Scalp problem

[Fractalsofhair]

Basically, I'm currently having a scalp problem. My scalp is flaking and cracking and bleeding. It's also very greasy. I'm not sure what's up with it. It feels dry and tight, but it's covered in oil. I think it could be seborric dermatitus(sp?), but I'm not sure. I can't use scented products generally speaking, and I've been using soap based products for over a year. The only major change is that I've gone off BC, but my scalp was flaky and dry before. It's never been greasy. When the greasy stuff started to show up, I thought I'd end up with a normal scalp. At this point, I'm willing to pop benadryls and try harsh shampoos with scents. I can't use cones, since they do cause my hair to break off horribly. Yellowish skin peels off in chunks, but then leaves an open sore that bleeds. It could also just be a nasty sunburn...(In which case, I need to get some more hats) Any advice?

[halo_tightens]

The part about the yellowish skin that peels off to leave a sore behind sounds sort of fungal to me. I'm very prone to fungal skin infections, though never on my scalp, and I often end up with patches of skin that are yellowed or peely. For me, when one of these sections comes off, it's like the area underneath is already sort of... hard to describe, lol. I think "macerated" is the term they use, where it looks sort of like skin that has been kept underwater for a very long time, all soaked-up-ish and off-color.

Any of this seem like what's going on with you, or we thinking of two entirely different things?

[Longlocks3]

It does sound like SD, comparing it to what I have. HARSH SHAMPOOS WILL MAKE IT WORST IF IT IS! Much much much worse.

If it is that bad, go to a doctor or dermatologist and get them to look at it. Chances are, at first they may just suggest tea tree oil shampoo and/or coal tar shampoo( I also recommend T/Sal IMO). If these don't work, they *should* prescribe topical steroids. Which aren't fun but I don't need to take them anymore, so it's not a 'for the rest of your life' thing.

[Fractalsofhair]

Halo-My stuff peels off in chunks, and looks like skin that's been exposed outdoors too much. Basically, like the stuff that peels off from sunburns. I'm not quite sure what it is. I've never really had fungal problems, but it is worth a try.

Long locks- I'm not sure really. My derm tends to tell me to apply more oil to my hair since it is very dry and she was shocked when my skin has cracked when she's touched it. Her only advice regarding sunburns is wear a hat, get checked for skin cancer, or move to the arctic circle(all meant seriously), as I am very prone to sunburns. I'm also on medications for seizures, and have a TON of allergies, so trying prescription creams gets very iffy. I will look into trying Tsal and the coal tar shampoos. I'm just confused since this is normally what my scalp does when it's too dry, not when it's oily?

[longhairedfairy]

It sounds like dandruff to me. I started getting it out of the blue when I was a teenager (mid-teens, I think). Once I was out of my teens it stopped happening, but while it did it was very uncomfortable and icky. The most effective thing for that is coal tar shampoo, which IS safe when used as directed and worked very quickly for me.

[Fractalsofhair]

Ok, so today I tried vo5 "Clarifying" Mint tea shampoo on my hair. It seemed to help. The smell was a bit strong, but not as bad as Aveda, Paul Mitchel, baby powder, deodorant, or my various other allergies. I didn't even get hives, just sneezed a bit. It also cleared up the stuff on my scalp a bit, though it did dry out my hair(or maybe just removed some cones that I applied about a week ago and never really washed out). I also smelled the Blackberry Sage conditioner, and the fragrance actually didn't bug me at all. This is quite strange as artificial fragrances generally give me horrid hives. Meh, it's cheaper than my "organic" stuff,so we'll see how it works.It was a little weird, when I was washing with it, random chunks of skin came off, the yellowy icky parts, but it didn't start bleeding or cause raw spots. I may use a mix of it, my shampoo bars, and CO washing.

ETA. The reason why I chose Vo5 is that it's cheap and gets good reviews here. A friend of mine with a similar problem said using clarifying shampoo helped her as well.

[ericthegreat]

Halo-My stuff peels off in chunks, and looks like skin that's been exposed outdoors too much. Basically, like the stuff that peels off from sunburns. I'm not quite sure what it is. I've never really had fungal problems, but it is worth a try.

