So dry I want to cry! or scream.. or something.

[Rosa Harris]

First off, I have extremely dry skin and hair. Not just the 'i have dry skin' but the 'i have been to the dermatologist and their products did not even help' dry skin and hair. Te hair is baby fine wavy 'mixed hair'. The commercial products I have found work best for me are very rich ethnic products and most of these are not rich/greasy and heavy as I would like.

If I use any soap/shampoo at all I end up with terrible itching fits to the point of not being able to get to sleep and it takes about 3 days to get things back to normal- oiled and hydrated enough.

Currently I am using Panteen's naturals co-wash when absolutely needed and their leave in for straitened hair tho my hair is 100 percent natural. It might sound weird as can be but I am also using Burt's Bees Coconut foot creme on the really itchy spots when needed.

It is THOSE spots I am stressing about. The skin is so fragile that if I itch it will cause it to break out and form thick scaly gross scabs that itch even more. This is scalp, skin, anywhere! The foot creme works better than anything I have ever found but it has lanolin in it and I don't cherish the idea of putting sheep sebum on me! Yes! I did an overnight oil soak last night in foot creme and it was heavenly. But now that I have washed it out everything is starting to feel tight and itchy again!

Any advice or ideas on slathering this skin and scalp and hair in something highly natural would be wonderful. I really like DIY recepies but so far everything is really on the light side.

[Wosie]

Oh... Dearie, we seem to have similar issues, although my hair is coarse. I've been hospitalized a few times, and the only thing I ever got from dermatologists were cortisones and stingy lotions with carbamide (still better than cortisones...). I'm sick and tired of cortisones and I'm also trying a more natural approach these days. Washing my hair is a pain, but stretching washes doesn't work either. When I wash my hair, my scalp gets very dry, so naturally it starts to itch. When I leave it be and don't wash it, it gets itchy due to the sebum (after just half a day or so). If I wash with the CO method I just want to itch my scalp off. So I understand you and your plea for help.

Now, what have you tried? What did the dermatologists prescribe for you and what did you use? Did it work at all? Did they tell you whether you have seborrheic dermatitis on your scalp, or if it's something else? Have you taken allergy tests? Feel free to send a VM or a PM if you ever want to talk, I'll be here.

[MadeiraD]

Coconut and avocado oil, it also sounds like you're dehydrated try drinking more water

[Nadine <3]

As far as lotions go, burts bees foot cream is great. I rub that into my really dry spots from time to time and it does work well! I like all of their lotions a lot, those really help! I think the biggest help for me is I just stopped using body washes. My skin is so dry that I don't need it. I don't stink at all either. Every so often I use a little bit for my lady bits, esp in the hot summer month when I just don't feel very fresh. Otherwise I just use a loofa to remove dead skin, no soap.

For your hair, overnight olive oil soaks and only washing it every 4 days did wonders for mine!

Good luck, I know how horrible dry skin can be.

[kaydana]

Have you tried shea butter? Just pure shea butter, not a shea butter lotion or anything like that. It's my holy grail for skin care (especially when it's doing that fun tight, cracked and itchy thing). If you want to play potions, melt it and whip it as it cools, it makes it easier to apply.

[BrendaLoan]

Have you checked you thyroid? Dry hair and skin are often symptoms of hypothyroidism

[bunnylake]

Try Shea Moisture products for hair. The moisture retention shampoo is one of the gentlest and most moisturizing shampoos I've ever tried.
My husband has extremely dry, blotchy, itchy and painful skin as well. No dermatologist has been able to help him. On a whim I made him a cream and it actually works. He says he has tried prescription creams and everything in the store, and only my cream actually helps his skin! Unfortunately I don't have the measurements for the ingredients I use. I just toy with it until the consistency is right. Here it what I use:
Cocoa butter
Coconut oil
Hemp seed oil
Rose hip oil
Calendula oil
Avocado oil

The cocoa butter is solid, so I heat it until it's liquid. I add in the other oils and refrigerate it so it becomes solid again. It's it's too hard I warm it up again and add more oils.

