Dandruff after Chicken Pox? Help!

[mandachu]

Long time lurker, first time posting :waving:. Though I'm posting this for my cousin. Ever since she had chicken pox as a child, she's been plagued with extreme dandruff. Through the years, she's tried different shampoos and products. She can't go more than a day without washing her hair or her scalp will turn red, itchy and a little painful.

Recently she went to see a dermatologist, who said that she might have shingles on the scalp. He gave her a medicated shampoo. It worked, but the dandruff immediately returned after she stopped using it. It's expensive, and as a student, it was difficult for her to justify the price if it was only a temporary fix.

Personally, I doubt she has shingles, as the redness is kept at bay by consistent hair washing, and she doesn't normally feel any pain. Not trying to seek medical advice, but I was wondering if anyone has experienced anything similar, and if so, what has worked well for them.

[Hairkay]

Long time lurker, first time posting :waving:. Though I'm posting this for my cousin. Ever since she had chicken pox as a child, she's been plagued with extreme dandruff. Through the years, she's tried different shampoos and products. She can't go more than a day without washing her hair or her scalp will turn red, itchy and a little painful.

Recently she went to see a dermatologist, who said that she might have shingles on the scalp. He gave her a medicated shampoo. It worked, but the dandruff immediately returned after she stopped using it. It's expensive, and as a student, it was difficult for her to justify the price if it was only a temporary fix.

Personally, I doubt she has shingles, as the redness is kept at bay by consistent hair washing, and she doesn't normally feel any pain. Not trying to seek medical advice, but I was wondering if anyone has experienced anything similar, and if so, what has worked well for them.

I think it's best she return to the dermatologist, tell them what happened and let them re-examine her scalp. Sometimes it takes awhile for them to figure out what's going on. It's just surprising that she didn't see a dermatologist when she was younger instead of enduring it all these years.

[akurah]

I think it's best she return to the dermatologist, tell them what happened and let them re-examine her scalp. Sometimes it takes awhile for them to figure out what's going on. It's just surprising that she didn't see a dermatologist when she was younger instead of enduring it all these years.

Eeeeeh.... I've endured dermatographia for as long as I can remember. You'd be amazed at what you can tolerate when it's not life-threatening and you're poor.

I second going back to the dermatologist. It might be something other than shingles, maybe seborrheic dermatitis? I would recommend that she keep the medicated shampoo on-hand, even if she chooses not to use regularly, in case she has an episode where the daily shampoo just doesn't clear it up and it's bothersome, since washing with the medicated shampoo one or two washes in a row might clear it up and she can go back to the cheaper stuff.

[lapushka]

Thirding going back to see the dermatologist. She might have heard SD and thought shingles, that could have happened as well. In any case maybe he can prescribe something more low-cost for her that does the same thing.

[Anje]

Thirding going back to see the dermatologist. She might have heard SD and thought shingles, that could have happened as well. In any case maybe he can prescribe something more low-cost for her that does the same thing.

That sounds plausible to me. An ongoing shingles infection for months or years would be unusual and a sign of something deeply wrong immunologically. It's also not something that would be treated with a special shampoo.