PDA

View Full Version : ANY help for psoriasis/SD???



Sammybunny711
October 30th, 2008, 12:56 PM
I have had psoriasis since I was younger but as I have grown older it has spread to other areas of my scalp and is ITCHING like mad! EVEN when I shampoo it every day in an effort to appease it. Last year, I tried washing every other day and that made it MUCH worse. I did CO for a while and my scalp LOVED it but my hair HATED it. Is there any way to do CO without the hair coming out looking flat and greasy?

Are there any other methods for getting rid of psoriasis without sacrificing hair health?

Any ideas? :confused::(

JessTheMess
October 30th, 2008, 01:09 PM
I'm sorry I don't have any worthy advice. My grandmom had psoriasis from her head to toes. She showered twice a day and covered herself in vaseline to keep the scabbing at bay. I remember her using a lot of dead sea products....:shrug:

Calista
October 30th, 2008, 01:16 PM
I don´t have any real advice, either. My SO has also psoriasis, but he shaves his head, so I wouldn´t know about haircare. His skin likes Chagrin Valley Dead Sea Spa soap (http://www.chagrinvalleysoapandcraft.com/soapbars.htm#SOAP%20SELECTIONS) a lot - maybe you could try that for your hair? Also, how long did you do CO? It takes a while for your hair to get accustomed to it.

Sammybunny711
October 30th, 2008, 01:22 PM
I think I tried CO for a month maybe? Not sure since it was last winter but I would be more than willing to try it again soon. I have just started the CWC this week and my hair ADORES it. I had hoped that with increased conditioner application (I rub a little of the conditioner from my ends into my problem areas behind my ears and at the base of my scalp near my neck) that it would mimic the results I got with CO without sacrificing my hair!! Do you think that CWC could be making it itch? I haven't changed shampoos or conditioners or anything.

Why oh why can't my hair AND scalp both like the same thing! ARGH.

ctomek
October 30th, 2008, 02:47 PM
Hi, I don't have psoriasis but I did have a bad case of eczema for many years. Finally got rid of it when I stopped using products containing sodium lauryl sulfate. Even now, when I'm out of town and use whatever soap happens to be available, the eczema flairs back up. I'm not sure if that would help your problem, but it might be worth a shot.

Sammybunny711
October 30th, 2008, 02:48 PM
I have stopped using all shampoos and condit's with those things as well as cones. I shudder to think how itchy my scalp would be right now if I was still using them...

Magicknthenight
October 30th, 2008, 02:57 PM
Hi, I don't have psoriasis but I did have a bad case of eczema for many years. Finally got rid of it when I stopped using products containing sodium lauryl sulfate. Even now, when I'm out of town and use whatever soap happens to be available, the eczema flairs back up. I'm not sure if that would help your problem, but it might be worth a shot.

I was hoping that it was just SLS but when i started using products that didn't have it- it didn't change much. My scalp isn't..AS..dry.I was just thinking about posting a thread about something like this actially.
I'm not sure which of these i have but I'm sure i have something similar.
Very itchy. Worse on the left side. And their are patches of really bad itchy spots. I now have some under my ears. I'm just trying not to scratch it. I know i tried T-gel once..it helped a little. but not really what i was looking for. Head&shoulders doesn't help much but its the only thing we have for it.
I'll check back in later
Can't wait to hear more ideas :D

thanks for posting this Sammybunny711

Sammybunny711
October 30th, 2008, 03:45 PM
No problem. I'm desperate for some relief without killing my hair in the process (which is what T-Sal would do probably).

I guess I'll give CWC another few weeks or so and see if it helps my scalp like it has helped my hair. After that, I'll try the Olux foam stuff on places other than behind my ears (a REALLY bad patch right there.)

levelek
October 30th, 2008, 04:28 PM
This section from the dry, itchy scalp article might help:

# yarrow rinses, recommended by happylynngilmer. These could be mixed with ACV, as in the Manor Hall brand rinse, but yarrow could also be used on its own or with other products in a rinse. While the EO is very expensive, yarrow hydrolate is more affordable and also recommended. Tea rinses might also work. Yarrow may have a drying effect on hair.