[Anje]

Well, I love SMTs for dry hair, but that is admittedly normal dry, not pathologicly dry. Still, there's a link in my sig if you want to give it a try.

You're probably way ahead of me here, but you've got humidifiers running all over, right? Might as well make sure you're not losing more moisture to the environment than necessary. I've found Eucerin good for keeping dry spots from going to full blown eczema and getting to the point where I need steroid creams. Best wishes!

[ReneeG]

Have you tried castor oil? Its a very thick and heavy (slightly sticky if not diluted with a lighter oil!) that might give you a good moisturizing barrier. I've used it on my face and it definitely moisturized the dry areas well and felt soft and dewy the rest of the day. Although I've never had it as bad as it sounds like you do, I have really sensitive hormonally imbalanced skin naturally due to a hormonal condition I have, so I've had periods with just heavily irritated (red and flaky) and dry skin, and the castor oil really really helped with that. Might be worth a try? I used it in my hair by itself and it was just too heavy, but I have medium-fine hair. It was pretty hard to get out (2 full washing/conditionings), so if you're needing something that will moisturize and stay put it might be good for you. Also, diluted with olive or coconut or any of the other oils mentioned above it might be helpful too.

As far as commercial products, as noted above I have nasty crazy skin, and after years of trying to find something that would help my face I found "Paula's Choice" skin care line. After personal research on them, I've tried over a dozen of their skin care products and they seem to work REALLY well for my dry, and my oily, and my sensitive, and my broken out skin, both on my face and body. Their website has a very comprehensive list of all the ingredients in every product, and what each ingredient does, as well as a guarantee of no fragrances or proven irritants. I'm not trying to sell it or anything, just speaking from personal experience, because they worked better than anything I've ever found at a drugstore or in expensive cosmetic skin care lines.

I wish you the best of luck! Hopefully you can find something that helps. Keep us updated!

[Crumpet]

HUGS!!

Sounds terrible. One of my best friends had this problem and its not easy. I would second the 'Paula's Choice' recommendation -- I haven't used these products for dry skin, but for other things and they worked.

The other product I would recommend is Aquaphor. A dermatologist friend recommended it to me for a persistent terrible dry patch I had. The consistency is kind of like vaseline but it packs a serious punch and its great for irritated or healing skin also.

As for hair, I'm not sure what to recommend that others haven't already.

[Lydialove]

Related to thyroid problems, I just read that iodine deficiency can lead to skin being dry and fragile. Iodine supplementation is, apparently, tricky because too much is also not-good (If you decide to supplement, read up on it first), however there are foods that contain iodine that may help. Sea vegetables (I love those thin, crisp seaweed sheets called Nori), milk, yogurt, eggs and cheese all have a pretty good supply of iodine.

This is all just "what-if" style conjecture, though. It might not be a bad idea to get a check-up on thyroid / iodine levels if dry skin is making you suffer that much.

[SunlightShines]

I'm so sorry you are going thru this. There are so many things that could be the cause of extreme dry skin. I had a problem with it myself. Mine was from allergic reactions to sulfates & coconut in skin care products, food and medicines. I also found out that my liver wasn't functioning correctly because of meds and toxins were building up in my body causing my reactions to get worse and caused all sorts of problems with my health. It took until I went to my doctor and had my blood work done to start piecing it all together. I found that what they say about your digestion being the key to your immune system is very true. My best advise is to eat as close to organic as you can and look for the same in your body care products, lots of water to flush your body and keep your skin hydrated. I used ACV & distilled water in a mister bottle for my itching scalp. Coco butter and Shea butter are fantastic moisturizers. As well as the age old standbye...oatmeal. Which you can grind up and add to lotions or bath water. Good Luck and I hope you're feeling better soon!

