on my forehead used to peel, now it flakes, and it has spread to under my eyes and sides of nose.  I will detail what little I know about my own situation below:

Problem: Extreme dandruff - its like a snow storm when I brush my hair only 3 days after washing, collecting on clothes and causing some anxiety.  Flakes on forehead, sides of nose, under eyes, that become red, though not bleeding, if I rub a lot.  I also have this in my eyebrows which result in eye irritation (and causing blepharitis).

Shampoos: I used to use a lot of greasy hair shampoo as that was thought to be the cause.  I have also tried Head & Shoulders, Alphosyl and Pantene which all severely aggravated the seb derm.  Vosene was slightly aggressive, Simple (no additives) shampoo has been neutral.  Nizoral was practically useless except in spreading the flaking to my ears .  Now Im using Selsun, which seems to be reasonably effective used once every 4 days.

Scalp: Apart from these shampoos, for a year and a half I was using Betnovate scalp application.  It was extremely effective lasting well for 4-5 days.  However, it is a very powerful steroid that can cause serious long-term skin damage.  I had also been using it on my face (NOT wise).  Im now using Selsun, as mentioned above.

Face: As mentioned I had been using Betnovate on my face till I came to Skincell and owe them a lot for getting me off it.  I now use a simple moisturiser named Cyclax Vitamin E face and body moisturiser which I find enormously effective, usually only needing a single application in the morning.

Contras: Soap aggravates extremely, I now shower, rather than bathe so I can immediately wash the soap off.  The shampoos that affected me negativily which I mentioned above.  Sunburn is bad, I had this once in summer when I was out all day watching a motor race and my face never really settled.  I glow bright red when I put my moisturiser on straight after a bath.  It is easing...slowly.  Chlorine is an extreme irritant to me both physically and emotionally as I love swimming but cant do it cos of this horrid seb derm.

[deirdre]

Tammy,

I wish I could offer you concrete practical advice.

I understand your difficulty in getting to see a doctor, but when  person is in extreme pain it is *not* inappropriate to go the emergency (which conveniently is open 24/7). It sounds like you truly do need to see a dermatologist immediately. If you don't need to work tomorrow (Saturday) why don't you go to your local hospital as early as you can manage (as Friday nights tend to be busy times... especially at pub losing time).

This might sound overly simple, but... have you tried ice? My son has had chicken pox for the past week and he didn't want calamine lotion (said it was useless on the spots he let me try it on), said the baking soda baths burned... wouldn't agree to a colloidal oatmeal bath and that stuff makes you so slippery I figured that wrestling with him in a tub of Aveeno would not be wise... but he did find relief from putting an icepack on his skin: so much so that when a particular spot was really bothering him, he'd ask for an ice cube and apply it to his skin directly.

You know those round ice bags with a cap on top that they used to show on old cartoons? You can buy them very inexpensively, and  use ice cubes (and water: the water is needed to carry the, like chilling a bottle of wine in an ice bucket) and if whereyou work has a refrigerator for people to put their lunches in, you can bring an ice cube tray from home and have a supply on hand  (or if you are near a cafe and on good terms with the staff you can ask for a cup of ice). You can even make an improvised ice pack with a ziplock bag (wrapi th eice in dampened paper towels). This might not work, but it won't cause you harm so you may want to try it.

The pain sounds awful... have you tried using any analgesics (paracetamol, whatever)? Guz, is there any reason to avoid any particular pain-killer with seb derm?  

PLEASE see a dermatologist, as they really do have a knack of diagnosing skin conditions. Also, stress makes many skin things worse and you under great pressure at work and the pain you are experiencing most certainly is causing you great anxiety.