# honey, for its antibacterial and moisturising properties. This could be applied to the scalp straight, in the form of an SMT treatment, mixed with conditioner, or mixed with aloe vera gel. E.g. 2 part honey to 1 part aloe vera. If it's gently massaged in, even better! (wrap hair under a scalp cap or a plastic bag+turbie/towel so the honey doesn't dry out, leave and follow with your regular wash routine)

# oil scalp massages, hot or plain. Jojoba, EVOO and neem oil have been particularly recommended. Again, you could add a few drops of EOs such as lavender, rosemary or tea tree (see warning above). You could do a heavy pre-wash treatment and leave it to soak in for at least 20 minutes, or massage a drop or two just in the affected area. Herbgurl82 also recommends mixing rosehip seed oil with coconut oil here

Another thing that I've found helpful for the skin condition on my face that looks suspicously like eczema has been oatmeal. Here (http://www.glovesinabottle.com/news.php?include=130804)are some ideas on how to use it. It would be messy to apply to your scalp, and I don't know how easy it would be to rinse the oatmeal out of your hair, but possibly worth a shot (maybe using oat flour) before washing your hair?

Kairos
October 30th, 2008, 04:28 PM
Sammy,

My husband (his family, and my niece) has suffered from severe psoriasis all of his life (he's 35), so we've pretty much got the cure down to a science - but, I have to say, what works for him may not necessarily work for you. First, if it is really bad and just not going away, prednisone is an outstanding treatment for psoriasis that will clear it up in a day or two. My husband takes a course of 7 days and takes 7 pills on the first, 6 pills on the 6th, 5 on the 5th, etc. He has only taken it a few times in his life as it really is a last resort, but works amazingly well. A mild steroid cream will also clear it up in a couple of days and are quite inexpensive and many doctors (like ours) usually give you enough samples to clear it up so many times you don't even need the prescription.

I am not sure what conditioner you are using or shampoo, but psoriasis suffers need to stay away from anything with fragrance in it (lotions, etc.) which really aggravates the condition. Many doctors recommend Lubriderm lotion, but it is so water-based it is really worthless IMO. A lotion we have found that works wonders is Curel's fragrance free Continuous Comfort lotion. It is a thick, emollient lotion that really absorbs and keeps the skin moisturized.

The other thing our doctor has recommend a lot is sleeping in cotton gloves/socks, etc. However, we have found that the moisturizing is great, but when you take off the gloves/socks, your skin just dries out like crazy and cracks even more. We've found its best to be diligent about moisturizing all of the time. However, that's not as easy to do with your scalp. Coconut oil is a great moisturizer as well as camellia oil. They really help replace the oil in your skin and heal it.

The last thing I'll put out there - which isn't really great for our hair (or skin), is a couple of 10 minute indoor tanning sessions a week are great to kill the bacteria and the UV light really heals the skin. Just do it in moderation and only as needed. Hope this helps! :)

Dolly
October 30th, 2008, 04:29 PM
My son has had S/D really bad.....even prescription meds didn't help. I bought him the Neem and Tea Tree Shampoo Bars from Chagrin Valley, and within just a couple of weeks, it started to clear.....he is almost gunk free now.....

Sammybunny711
October 30th, 2008, 04:39 PM
I've been trying to find the most natural shampoo + conditioner possible and since my hair REALLY likes CWC I dont' know that I want to leap to a poo bar just yet. Anyone know of a COMPLETELY natural liquid shampoo + conditioner?