[Mahars]

I had this exact problem with all the same symptoms. Took me years to figure it out but I've finally found a routine that works. Tea tree oil works great as a spot treatment for itchy scabby spots. I've found that sulfates make the problem 100 times worse, as do cones. Artificial fragrances don't help either. Aubrey Organics GPB conditioner applied to the scalp helps quite a bit, so I use it exclusively. Natures gate shampoos work well for me. Lastly, scalp massages with jojoba oil are great to moisturize and remove sebum and product build up. Good luck!

[CurlyCap]

I'm going to assume you've been to a doctor and had things like psoriasis or other conditions ruled out.

Other than that:
1. Gentle cleansers. Throw out the commerical chemical soaps and stick to things that are nicer. I like Kiss My Face Olive oil soap bars. Soap, olive oil, salt. No other chemicals to irritate sensitive skin (which is often dry as well).

2. Obsessively moisturize. Whatever works for "normal" people doesn't work for dry skin. The tried and true method is vaseline, head to toe, twice a day. But that is sticky and is hell on your sheet. I usually buy a lotion without a lot of additives, pour half into a tupperware, and top up the bottle with olive oil. Tada. Water and oil and your body will eat it up.

3. When you have no where to go: Body Butter Lube Time. XD Honestly, invest in a few tubes of good quality shea, cocoa, and coconut oil. And if you can ever walk about minimally dressed, work one of the above into your skin like it's your job. Cocao butter is real hard so you'll get a nice work out. This is important because soap, no matter how gentle, dries your skin out and you need to try to keep things supple. Moisturizing every day is awesome, but sometimes it needs a little help.

4. What you do with your body, copy with your hair. No more harsh shampoos. No more fancy conditioners with lots of cones. Simple formula conditioners to co-wash, and then conditioner with oil for leave-ins. I don't know your hair type, but if you are dry, I'm guess you can't make your hair OD on oil. Try to see how much you can put in there. Leave it in a bun for a few hours, and then co-wash out. I bet you'll be surprised how much your hair will absorb.

5. Enjoy the fact that your body handles oil and moisture well. I have a VERY dry skin, but I grew up learning how to take care of it and so I have the softest skin I've ever felt. Bar none. Other people will jump on the skin care boat waaaaaay later and life and you'll cackle all the way. Also, you'll have all the ingredients for my favorite body scrub (which will leave even dry skin feeling scrumptious): http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=84661

6. It takes time to figure out a routine that works! So don't give up!

[Rosa Harris]

Thank you all for replying so fast!

To answer some of the questions:
My hair type is 2b/f/i

I absolutely love oils! The problem I have had is that my skin and hair drinks them up and the effect does not last long The ones that I have used are olive oil, jojoba oil, coconut oi land tea tree oil which were recommended to me by a beautician specializing in natural hair. Without the oils I use my hair would be ragged.

A huge part of the problem is the scalp issues and skin. I have Crohn's diesease which is a digestive auto-immune disorder and it can have these skin manifestations. I have also been told that the skin problem is Eczema. A lot of my Crohn's buddies online who have skin issues love the Aveno line but it does me terrible. I had the blood panel done to rule out endocine/thyroid disorders. I also have renal disease but not bad enough to be on dialysis and I know that renal disease can cause some of these issues to be worse. Also the medications for Crohn's can cause thin sensitive skin.

The dermitologist has prescribed these things before :steroids - topical and pills. I absolutely hate these. Tacrolimus - another topical and antihistamines. The prescription moisturizer that I had burned my skin and left me with a worse situation. I mean it actually burned it like a sunburn. So did the Aveno Eczema product that I tried.

I used petroleum jelly for years and love the feeling but I am worried about using such an unnatural product and have read that it can actually cause skin problems to get worse. I liked the celophil but the effect did not last very long at all. My mother in law send me packages of tons of different products she finds which is how I found a few things that give some effect that I like - like the Burt's Bees coconut foot creme.