[tammy]

the ice cube idea sounds interesting ;Das the only time my scalp feels ok is when it is wet...i have been taking nurophen pain killers as i have a headcold and feeling shivery.You are right...i AM suffering alot of stress at work...this week has been particually bad..maybe this medication is not suitable for me or maybe its the job...lol.I have tried everything from aqueous cream to herbal products..calamine lotion took down the redness to a degree but made my scalp dry and tight ...you can imagine how unsightly it looked too ..im not sure about going to ae..it gets so packed i reckon id be there all weekend :(but i know i must do something about it...its driving me

[deirdre]

Don't go crazy, get help  

Yes AE gets packed... that's why I'd head in early on a weekend morning. Take a good book (or some paperwork you need to get done) and maybe drag along a friend and pick up a large tea or coffee (in my experience there is always a coffee kiosk at a hospital as teh staff work long shifts and need it) and settle in...

I can imagine the calamine hairdo: didn't Bubbles try that look on Ab Fab?

Do you have a good pharmacist? Ask him/her what s/he would recommend short term -- ofthen they are quite knowledgable and helpful. But do not put work ahead of your health or you will get the point where something snaps.

[tammy]

tonight i feel really depressed...soaked my head in jocoboda oil left it on for ages..washed my hair in an unperfumed laurel sulphate free shampoo...as soon as it dried it itched like mad..soon i was scratching again..chunks of skin peel away from my scalp...looked in the mirror...more bald spots..not enough hair to conceal the  sores...tomorrow im going to make an appointment with the doctor...will let you know...feeling sad...tammy

[Karen F]

 

Hi Tammy!!  So sorry to hear about all that you are going through at the moment.  Please, please get that appointment with the Doctor, you definately need to get help with this.  We are all here for you.  You deserve lots of these and even more of these  Look after yourself and let us know how you get on with the Doctor.

[Val]

Sorry to hear you're in so much pain Tammy. :bearhug:

Hope the doc can give you something to help.

Please do let us know how the visit goes.

[tammy]

thanks everyone...i booked the day off work and i have an appointment with the doctor tomorrow..im nervous because i dont know the doctor...my doctor who ive known for years has now retired..perhaps this will be a good thing and i will get a better diagnosis.My scalp is a mess i have scratched it to pieces...i know the condition has got worse because the temptation to scratch it at work..normally it is worse in the evening.The sores are red and raw...but by the morning my head will be all crusty again..the hair is not growing where the sores are present.hope i can find out what it is tomorrow ..ill let you all know...tammy

[deirdre]

I wish I could offer you more. I'm glad you're going to see a dictor. I'd say that if you are getting hairless patches you have every right to request access toa specialist.

I really hope your appointment goes well, that you leave feeling ou have learned something.

*Not* scratching can seem almost impossible. My sone (age 7) has chicken pox right now and I have made teh dear boy wear cotton gloves... he seemed to be doing well but confided that at time she can't help but scratch. Of course he can't!



 

[tammy]

thought id let you know how i got on...doctor says it is a severe case of seboreic dermatitus...a fungal infection (still cant spell it)he says it simply didnt respond to the tricologists medication..would not refer me to a dermatologist yet, until he has tried some kind of medication.. i have been perscribed ketoconazole shampoo and mometasone lotion 0.1%..i have the shampoo but the lotion is on order.Not happy about shampoo...it has sls in it...does anyone know the effectiveness of these products?i have been told i should see an improvement within 2 weeks...lol..if not i have to go back to the doctor..he wants my records sent to him from the trichology centre..then he will refer me to a dermatologist ...mmmmm...still itchy and sore tammy

[deirdre]

Tammy,

Sometimes pharmacisst know more about what Rx products are on the market than the doctor. If you are concerned about SLS (I would be for me, but you may not be sensitive to it...) then ou could ask the pharmacist if s/he can recommend an alternative product with the same active ingredients but with no SLS on teh inactive ingredient list. Such a product many exist. I don't know how it woirks in teh UK but if the pharmacist can source such a product for you, it is probably possible for the pharmacist to contact your doctor and request that s/he approve a substitution as you are concerned about the SLS (it would help if you have had past problems with this ingredient).

