Advice for husband: horribly itchy scalp

[Melisande]

I don't know any more what to do to help my poor husband. Maybe one of you has an idea?

My husband suffers from an itchy scalp. He is half bald, and he says his bald scalp itches all the time. I often see that he is scratching his head, but yesterday (when I gave a lecture and he was sitting in the audience) I was really shocked to see that he was scratching his head constantly. He usually tries to restrain himself but as soon as he can, he scratches. He says it's a torture, this itching won't stop, as though there are phantom hairs trying to get out.

He is never the complaining type and has no tendency to imaginary ailments. If he complains about the itch, it must be bad.

I have made oil and essential oil mixtures for him and massaged his poor head regularly, to no effect. He uses a gentle shampoo, dilutes it, uses no conditioner that might stick to his scalp, and tried a number of OTC ointments already. Nothing so far has helped.

[Kristamommyx3]

Sounds like what happened to me a few years back. After months of miserable itching and trial and error, I discovered quite accidentally that I had become allergic to sodium laurel sulphate. You could have him stop using all sulphates and any hair products he uses for styling as well, because it could be something in one of those, too. Does he wear a new hat? Could be the dye? Does he use a lotion or sunblock on his scalp? Good luck and please give us updates. :)

[Avital88]

might be the sls yes,, i notice when using sls i have more itch too,, its really annoying, i hope he will be ok soon

[Anje]

Does his scalp look irritated or anything like that? I'm wondering if he has eczema up there. That can itch terribly.

[Melisande]

No, it's no eczema. Wouldn't he feel an SLS allergy also on his body? It's only his scalp that is driving him crazy. He doesn't use my shampoo but I'll ask him to switch to a shampoo without SLS.

Before he went half bald, he never had any problems...

[heidi w.]

He should visit an experienced dermatologist for a clear diagnosis of his problem. It IS remotely possible that we're in winter and thereby drier months. It could be affecting his skin that the hard water, if you have hard water, is aggravating things.

But visit a dermatologist. It could be something like exzema, psoriasis, seborrheic dermatitus, some form of dandruff, and a few other possibilities.

Is he having bleeding, or red bumps or anything like that?

Get it looked at when the symptoms are more keen. Don't go in all better. Get it looked at with symptoms in tact. Diagnosis is easier and more reliable.

Good luck,
heidi w.

[Amber_Maiden]

I hear olive oil helps...

[BlazingHeart]

My SLS sensitivity showed up first in my mouth, then maybe 1 1/2 years later on my scalp, and 6 months after that on my forearms. Allergies (which involve the immune system) tend to show up more all over, but sensitivity tends to show up where you are exposed to something over and over, the irritation builds up.

[BlazingHeart]

Totally meant to suggest things that might help, too. Chamomile tea makes a very soothing bath, and after that, I would apply some alcohol-free aloe or a skin friendly oil like olive.

[julliams]

Olive oil helped me with this problem and I haven't had it back since.

I'm wondering though - the comment about phantom hairs growing through...when I epliate my legs, about 2 weeks later when they are growing in, the itch is intolerable and I wake at night scratching my legs. It lasts until all the hairs are through and then I don't feel it again.

I wonder if there is some kind of follicle sensation when one is losing hair - that perhaps the follicle is going through the motions of attempting to grow hair, but there simply isn't anything to grow. Hope this doesn't sound completely ridiculous???

[Yozhik]

My father had bad itchy scalp problems. We were overseas, and a doctor said he had some head fungus. She told him to use iodine topically, which I think solved the problem. He had distinctive flakes and coloration, though, so I don't know if this will at all be helpful to you.

[PaganPriestess]

While we're discussing this.. my husband has a full head of hair, and he suffers from psoriasis or extreme dandruff on his scalp. It flakes and he gets sores all the time. We have tried head & shoulders, and T-Gel, and Selsun Blue, etc. and nothing really works. The T-Gel works for awhile, but never really takes the problem away. Anyone know any herbal or natural treatments that would be good for it? As I'm reading this thread, I'm thinking maybe trying an olive oil scalp treatment?

[Anje]

While we're discussing this.. my husband has a full head of hair, and he suffers from psoriasis or extreme dandruff on his scalp. It flakes and he gets sores all the time. We have tried head & shoulders, and T-Gel, and Selsun Blue, etc. and nothing really works. The T-Gel works for awhile, but never really takes the problem away. Anyone know any herbal or natural treatments that would be good for it? As I'm reading this thread, I'm thinking maybe trying an olive oil scalp treatment?
Honestly, get it diagnosed. We can toss treatment ideas at you, but it would help to know what's actually wrong.

[spike316]

I concur with getting a diagnosis. That being said a lot of the people over on the shampoo bar thread have had success with nettle, tea tree, and pine tar soaps as shampoos these would be good for both fungus or if he's allergic to sls I'd think.

[Kelikea]

Sometimes my scalp itches, too. Cutting out shampoo and doing vinegar rinses have helped, along with rubbing aloe on the scalp. You could also try cortisone cream. Good Luck!

[Melisande]

Wow, so many good ideas here! I thank you all.

I think my husband raised the problem once with the doctor but he didn't think it's serious enough to go to a dermatologist. There is absolutely nothing to be seen - only the traces of his scratching. No bumps, no flakes, no sweeling, no redness.

I think the follicle phantom pain sounds exactly what he is experiencing. His scalp doesn't itch anywhere else, only on the bald part.

Thank you again all of you for your input. this is really a great forum when one needs help and doesn't know where to turn to!!!

[rowie]

Have you tried rubbing some tea tree oil. Whenever my scalp gets itchy, I use tea tree oil to give my scalp a massage. The itching would stop the next day for me.

[Celtic Morla]

My DH has the bald top and his scalp is very dry looking he does not use shampoo(thats forever gone in our house) but does use shampoo bars I make with oilive oil, soybean and lard(no coconut) and essential oils. He also covers his head with a hat to protect it from all the elements. Scalp skin is very delicate, I can see where his hair used to be just by looking!

[Coffeebug]

It's counter-intuitive, but Listerine can sometimes help against itchies.