I really want to figure out how to create something from some of the ingredients in the Burt's Bees creme. It has a 'fragrence' in it and that bothers me because they do not list what exactly it is chemically so I can check its possible effects. It also has lanolin which is goat sebum and can cause irritation to sensitive skin. I am trying to eliminate irritants which means eliminating almost all commercial products.

I am looking forward you trying out some ofthe formulas you all have posted here. I really appreciate it.

Are there any formulas for a heavy conditioning co-wash here? I have thought about just dropping the co-wash and just sitting under the shower forever -- since I do anywway and seeing what happens. Another idea I have come across is 'washing' with pure alo vera jelly.

Anyway - thatsquite a rant - hope I got everyone in there.

[ErinLeigh]

I do not have any advice as this is way over my head of knowledge but I can suggest a nice product.
Shea Moisture Body Oils are so nice. I store it in the shower and seal my damp skin from head to toe with them. The ingredients are simply an assortment of oils and really helped my skin retain moisture.
Of course you may need a combination of things, but this or any type of oil, butter, lotion applied to moist skin really would be a good first step. I find if I do not apply my oils or lotions to damp skin they don't seem to work near as well. They can almost lock moisture out instead of in for me if used dry.

[Angelica]

It sounds like your eczema is serious and my own brother is riddled with it. I don't know where you live, but in UK we have Oilatum and also look into Salcura, Salcura does has a scenty smell to it, but it is okay. Steroids thins the skin, but sadly sometimes steroids are the only things which can control the problem. I would avoid all perfumed products, all lanolin products. You probably already know to avoid wool and anything like that. Watch out for washing powders, and stick to ones that are hypoallergenic, same applies to bedding. Make sure you shower water is cool rather than hot. I'd say to be cautious with tee tree because I am allergic to that and it will make me flare up. Salcura has an excellent itch spray. Look into your diet. Sometimes those with eczema are advised to avoid all dairy products and eat plenty of fish - its oil will treat you from within.

Chinese herbal medicine has proven very effective with eczema. Just make sure you go to a reputable one.

Stress is also a factor with eczema and so is allergy to lots of animals. Mainly the dander from the animal.

I hope you find something out there that will help, there are so many people with this awful condition :(

Good luck.

[Weewah]

The Chagrin Valley butter bar is a shampoo bar that acts more like a conditioner. A lot of people say it's way too moisturizing for them even if their hair usually needs moisture. So maybe you can try that? You can get a sample from the chagrin valley website.

[lapushka]

First off for the dryness on your face. Try some Nivea (blue tin). I have extremely dry (yes dermatologist dry) skin on my face, and this does the trick for me. It's *very* greasy (and thick) if your skin isn't very dry, though! I tried all the dermatologist prescribed things as well, and nothing works as well as the Nivea does! Not even the pharmacy-made cold creams! Do give the Nivea a week to two weeks to reach its full (plumping, from being dry pruny faced) effect on the skin, though!


Any advice or ideas on slathering this skin and scalp and hair in something highly natural would be wonderful. I really like DIY recepies but so far everything is really on the light side.

I wouldn't call Nivea highly natural, but then what is "natural"? Nivea contains mineral oil, and it works wonders for the skin. The advantages to mineral oil as a leave-in / conditioning treatment have been well-proven among this community.

[Kelikea]

One idea is to try washing less. I had a horrible case of dry, patchy skin (especially my face) one winter. I couldn't wash with water at all, or it would crack. I used cold cream and soft tissue or cloth to wash my face, no water. When my scalp gets dry like that, I use an oil, like coconut or Africa's Best, and mix a drop or two of tea tree oil with it, and massage my scalp, leaving it on over night. I don't use the tea tree in my length. You can wet the length of your hair and then oil or use a combination of water and conditioner to soak it over night, in a bun and sleep cap. This usually helps mine feel better and can stretch the length of time between washings to about a week.

[lapushka]

I'd try adding in oil to your shampoo to wash. That might help. You have to figure out the exact amount to use, by actually experimenting with this method.