Sammybunny711
October 30th, 2008, 05:06 PM
Well, for the heck of it, I ordered a 'poo bar from the Chagrin Valley place but it isn't the tea tree oil one (they are out right now) but it is the honey and carrot one so I heard honey is good for it so maybe this will help. It is only a sample but it can tell me whether or not it works! I am willing to try anything at this point and I KNOW that all the fragrances and stuff CAN'T be good for it--even the Jason's Organic Tea Tree oil doesn't seem to be getting rid of it--although my hair does like it. Hopefully my hair will like the 'poo bar! :smile:

aries
October 30th, 2008, 07:43 PM
Along with tea tree oil I use Nizoral or Nizarol, can't remember the spelling right now lol, shampoo otc version, and it helps my scalp a lot. Don't get conditioner on your scalp (conditioner only irritates mine) and do acv rinses or for blond hair use white vinegar instead of apple cider with each wash before conditioning. My son and I both do this when ours flares up thanks to the advice of another LHCer and it has helped us tremendously. The conditioner we use is Biolage Conditioning Balm in the jar and then we use a little coconut oil on dry hair. This has been the only thing to help so far.

I don't have advice for spots on the body but to go out in the sun, perscribed by my doctor, and some different medications he gives me to try and clear them up topically.

eaglefeather71
October 30th, 2008, 08:01 PM
Well, for the heck of it, I ordered a 'poo bar from the Chagrin Valley place but it isn't the tea tree oil one (they are out right now) but it is the honey and carrot one so I heard honey is good for it so maybe this will help. It is only a sample but it can tell me whether or not it works! I am willing to try anything at this point and I KNOW that all the fragrances and stuff CAN'T be good for it--even the Jason's Organic Tea Tree oil doesn't seem to be getting rid of it--although my hair does like it. Hopefully my hair will like the 'poo bar! :smile:
If you look on the Shampoo Bar thread towards the end, they talk about liquefying the poo bars. That might be perfect for what you want to do.

Darkhorse1
October 30th, 2008, 08:11 PM
My pharmacist said that anything zinc based is soothing to irritated skin--that will relieve the itching. This is what I use when I have a flare up. However, OTC stuff isn't strong enough when it's really bad---you need to see your doctor/dermatologist for a prescription shampoo. Your doctor can also prescribe a steriod/drops, which you apply to the itchy parts--this worked amazingly, but as they are steroid based, you have to use it sparingly. Cold water rinses also helped me with the itching.

I'm currently using a salon shampoo called A/G, for dandruff. This helps with the itchyness, but I still have flakes/scaling. Head and Shoulders will also work, but DON'T get the stuff for dry scalp. It made my hair like goo.

Hope that helps! :)

eaglefeather71
October 30th, 2008, 08:26 PM
I just recently bought some Cassia for my husband's scalp condition after reading the information on Henna for Hair.

http://www.mehandi.com/hair/cassiaobovata.html

The plant apparently has antifungal antibacterial properties and can greatly improve the condition of your scalp. It doesn't leave any color behind if you don't let it dye release before use. So we are going to just mix and apply right away. I really hope this works because as you all probably know he is miserable.

jojo
October 30th, 2008, 08:43 PM
I tried this the other day http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=14381 and it works great and is very gentle to the scalp. HTH x

Nini
October 31st, 2008, 04:47 AM
You might find something helpful here as well:

Living with eczema (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=9393&highlight=living+eczema)

Nini

Sammybunny711
October 31st, 2008, 01:36 PM
Thanks for all of the suggestions, ladies! Unfortunately, the itching just seems to flare up in the winter and it gets kinda miserable! I will try one thing at a time and see what happens! Probably try the poo bars and white vinegar first. :o)

heidi w.
October 31st, 2008, 02:29 PM
NIZORAL SHAMPOO is a medicated shampoo that uses Ketoconazole, not tar.

http://www.psoriasis.org/treatment/guide/otc/?cat=aaah
THIS IS A TABLE OF PRODUCTS THAT THOSE THAT SUFFER FROM PSORIASIS ARE RECOMMENDED.

NIZORAL is available in two medication strengths!
1. OTC
ketoconazole 1%, an anti-fungal dandruff shampoo

2. Prescription strength.

Here's how to use.
Wet hair thoroughly. Wash. Leave on hair, ensuring penetration to the scalp's skin. (May have to separate hair to get application of product on scalp skin.)

Leave on for 3-5 minutes.
You will feel tingling.

Rinse well.

Rinse again.

Condition hair length, not scalp skin.