Long locks- I'm not sure really. My derm tends to tell me to apply more oil to my hair since it is very dry and she was shocked when my skin has cracked when she's touched it. Her only advice regarding sunburns is wear a hat, get checked for skin cancer, or move to the arctic circle(all meant seriously), as I am very prone to sunburns. I'm also on medications for seizures, and have a TON of allergies, so trying prescription creams gets very iffy. I will look into trying Tsal and the coal tar shampoos. I'm just confused since this is normally what my scalp does when it's too dry, not when it's oily?

I bolded what I feel is a very important factor you must look into. I have some severe allergies as well, including dust mites and pollen and roaches and pollution in the air. I am very sensitive to smoke and smog, so whenever I happen upon someone smoking I actually start to cough and my throat burns and gets really inflamed and my eyes tear up. Yeah, secondhand smoking is really very dangerous!
Anyway, sometimes my skin will also break out in response to my allergies, so just maybe your scalp condition may be a result of your allergies as well. Maybe you could check with your doctor to test if it maybe an allergic reaction to whatever allergen you happened to be exposed to.

[florenonite]

Do you do ACV rinses? I have mild dandruff and find they make a big difference; I think they're antifungal. It's a shame they make my hair greasy ><

Tea Tree Oil's also good. You can mix a small amount with a liquid shampoo or even get a shampoo with TTO already.

I would definitely see a dermatologist, though. If the skin that's peeling leaves sores behind it could be serious and you'll need to get it treated.

[ChloeDharma]

Oh dear, this really sounds horrible! :grouphug:
I would have also suggested vinegar rinses but if you have open sores i'm thinking that might sting.....maybe try them very weak?
My next advice would be to scalp oil, neem is very antifungal and good for scalp problems, sweet almond is good for itching irritated skin, lavender EO is great for irritation, inflamation and itching as well as being antifungal, antibacterial etc. Tea tree also is great for infections. I would add something rich in vitamin E too, to help the scalp heal....wheatgerm oil is a good source, virgin avocado is also very nourishing with good skin penetration properties and contains vitamin E. Rosemary is what i tend to think of as a "scalp herb" an infusion used as a final rinse can be great for scalp problems but can be darkening, the EO though i've not found darkens my hair at all.
If your budget can stretch to it then german chamomile is very soothing and anti inflammatory due to it's high azulene content but other forms work very well too (and roman chamomile smells heavenly!)
Actually, another idea to chuck into the mix is aloe vera oil, which is oil with the properties of aloe vera extracted into it....very soothing i'd imagine (not used it myself yet but i do plan on making some. Oh, actually, on the topic of herb oils.....calendula oil might be worth trying too....it's used for cradle cap quite successfully.
Those are off the top of my head, if i think of anything else of course i'll add it here.....good luck :flower:

ETA Have you tried herb washing? Maybe just using a simple routine of oiling then washing off with shikakai, reetha or soapwort might help reduce any chance of allergic reactions....just a thought

[hennaphile]

I highly recomend washing every day... my nasty scalp problems got loads better when I did. Use a gentle, natural shampoo (indian herbs do wonders) . Since it does sound fungal, maybe some sulphur and neem would be of use?

[Flynn]

Yellowish and peeling would seem to imply either SD or dandruff, though no doubt there are a myriad of other things it could be. With your allergies and fragrance problems, either one, or any of the other things it might be, really needs to be taken to a dermatologist. (Using something that is going to create more irritation where there is already a fungal problem is a recipe for disaster, so over-the-counter anti-dandruff shampoos probably aren't going to help you if that's what it is. SD and any other things that might come up need a dermatologists opinion regardless of to whom they are happening.)

I'd try the oral antihistamines, if nothing else then to keep down further irritation for now, but I really think you need to take this one to a doctor.

[maegquare]

It sounds a lot like SD, but you should probably check with your doctor. I've had SD for about 15 years, and am also allergic to fragrances, so your problem sounds very similar. Do you ever get patches of the same thing behind your ears or anywhere on your face, also? A dr. will probably tell you to put cortisone cream on the irritated patches. I've found that dabbing a bit of shampoo right on the sore spot will help.

Many times, T-gel shampoo is recommended for SD. It seems to work for some people, but it actually made mine worse. You might have to try a few different kinds of shampoo to see what works best for you. I use tea tree oil shampoo. ACV rinses helped me a lot. Now, it stays under control unless I am under a lot of stress. When I have a flare-up, washing it more often helps.