[BrendaLoan]

My mother has very dry skin and uses milking cream, (I don't know if there is another name for it) and it's the best she has ever found. I use it too and feels incredible

[Wosie]

I'd try adding in oil to your shampoo to wash. That might help. You have to figure out the exact amount to use, by actually experimenting with this method.

What kind of oils would you recommend? I've read that applying oils to one's scalp may cause shedding, so I'm a little worried about doing this myself. :S

IIRC I read one of Firefox' posts where she suggested using a topical cream or lotion (moisturizer) on one's scalp and washing one's hair with it, maybe us eczema sufferers should try that and tell our experiences afterwards? It might get a lil' greasy, but I'd rather be greasy than super itchy.

[ravenreed]

One of the best ways I deal with seriously dry skin is to always apply my moisturizers right after I get out of the shower and my skin is still damp. Mineral oil and Vaseline have the benefit of not immediately being absorbed by the skin so they actually lock in moisture better for me than food grade oils.

[lapushka]

What kind of oils would you recommend? I've read that applying oils to one's scalp may cause shedding, so I'm a little worried about doing this myself. :S

IIRC I read one of Firefox' posts where she suggested using a topical cream or lotion (moisturizer) on one's scalp and washing one's hair with it, maybe us eczema sufferers should try that and tell our experiences afterwards? It might get a lil' greasy, but I'd rather be greasy than super itchy.

I have no clue on what oil to use, do know that mineral oil on the scalp might be *too* much. I knew that the oil-shampoo method existed, so felt good about recommending it to you. I guess it's the same with having conditioner on the scalp - some shed more, some don't. It's all on a try by try basis.

[catasa]

I have no experience with *really* dry skin like you describe, just "normally" dry, but I do use mineral oil as a moisturizer and I always apply it on wet skin (as in dripping wet), otherwise my skin will just feel kind of "dry but oily". I imagine that other oils also would work best applied to wet or at least damp skin (as ravenreed also mentioned) since most of them are not really moisturizing but more sealing.

Really sorry about your troubles, I hope that you find something that helps! :flower:

[oktobergoud]

Aww, that sucks! I've been on Accutane for 9 months or so now and my skin hair is also sooooooo sooo dry, so I feel you. My scalp isn't too bad, but I use argan oil for my skin and hair and it really helps! I soak my face in argan oil about 3 times a day and that makes it better, I also try to drink as much water as possible. I'm going to read through this topic as well, because I feel like I could do more though :/

[kaydana]

In my experience, most oils are next to useless for very dry patches. They're too thin. They're better than lotions because they don't feel like you're being stabbed with a thousand tiny needles if the skin is cracked, but the best result I got from oils was that it wouldn't get worse. You need something thicker if you want it to work, which means looking at butters or perhaps a blend of butters and oils. As I said before, I recommend shea butter, because that gives me the best results by far, but you could probably use cocoa butter too.

For your scalp, maybe try castor oil. Does a much better job of clearing up dry patches on my scalp than any other oil. Again, it's thick, which lets you apply a decent amount of it rather than just a thin, oily smear.

[picklepie]

Have you tried following any of the bathing and moisturizing protocols developed for eczemic skin? My son has/had severe eczema, which has responded very well to consistently following these routines (link below). Bleach baths in particular, to deal with the staph involvement--with the amount if inflammation you're describing, it sounds like you may be dealing with this as well-- and using moisturizing products without parabens or formaldehyde-forming ingredients (Vanicream). There are non-irritating shampoos and conditioners recommended on the site as well, but we do water-only on his hair.
http://nationaleczema.org/eczema/treatment/bathing/types-of-baths/

[ARG]

Have you tried Bag Balm (http://www.bagbalm.com/)? I used to use it during the winter for my extremely dry hands. I've also used Lanolin in the past, the smell isn't wonderful, but its natural and very moisturizing. When it comes to your hair, try as few ingredients as possible, I've heard of people using Soap Nuts to good effect. I definitely feel for you, good luck! I hope you'll find something to help.