Wash daily to every other day until lesions clear and itching is less intense. This is usually around 2 weeks. Then wash every other day, for another set of weeks. Then when the time feels right, you can wash alternating between regular shampoo and Nizoral.

You will likely notice an aroma, that to me was unpleasant, DURING application ONLY, but once dried completely went away. I received the most compliments for how nice my hair smelled when using NIZORAL, ever!

I also noticed that my hair was actually a bit oilier after a fresh hair wash on NIZORAL, but it did help!!

For heavy scaling, a salicylic acid cream may prove helpful topically applied and rubbed in according to instructions on tube.

Do visit a qualified dermatologist in the area of psoriasis.

Other products would be using zinc pyrithione. HEre's a list.

I would recommend finding regular shampoos that do not use SLS, that is Sodium Laureth, or Laurel, Sulfates. This can aggravate such conditions.

Get the book Naturally Healthy Hair by Mary Beth Janssen.
http://www.amazon.com/Naturally-Healthy-Hair-Treatments-Fabulous/dp/158017129X
very informative. Has list of good ingredients, bad ingredients and recipes and info on how hair grows.

Tea Tree Oil lightly applied (do not use a lot, and BE SURE TO TEST PATCH FIRST so you know you won't have a reaction!!!!!!!!!!!) to specific sites may help clear some lesions too. Do not use more; more is NOT better. This is a VERY strong anti-bacterial oil and too much can cause hair loss, I have heard a few report on this site.

There are Tea Tree Oil shampoos. I use one although this is not it. Mine is organic only with a few drops of tea tree oil and spearmint
http://www.kiehls.com/_us/_en/hair/tea-tree-oil-shampoo.htm?TopCode=Scalp_Normal

You could try incorporating ACV rinses, or lemon juice rinses if a blonde.
These are acidic applications that help to reset the acid mantle to a more acidic state on the pH scale since most shampoos/conditioners do create a more alkali state of the scalp skin, usually. Dilute well, as in 8 oz water use only 2-3 apple cider vinegar, or lemon juice. Lime will work too! (Close your eyes!!!) I would do this last, even after conditioning in your case. Rinse well, do not leave in!

Another concern: Hard Water
If you have hard water, this may instigate some flare ups, depending. You can easily install a shower head filter to remove minerals from hard water. Look for a filter that ALSO removes chlorine, or chloramine, which is used to sanitize city water (of necessity!!)

WASH YOUR HAIR TOOLS EVERY SINGLE HAIR WASH. It's easy to re-introduce crud to freshly washed hair from use on previous dirty hair. ETA: I ASLO disinfect my tools.
HOW I WASH: This is important because I have cleaned tools for others and noticed the same problem. Many rinse their comb under water, and some soap, and think good enough. Not so my friend! Many people do not clean the teeth well enough and I have stripped off gummed up gunk that's barely perceptible from many a comb!! Use a TOOTHPICK to glide along the edges of both sides of comb teeth to lift & loosen gunk. THEN use a nail scrub brush, under warm water, and scrub with shampoo, dishsoap (antibacterial is good), or some of that Nizoral shampoo (a drop will do). THEN dry off well. Then in a spritzer bottle have handy some rubbing alcohol blended in water. MIST on the comb or brush. Swipe dry. THIS misting is a disinfectant. Another way to disinfect is putting plastic combs only on the top shelf of dishwashers.

Brushes can be soaked, including BBBs, in a bowl of water with some baking soda!! then do the rest. You have to press firmly into bristles to get some dryness going. Put brush on sunny windowsill to finish drying! BBB's you can put a fresh application of oil by one teensy weensy tidbit of a droplet of oil on your palm, rub palms together, then press the heel of your hand into the bristles and spread the oil throughout.

Can't say enough about clean hair tools!!

ALSO, each day, after detangling with your tools, clear the tool of any hairs caught up. Every little bit helps. I've known people who let the old hair build up in a swirl on brushes. Ick! END ETA

Wash your pillowcase. Use clean pillowcases each night.