I know that many people at SkinCell have seb derm, and they can tell you what they have tried... maybe open a new string (I'd even suggest going back to Let Me Introduce Myself and say that you are not new but your diagnosis is... I suspect you be swamped with lots of really solid tips and information). I suggest this because it is possible that there are members with seb derm who have not been following this string but would love tohelp you if only they knew they could!

I suppose that your doctor cannot refer you to a specialist until trying the most common treatment as this has something to do with the way the National Health is set up. Hopefully your doctor has put you on these meds with the sincere hope that they do help... but is willing to get you in to see a dermatologist if you do not notice an immediate improvement.

One of the UK members mentioned that going to Emergency was an effective way to fast-track a consultation with a dermatologist, and that is why I kept suggesting you consider it. If teh shampoo seems tomake you worse, or if you get a nasty reaction to it (oh please let's hope not!) then I would run not walk to Emergency... but if you are concerned about upsetting your family physician but doing an ened-run let the dr's office know that you have done this (in which case I would suggest you make th etrip outside the doctor's office hours). You might ask some of the UK members if this strategy seems wise... the medical system in Canada is different. My doctor would have taken one look at the scalp problem and immediately written a referral to a specialist.  In the USA you probably don't need a referral unless you have an HMO, but then you will pay $450 for the visit. There are a lot of wonderful medical advances being made in the USA, but it is the country that spends the most per capita on health care, and some of this may be due to over-treatment (I am thinking of the scandelous percentage of C-sections vs. vaginal births, which many consider to be a key statistic in determininmg the quality of health care in a given jusridiction... right up there with infant mortality and, BTW, despite the heavy medical spending in the USA it is not at the very bottom of the infant mortaility list...)

I mention this because your healthcare system may have it's flaws, but it *is* designed to ensure that everyone in the UK has access to good-quality health care. AS with any bureaucracy there are ways to work the system. If you need help navigating the rulkes of the National Health, ask for help as I am pretty sure many SkinCellers have learned through first-hand experience, and will be very willing to help smooth your passage to an effective treatment.

 

[tammy]

hi everyone...well im using the medication..but..so far there is no improvement..the sores continue to weep and crust..the steroid lotion stings like hell..there must be something out there that can control this skin condition.feeling a bit  down..but then i must continue with the treatment..its painful to brush or comb my hair..if the teeth of the comb hit the sores...ouch so sore..im glad my hair is short.so no miracle yet...lol...tammy

[kneecapper]

thanks for the welcome ..this is agony :'(i was told i had the same problem as you by a tricologist..but the products they  told me to use have made things worse...i am going into my third year with the scalp problem..it was an ovenight thing after the hair dye i had done in spain..one or two sores developed into more...it didnt help when my hairdresser continued to use hairdye in england she said it would be ok.i stopped going to the hairdresser for a long while but my scalp didnt improve atall...if i do have the same skin ailment as you...what do you use ?are you losing your hair where the skin is affected?i am very embarrassed about the sores i think people are looking at them..and i am horrified to see bald patches developing in my once lovely thick shiney hair...please let me know more about your condition and how you cope...thanks..tammy

   Tammy,  

I am not sure if I have welcomed you to Skincell yet. I have been reading through your comments and although I cannot give you any clues, I agree with the others that you must see a dermatologist as soon as possible.

From what you are describing you have had an extreme allergic reaction to the hair dye that was used on your head but, the fact that you also lost hair previously might be a fact in determining what other condition that you might have. I have had a reaction to both hair dye and perming solution but I have never had it to the point of open weeping sores on the head. One of the brands that I will not let anyone put near my head is GOLDWELL. I had a very severe reaction to their products.

It is understandable that you feel that people are staring at you because our faces and hair are on display to the world and that makes us very vulnerable when we have these conditions. I have dandruff. I would not put selenium sulphide near my hair ever again and I am not that keen on the zinc pyrithione since that can strip my hair. I have good results with the coal tar shampoos as well as with the olamine piroctone. However, from what you are describing even that product could be a no go until you can alleviate some of the pain on your head.