[schnibbles]

I "third" Paula's Choice. I use the Skin Recovery Mask as a moisturizer all the time. I don't rinse it off, leave it on and rub it in!

I would also suggest staying away from products with fragrance whenever you can. Fragrance may not be the source of the problem, but I can guarantee it's not helping. I would think Pantene's added parfums may be too harsh for you. I wonder if you should go water-only on your scalp for awhile, just to get your skin's protective barrier back in check... I wish you luck, it's not fun I know.

[Unicorn]

The skin on my legs is *really* dry if I don't take care of it. Itchy, looking like crackled glass type of dry. When I've neglected my skin, I use the oil every evening and moisturise with lotion every morning, if I'm wearing clothes than can withstand the oil, such as jeans, I also use it in the morning. I find Almond oil massaged into the skin right after a bath or shower, did a brilliant job moisturising and plumping up my skin. One week of twice a day oiling on damp skin, and I only occasional day without using oil and still have non-dry skin, but I then tend to do it once a day. I also avoid using shower gel on my legs most days.

P.S bunnylake's oil mix sounds really good. Essentially the oil helps to seal the moisture into the skin, much as it does for hair.

Unicorn

[Vanilla]

I do a skin version of the LOC method for my extremely dry skin. I only use cetaphil on my underarms and groin region. I WO on everything else.

I use lush's Argan skin conditioner in the shower, then coconut oil right after the shower, then Shea butter on top of that. I shower before bed, so I let all of this goodness sink in overnight.

[Rosa Harris]

Ok, here is my experimental formula

3 oz of pure coconut butter
3 oz of pure shea butter
1 oz tea tree oil

the butters are the raw chunks you get a African specialty stores.
I microwaved it all for one minute and 30 seconds ten mashed up the remaining lumps and poured it into a product jar and shook it occasionally till it cooled. The result s a think oil with a lot of staying power.

First thing I noticed was that the stuff did not sting my skin or scalp - even where it is irritated. The feeling is very soothing - even downright sexy - I love the resulting scent, too. The hair just drank it up and got sooo soft

Today I am experimenting with it with an oil-bun. I'm just going to put it up and leave it all day. Then I plan to just do a mermaid soak.

[ExpectoPatronum]

3. When you have no where to go: Body Butter Lube Time. XD Honestly, invest in a few tubes of good quality shea, cocoa, and coconut oil. And if you can ever walk about minimally dressed, work one of the above into your skin like it's your job. Cocao butter is real hard so you'll get a nice work out. This is important because soap, no matter how gentle, dries your skin out and you need to try to keep things supple. Moisturizing every day is awesome, but sometimes it needs a little help.

5. Enjoy the fact that your body handles oil and moisture well. I have a VERY dry skin, but I grew up learning how to take care of it and so I have the softest skin I've ever felt. Bar none. Other people will jump on the skin care boat waaaaaay later and life and you'll cackle all the way. Also, you'll have all the ingredients for my favorite body scrub (which will leave even dry skin feeling scrumptious): http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=84661

6. It takes time to figure out a routine that works! So don't give up!

I don't have the driest skin in the world, but it's annoying either way. I did something similar to this last night and wowwww my skin looks and feels way better. I bought cocoa butter today and am going to try this after I shower.

Also...I've had random strangers who've accidentally bumped/brushed against my arm tell me that I've had the softest skin they've ever felt....And I thank coconut oil for that :)

Anyway...popping into say that I, a totally random reader, found that suggestion to be extremely helpful. Thank you!

[Rosa Harris]

Guys I am excited about this so far!