Like you, I found applying conditioner to my scalp skin entirely aggravating of my symptoms. I used Nizoral for years; then switched between Nizoral and Nature's Gate, always using Biolage's Conditioning Balm as my conditioner. Finish with ACV rinse (ETA: white vinegar ok), later switched to lemon rinse instead. These managed my symptoms acceptably, but if I waited too long to wash, OMG: VERY INTENSE ITCHINESS!!!!

http://www.psoriasis.org/about/psoriasis/scalp/treatment.php
this is the link I began with when finding the tables I linked in above
You might like to peruse this site more.


SOME HERBAL SHAMPOOS I FOUND ONLINE THAT MIGHT INTEREST YOU. I do not know of how they work as I haven't tried them, but I thought I'd help you with your search.

http://www.remediesdirect.com/natural-shampoo.html#ingredients
this is the ingredients list for this:
http://www.remediesdirect.com/natural-shampoo.html
Rosemary & Chamomile shampoo, no SLS that I saw

http://www.remediesdirect.com/herbal-shampoo.html
this is the Sage & Thyme shampoo!
(this site has a list of baddie ingredients that could be helpful in your search)

http://www.organichealthandbeauty.com/Dr-Christopher-Shampoo_p_231-47.html
this looks interesting!

HERE'S A RECIPE AND SOME INGREDIENT HINTS FOR MAKING YOUR OWN SHAMPOO AND CONDITIONER
http://www.care2.com/greenliving/basic-herbal-shampoo-conditioner.html

http://www.pioneerthinking.com/rs_herbalshampoo.html
ANOTHER RECIPE but explains the use/reason for the ingredient. helpful for better reading of ingredients lists

http://www.melaleuca.com/ps/index.cfm?f=ps.productDetail&pid=377&pType=1&sCatId=18
couldn't find the ingredients list, but you can always telephone!

http://www.seacoastvitamins.com/product_info.php?products_id=1274
Of course, NATURE'S GATE WHICH I DID USE FOR MANY YEARS for my seborrheic dermatitus

scroll for ingredients.
I only recommend this shampoo in this line. I do not recommend the conditioner nor the tea tree oil shampoo in this line. I found them to be kind of gloppy and not do a good conditioning job.

http://prairielandherbs.com/hair.htm
SHAMPOO BARS

heidi w.
October 31st, 2008, 02:31 PM
Along with tea tree oil I use Nizoral or Nizarol, can't remember the spelling right now lol, shampoo otc version, and it helps my scalp a lot. Don't get conditioner on your scalp (conditioner only irritates mine) and do acv rinses or for blond hair use white vinegar instead of apple cider with each wash before conditioning. My son and I both do this when ours flares up thanks to the advice of another LHCer and it has helped us tremendously. The conditioner we use is Biolage Conditioning Balm in the jar and then we use a little coconut oil on dry hair. This has been the only thing to help so far.

I don't have advice for spots on the body but to go out in the sun, perscribed by my doctor, and some different medications he gives me to try and clear them up topically.


Hi Aries!!!
:flower::puppy:
heidi w.

heidi w.
October 31st, 2008, 02:42 PM
Thanks for all of the suggestions, ladies! Unfortunately, the itching just seems to flare up in the winter and it gets kinda miserable! I will try one thing at a time and see what happens! Probably try the poo bars and white vinegar first. :o)

AH! Then put a humidifier in the room you sleep in and consider a second one in the main part of the house. If winter for you means dry air which means lack of humidity, then you need some moisture back in the air!!

heidi w.

heidi w.
October 31st, 2008, 02:43 PM
Thanks for all of the suggestions, ladies! Unfortunately, the itching just seems to flare up in the winter and it gets kinda miserable! I will try one thing at a time and see what happens! Probably try the poo bars and white vinegar first. :o)

Dilute any vinegar rinse well. As mentioned in my lengthy post above, 1-3 Tablespoons in an 8 oz glass of water. (Same for use of white vinegar, lemon or lime!)

Many like to use distilled water for this application.

I recommended in your case to apply this after conditioning.

TIP: you could heat the distilled water in a microwave, and then it'll be cooler than piping hot, but not absolutely cold by the time you apply it, I think!

heidi w.