PDA

View Full Version : Problem with eczema



styric
February 3rd, 2014, 03:48 PM
I just got diagnosed with rather severe seborrheic eczema all over my face, and scalp. It's responding to treatment (though now I have an inch wide bald spot on the top of my head *cries), though I'm having to use Nizoral which is a quite harsh shampoo. I use dexamethasone when the itching is too much, which is cut with rubbing alcohol =( You can imagine that I'm getting crazy splits and ragged ends from the drying =( I bought myself another TT stick yesterday to console myself.

Any suggestions for how to treat this without my hair shortening? I fought hard to get it to where it is.

Currently I'm soaking my ends in heavy conditioner, then washing with Nizoral every wash (or the itchies and peeling comes back), conditioning with tresemme natural which my hair really loves, then using Panacea and Argan Oil combined together as a leave in. I henna it when it starts getting fragile, and I use a protein reconstructor (Joico) every month and a half to two months when the ends start looking like steel wool. My hair doesn't do very well with no poo, but it loves low.

What products should I shift around to protect my hair? I'm having to use silicone (Paul Mitchell Super Skinny Serum) to keep the breakage at a minimum so I know it needs something new. Coconut oil is NOT an option, the yeast responsible for the eczema loves fatty oils and my hair never responded well to coconut oil unless blended into something else. It worships regular Panacea, likes Triple Moon Oil, and quite likes silicones. It's fine, thick, quite porous, and henna actually wears off in about 2 months. My pony tail is 4.5" around despite my hair being thinned from hyper thyroid and that bald spot. It grows fast.

My hair likes dimethicone, but doesn't get along with things like Nutrisleek etc. It loves thick hair masks, but I'm allergic to banana and oatmeal is meh.

Thank you everybody!

melusine963
February 3rd, 2014, 03:56 PM
I'm sorry you're having so much trouble. Back when I was also using Nizoral, I would coat all my hair except for the very top few inches (not just the ends) in conditioner before I applied Nizoral to my scalp. That seemed to protect my hair a little. I'm sorry I don't have any specific product advice.

lapushka
February 3rd, 2014, 04:00 PM
I use Nizoral for SD on occasion. With my current routine of washing with a harsh cleanser, the SD seems to be fine and under control, though. However, I don't think Nizoral is all that bad. You have to use it correctly though (spread over your scalp, leave for 5 minutes, then lather and rinse). If you think it's drying you can use conditioner twice after shampooing. That's the method we use here (WCC) and it's awesome, especially if you're using harsh cleansers. After that we use the LOC method for styling (a leave-in, a serum and a gel)

styric
February 3rd, 2014, 04:09 PM
I'm leaving it in for the five minutes. The eczema is so bad it caused the bald spot, and caused so much peeling on my face it got infected by staph.

I've never used a gel, never bothered as I don't really care to keep the curl. What kind of gel do you recommend? SSS is a serum.

lapushka
February 3rd, 2014, 04:30 PM
I've never used a gel, never bothered as I don't really care to keep the curl. What kind of gel do you recommend? SSS is a serum.

I have three kinds. Eco Styler gel (the olive oil one - totally recommend), then there's IC Fantasia gel (has silicones), and LA Looks. Either of those are fine (alcohol-free) and curly girl approved.

Firefox7275
February 4th, 2014, 09:38 AM
Oleic acid stearic acid and palmitic acid are an issue in SD not the lauric acid in coconut oil AFAIK. Oleic is the irritant, the other two feed malassezia. Mineral oil is an option, maybe squalane (not squalene which is comedogenic/ irritant), neither of these are penetrating tho. Just wondering if capric/ caprylic triglycerides would be useful, they are very small so may penetrate.

You might add ceramides and/ or 18-MEA to your regime for patch repairing the cuticle (already using hydrolysed protein). Ceramides also potentially beneficial to skin because they are an important component of the skin barrier.

Have you reviewed your diet making it as anti inflammatory as possible, plus your lifestyle making it as anti stress as possible? With targeted nutrition you can alter the amount and composition of your sebum so making that less irritant. Particularly consider the balance of different types of fat in your diet (anti inflammatory long and short chain omega-3s, inflammatory omega-6s with the exception of GLA, saturates, monounsaturates including oleic acid).