Let me explain something I did not mention ecause I think it is totally gross. A major cause of the scalp itching is these patches of hard dead skin buildup. The Dr said it happens because there is not enough oil in the skin to cause the dead skin cells to release and flake off naturally so they stay bound together in very hard - almost nail-like hard patches. You can't even scrpe and pull them off - there is just no way - but the itching and scratching results in bald spots. I have about 4 of these between a nickle and a quarter size. They also show up here and there in other places. Has to run in the family because my mom has it rampant on her legs We were told to soak them, cover them in vasoline and wrap with plastic and then remove the softened skin crusts the next morning but that did not work.

Well, this is the excitement - I noticed about 30 minutes ago that I can lift off the hardened patches! This is a victory after years of trying to find a solution. I have not washed it out yet - I want to wait another couple hours - so I don't know yet what the hair will look like but its going to be interesting - I'm sure,

[Lydialove]

I'm crossing my fingers that the butters will help you find relief. It sounds pretty hopeful so far!

[VJG]

I use straight cocoa butter as a body lotion and sunflower-argan blend as a scalp oil.

[ErinLeigh]

Guys I am excited about this so far!

Let me explain something I did not mention ecause I think it is totally gross. A major cause of the scalp itching is these patches of hard dead skin buildup. The Dr said it happens because there is not enough oil in the skin to cause the dead skin cells to release and flake off naturally so they stay bound together in very hard - almost nail-like hard patches. You can't even scrpe and pull them off - there is just no way - but the itching and scratching results in bald spots. I have about 4 of these between a nickle and a quarter size. They also show up here and there in other places. Has to run in the family because my mom has it rampant on her legs We were told to soak them, cover them in vasoline and wrap with plastic and then remove the softened skin crusts the next morning but that did not work.

Well, this is the excitement - I noticed about 30 minutes ago that I can lift off the hardened patches! This is a victory after years of trying to find a solution. I have not washed it out yet - I want to wait another couple hours - so I don't know yet what the hair will look like but its going to be interesting - I'm sure,

That is fabulous news. Dry skin and scalp can be so painful emotionally and physically. I really hope things keep get better for you.

[Anje]

The hardened patches sound kinda like descriptions of psoriasis to me. Have you ever been checked for a condition like that?

[Rosa Harris]

Anji,

I went around with the Dr about that but she insists that because there is just not having enough oil in the skin there because it doe not have the 'sign' underneath and its more callous like. I know weird,

anyway - here is the before and after - doesn't look like I will be needing that henna I was thinking about - the color difference isn't just lighting.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/121893704@N04/13554318343/

[Rosa Harris]

oops link to pic lol
https://www.flickr.com/photos/121893704@N04/13554318343/

[Crabbyco]

It sounds like eczema to me. Is the skin weeping, red or bleeding under the patches? My eczema is triggered by stress, allergens and too much hot water will make it worse. Look at the products you are using, there maybe a common ingredient that is triggering the problem. Silicones, sulfates and rosemary oils/extracts will trigger my face and scalp. Trying to stretch washing does not work for me. I can water wash but I need to CO wash almost daily. I only shampoo with a sulfate free shampoo when I get build up. The Natures Gate conditioners work well for me but most of them have rosemary in them so I stick with the Awapuhi. Coconut oil works well for dry hair and skin but it's not going to last as well as commercial products because they have added bad crap to make it last longer. It will take time to find what works for you.

[Crabbyco]

I forgot to add. Lanolin is a trigger for my mom.

[sumidha]

Just chiming in to say there's really nothing wrong with using lanolin, or petroleum jelly on your skin or hair, if they work for you. They've both been ingredients in many different skin treatments for many, many years. :)

[lapushka]

Just chiming in to say there's really nothing wrong with using lanolin, or petroleum jelly on your skin or hair, if they work for you. They've both been ingredients in many different skin treatments for many, many years. :)

Hallelujah! I have no clue why mineral oil is such a "bad" ingredient, why it's treated in such a horrible way. It's almost treated as badly as silicones are. I love the way MO (in my Nivea) moisturizes my skin, it works better than most cold cremes with beeswax or any other more natural "equivalent".