Maggie

[tammy]

hi maggie..i cannot stop scratching the sores..i am not helping myself..but as the skin tightens it feels as if my scalp is shrinking..dont think i can continue with the steroid lotion ...it makes it feel worse..i had hoped some of the redness would go down..but my scalp has gone bright pink in the affected areas..scratching just makes it bleed..the area at the nape of my neck has many sores and crusts..i guess that is where you sweat alot..when i wake up in the morning that area is always wet..my pillow is for people with allergies and i use cotton pillowcases..so i dont understand why my head gets so hot..also my hair is cut very short.I can only describe the pain as a feeling of being stung by a swarm of wasps..the sores start out as small gritty areas..hard sand- like skin particles break away ..then the skin forms blisters..when they burst..the skin goes hard  and feels like like concrete to the touch..the itching intense..the sores do not heal..and if scratched a new area of skin becomes infected..if i dont feel there is an improvement in 3 days from now..i shall head back to the doctors ..because i dont want to aggravate the condition further .. when my hair was tinted in spain..it was a light chesnut red colour..made by wella..but in england they used a different product to achieve similar results..think it could be some degree of chemical burn..but if i stopped having the hair tinting how comes i  still have a scalp problem.mmm i hope i can solve this..fingers crossed tammy

[deirdre]

Oh Tammy!



It sounds like that Spanish dye set off something ... I do hope you can get it under control soon. If the treatment is making it worse PLEASE call your Dr on Monday and explain... DO NOT BE AFRAID to say PAIN!!!

[kneecapper]

Hi Tammie,

I am not sure that you have seb derm. Something does not sound right in your description. Perhaps you might want to research scalp folliculitis. Here is one site that might be of interest to you:

http://health.allrefer.com/health/folliculitis-info.html
http://www.alopecia.com.au/alopecia/CB.nsf/0/266C29F0EB84DB97CA2568D9007FA174?OpenDocument
http://dermatlas.med.jhmi.edu/derm/result.cfm?Diagnosis=47

I agree with Deidre that it seems more like you have had a reaction to the hair dye that went into your hair in Spain. It could be that something was brewing at the time (the hair loss) and that the tint made it worse, and it has become infected because of the scratching.

I do not think the doctor has properly explained about the fungus infection and I think that people get the wrong idea about the kind of infection that is involved here. Here is some further information on Seb Derm that might be of interest to you:

http://familydoctor.org/157.xml
http://www.emedicine.com/derm/topic396.htm

I think that you will find the second article quite interesting with regard to possible causes of seb derm.

Maggie

[deirdre]

Tammy,

I haven't looked at Maggie's links but I do think she's on to something. Fungal infection is often a secondary contidition that sets in opportunistically when the skin is weakened, for example, by scratching. Similarly, open skin allows bad bacteria to invade. It is entirely possible that your poor painful scalp has several things going on all at once, and if the treatment you are using for one is worsening another... then you MUST talk to your doctor about what you are experiencing and this is when a specialist's advice can be realy useful (indeed, essential).



At this point you must be frantic for some relief. Have you tried any oral painkillers? Or ice? Really these won't help your condition (although ice is good to reduce swelling, and I imagine it is possible that your scalp is swollen at this point) but maybe they will offer you some relief.



*Not* scratching must be nearly impossible. I'm reluctant to suggest that you wear a headscarf or something as maybe what your scalp needs is air... and wearing cotton gloves to prevent breaking the skin while scratching is not always viable (at work, etc). Please do try to stop scratching as the broken skin may be making the whole situation worse... I know this is hard but have leaned that it is possible. You just need to be as strong as Herculese!

I do hope you find someone who can help you very soon. What you describe sounds quite unbearable. Please know that there are people out here in the ether who feel deeply for you...  

[SF]

Oh Tammy! I'm so sorry to hear you're still suffering so much. I really hope it's just a bad allergic reaction, and hopefully you can get it cured rather quick.

[Celery Peach]

Hi Tammy, welcome to Skincell  

Ouch, you poor thing, it sounds like agony   I do so hope that you get some relief soon, I cant add to the good advice allready posted.