An introduction and request for advice: Eczema :(

**Talventorni** · July 15th, 2012, 06:41 PM

Howdy,

My name is Samantha and I'm fairly new here, although I had been lurking for a little while before I signed up. I'm a student at university (UMass Amherst), studing computer systems engineering and linguistics + a minor in math. More relevantly: I have long hair, and I care about it. I've stuck a photo in here for reference:

History:

I have been growing it out from a boyhair-length (maybe 1/2 inches) since August 2009, with one trim this last January. So far I don't seem to have an inordinate number of split ends, but I do have a fair number of broken hairs. (Anyone know why?)

Now, I need a bit of advice: I have eczema, and unfortunately it has spread to my head. I normally treat it topically with a steroid cream, but you're not supposed to use such products on your head.

I have tried a myriad (well, some n>6) of shampoo and conditioner combinations, which I'll partially list:

I started with Suave naturals shampoo and conditioner, which I used for about the first year of growing my hair out again. During this time I had pretty bad eczema on my head and was hospitalised (and prescribed oral steroids) after scratching my scalp to the point of bleeding in my sleep for weeks on end.

At this point I started using Selsun Blue shampoo (with Suave naturals conditioner), but I didn't notice much of an effect. I then switched to Neutrogina T-Gel (.5% coal tar), which I think helped, but breaking the cycle of itching was difficult, so I only used this for about two or three weeks (no conditioner), before I switched again to Head and Shoulders ("Classic Clean"), which I used for about a year. Combined with a few other techniques and changing my living situation, I managed to get rid of nighttime scratching and the worst of the eczema.

I didn't like how it made my hair look (limp and greasy), though, so I tried shopping around. I tried some Aveeno products, Tressemmé, and Garnier, but invariably each of these still made my head itchy, so I would keep switching back to the Head and Shoulders after a wash or two.

Around March I got sick of how Head and Shoulders was making my hair look, so I tried switching to using diluted baking soda and apple cider vinegar (respectively, one after the other), which worked for about two months, after which it became more difficult to wash the greasies out with the baking soda solution, and I noticed more broken hairs and split ends. I spent the last month using Garnier 'Pure Clean' shampoo and conditioner (sulfates, but -cone/-xone free), which initially didn't cause any itchiness, but combined with a moldy bedroom and a sensitive scalp, the eczema and itching came back. Just a week ago I switched to using Neutrogina T-gel (1% coal tar) shampoo and "Burt's Bees" conditioner, which I haven't had problems with yet, but I may try the accompanying Neutrogina conditioner.

Not history:

So, my first main question is: Does anyone else here have problems with eczema (or any dermatological condition / just a very sensitive scalp in general), and if so what have you done to manage it?

My other big question is: I have lost some hair on my scalp due to this scratching. As a result, a day after showering you can start to see a lot more of my scalp than necessary, despite my hair not being very greasy. Once it *is* greasy, from any angle besides straight forward you can see straight through to my scalp in a few spots, making me look a bit like I am slowly developing male pattern baldness. This isn't helping my self esteem at all (to put it lightly)-- will this hair grow back, or is it likely I have permanently damaged the follicles? In times past my hair has been thicker, and nothing like this has been noticeable at all. I don't suppose there's a way to induce thicker hair?

On a lighter note (hah), I've been debating treating my hair with Sun In, since I wouldn't mind being a blonde for a while.

**Silken** · July 15th, 2012, 07:04 PM

I don't know which products to advise, but if you haven't already, quit all dairy products immediately. I have seen this work wonders on people with eczema and psoriasis.
Also, usually, respiratory problems such asthma, wheezing, tend to go hand in hand with skin conditions such as this, and both improve when you stop dairy products, for most people. (it's not a cure all, but many show drastic improvement at least)
Stay away from sulfates and any harsh products you use in your hair, keep your routine really gentle.
Good luck!

**Starblanket** · July 15th, 2012, 09:32 PM

I have eczema literally everywhere on my body and have accepted that it will never go away so I've learnt how to manage it on my scalp.
Here is what works for me:
1.) Stop using soap on the eczema-effected areas. Any soap I use, no matter natural or with sulfates, will always make my skin bleed and become very itchy.
2.) Find alternate methods of washing hair, like conditioner washing. I add a few drops of tea tree oil to my co wash because my eczema skin becomes infected easily.
3.) Garlic oil. I infused garlic oil into olive oil because of it's anti fungal and antibacterial properties. I apply it to my scalp for an hour before co washing. It has helped with the eczema-induced hair loss I had been experiencing before.
4.) Stop scratching. Not only does scratching my eczema make it worse, it also allows infection to spread easily because you are tearing the skin. Scratching also makes me lose more hair.
ETA: Do not use chemical dyes on your hair if you have eczema as there is always a chance of it getting on to your scalp. I dye my hair with henna because it makes pretty colours on my hair and is reported to be antifungal.

I love henna!

Hope this helped, good luck.

**Ephemeral** · July 15th, 2012, 10:14 PM

My husband has psoriasis occasionally on his scalp and, like you, was scratching until it bled. I took cotton balls soaked in diluted acv and dabbed his scalp with it, which dried it up and then did scalp massage with coconut oil and sweet almond oil.

He usually uses Head and Shoulders or tar shampoo to treat it and it takes two or three months. This time, treating it all natural, it is almost gone and it only took two weeks.

**Talventorni** · July 15th, 2012, 10:27 PM

Thank you all so much! These are great suggestions, some of which I had been doing, but mostly not! (Mostly just not using soap.)

I'll be trying the garlic oil, ACV, and the coconut/almond oils immediately. Gonna look into cowashing with tea tree oil as well. I'm lactose intolerant as well so cutting dairy out of my diet will probably be beneficial in more ways than one.

I've heard henna can be a bit of a lottery with the colour you'll end up with… perhaps I'll try a segment first, then the rest if I like it. Will that help with the breakage, too? I haven't had as many broken hairs as I used to, but they're still pretty numerous compared to some.

Y'all are great.

**Ephemeral** · July 15th, 2012, 10:36 PM

I use henna and it seems to condition and strengthen my hair. It's supposed to help with scalp issues (my DH is 60 with beautiful silver hair, so hnna is out or him.) My original color was medium brown and my henna color is in my avatar.

**tinywife** · July 15th, 2012, 10:48 PM

Is your hair over-dry? That would cause breakage.

**Talventorni** · July 15th, 2012, 11:37 PM

Typically it's not, it gets fairly greasy after a few days; I tend to get it pretty dry after washes ever so often, so later in the day and on the 2nd day it looks much nicer. In the above photo it was pretty dry, since I just washed it.

**TessieAnn** · July 15th, 2012, 11:41 PM

Other foods that can aggravate eczema are eggs and gluten/wheat.

Chagrin Valley has testimonials from folks with eczema and psoriasis about products that have relieved their skin issues. In the ingredient descriptions on this page you'll see that certain oils and butters are healing for eczema. Botanicals are listed here. Natural additives here.

Good luck!