There is one sulphate free shampoo containing ketoconazole as in Nizoral: Regenepure. Be sure you are washing your scalp often enough, perhaps alternating medical treatment with a product that respects and calms the skin barrier.

styric
February 4th, 2014, 10:28 AM
I'm looking into several of those suggestions, thank you!

Unfortunately my diet is strictly regulated, as I have to eat high fat, high protein, low fibre, low carb, and extremely high sodium (up to 10 grams a day). I lean heavily on meal replacements as I have an autonomic disease that likes to cause physical panic attacks (triggers the flight drive without a mental component, it's 100% physical) and causes gastroparesis amongst a million other disorders. I've also got a mast cell mutation which flares up if I so much as breathe wrong. Unfortunately there's not much I can do for stress and inflammation though I'd love some of that to go away. lol If there's anything diet related that you can suggest that fits in those parameters, I'm all ears.

Firefox7275
February 4th, 2014, 01:28 PM
I'm looking into several of those suggestions, thank you!

Unfortunately my diet is strictly regulated, as I have to eat high fat, high protein, low fibre, low carb, and extremely high sodium (up to 10 grams a day). I lean heavily on meal replacements as I have an autonomic disease that likes to cause physical panic attacks (triggers the flight drive without a mental component, it's 100% physical) and causes gastroparesis amongst a million other disorders. I've also got a mast cell mutation which flares up if I so much as breathe wrong. Unfortunately there's not much I can do for stress and inflammation though I'd love some of that to go away. lol If there's anything diet related that you can suggest that fits in those parameters, I'm all ears.

I know bits and bobs about health from working in and studying it my whole adult life but that is beyond my knowledge! Couple things that pop into my head which you might have already discounted ...
- prescription low dose beta blockers for the physical symptoms of anxiety?
- oily fish is high protein, can be high fat (sardines/ mackerel), has some sea salt, useful for inflammation and stress but can you digest it?
- are you getting enough magnesium?

styric
February 5th, 2014, 01:44 AM
My autonomic problem includes postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome. I have beta blockers but they drop my blood pressure which is already hovering around 100/60. I use midodrine and occasionally ritalin to bump blood pressure to not faceplanting levels.

I very well might be low in magnesium. Severe absorption issues so I am borderline anemic, deficient in b12, d, folate and potassium. Im supplementing with electrolyte replacements as I am a runner, but might not be enough. I will pester my cardiologist to see what kind of treatment would help. I get injections or sublingual treatment of the others. I've definitely got worsening leg cramps lately. I will look. Thank you!

Wosie
February 5th, 2014, 03:05 AM
I have atopic eczema on my scalp (and the rest of my bod), so our conditions are different. I just wanted to tell you that you're not alone in being down about this, and I hope that the Nizoral will help you. :flower: I've never gotten bald spots, but I've experienced thinning of hair in the fringe zone. When I scratch on the top of my scalp, down to my fringe, I lose way more hair than when I itch on the back of my head. I guess the hair's just way more sensitive there. :/

I've also noticed that my hair gets way drier when I use Nizoral (I use Ketoconazol, but it's basically the same thing), so I avoid using it... Even though my scalp truly needs some help sometimes. I just can't stand my hair getting much drier.

How do you fight the itch, by the way? Except for Nizoral?

Firefox7275
February 5th, 2014, 10:54 AM
I've also noticed that my hair gets way drier when I use Nizoral (I use Ketoconazol, but it's basically the same thing), so I avoid using it... Even though my scalp truly needs some help sometimes. I just can't stand my hair getting much drier.

How do you fight the itch, by the way? Except for Nizoral?

Anti inflammatory diet for longer term relief, cold compresses (eg gel packs stored in the refrigerator) for short term, generally avoiding heat (cooler water, no lengthy towel turbans). Could try scalp treatments with live natural yoghurt or raw honey.

If your doctor agrees and you are happy to use them either a topical corticosteroid or antihistamine tablet.

styric
February 5th, 2014, 11:01 AM
I use zantac/zyrtec combo that controls histamine release (150mg of zantac twice a day, 20 mg of zyrtec once a day), controls the itch pretty well and I use topical dexamethasone when it gets truly out of hand though I use it as little as possible as it's made with rubbing alcohol.

Here's a pic of what the eczema looks like on my face:

https://scontent-a-ord.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/t1/1554481_10152006049641647_990135531_n.jpg

Spots on my head:

https://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/t1/1622145_10152006049736647_1727283184_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/t1/1743709_10152006049856647_1358452200_n.jpg